I’ve only just begun to scratch surface of the bear mythologies but what also comes to mind is I believe in Russia or in the Slavic nations, they refer to a mother/ woman who has conceived children as a bear, maybe in allusion to the bear like growls and grunts a woman makes in childbirth
I’ve also heard it argued that the goddess Artemis who’s animal is the bear and is sometimes called the she bear and young maidens or priestesses in training to her would perform initiations by “playing the bear” in veneration to Artemis. However I’ve heard some historians claim that Artemis is one of the older goddesses, and existed pre Greek and stems from one of the primordial mother goddesses
Then we also have the proto Celtic word “artos” meaning bear which we find in similar words like Artemis, and Arthur of the round table legends and “arktos” the Greek for bear, from which I think we get words like arctic like the arctic circle where we find many bears. Perhaps alluding to northern symbolism
We are really just scratching the surface with this topic! I’m sure you can do a whole series on this! I’m glad you’re talking about it, as sadly so much of the bear lore has been covered up, demoted or watered down especially during early years of Christianity
Fascinating! I wonder if this is the background behind some of the folk customs with big, shaggy masked dancers. I've been to the Busojárás in Mohács, Hungary, twice, and recently ordered the book Wilder Mann by Charles Fréger so I can understand more of the broader context (and enjoy the pictures). I've got a draft article on this topic somewhere deep in my Drafts folder.
I’ve only just begun to scratch surface of the bear mythologies but what also comes to mind is I believe in Russia or in the Slavic nations, they refer to a mother/ woman who has conceived children as a bear, maybe in allusion to the bear like growls and grunts a woman makes in childbirth
I’ve also heard it argued that the goddess Artemis who’s animal is the bear and is sometimes called the she bear and young maidens or priestesses in training to her would perform initiations by “playing the bear” in veneration to Artemis. However I’ve heard some historians claim that Artemis is one of the older goddesses, and existed pre Greek and stems from one of the primordial mother goddesses
Then we also have the proto Celtic word “artos” meaning bear which we find in similar words like Artemis, and Arthur of the round table legends and “arktos” the Greek for bear, from which I think we get words like arctic like the arctic circle where we find many bears. Perhaps alluding to northern symbolism
Yes to all the above, and more. It’s a vast and fascinating topic 🐻
We are really just scratching the surface with this topic! I’m sure you can do a whole series on this! I’m glad you’re talking about it, as sadly so much of the bear lore has been covered up, demoted or watered down especially during early years of Christianity
This essay is so good, thank you. This: “an inherited mythological tradition that spans millennia” Yes!
Fascinating! I wonder if this is the background behind some of the folk customs with big, shaggy masked dancers. I've been to the Busojárás in Mohács, Hungary, twice, and recently ordered the book Wilder Mann by Charles Fréger so I can understand more of the broader context (and enjoy the pictures). I've got a draft article on this topic somewhere deep in my Drafts folder.
It definitely is!
Thank you for such a great inspiring history - love all this am studying 13th Century Poetry and this really complimented all - fantastic job.