When we think of the Holiday of
Easter, one comes to mind of white bunnies, colorful eggs and the resurrection
of Jesus. But has anyone wondered past the pastel colors and into the realm of
beyond?
Easter, one comes to mind of white bunnies, colorful eggs and the resurrection
of Jesus. But has anyone wondered past the pastel colors and into the realm of
beyond?
Come
with me in search for the Goddess of Easter, on Between Monsters and Men.
with me in search for the Goddess of Easter, on Between Monsters and Men.
Eostre
From what anyone can tell Easter is not the actual name of the Goddess
and it is instead, Eostre. She is portrayed
mostly now as the beautiful blonde in American Gods, however, the world has
never put a face or a body of a woman in the likes of Easter. The holiday
mostly speaks from a biblical sense as the resurrection of Jesus.
and it is instead, Eostre. She is portrayed
mostly now as the beautiful blonde in American Gods, however, the world has
never put a face or a body of a woman in the likes of Easter. The holiday
mostly speaks from a biblical sense as the resurrection of Jesus.
The
name Eostre can be found in old English and in modern day English where it does translates to Easter, but the name
itself derives from the Proto-Germanic name Austro – which also is a descendent
of a Proto-Indo-European name of h2ews – which means Shine.
name Eostre can be found in old English and in modern day English where it does translates to Easter, but the name
itself derives from the Proto-Germanic name Austro – which also is a descendent
of a Proto-Indo-European name of h2ews – which means Shine.
Bede
Very little
information was ever found and all are linked to one source. In the 8th
century the work of “The Reckoning of Time” by Bede, states that during April
the Pagan Anglo Saxons would hold feasts in honor of Eostre, also known as
Easter or Ostre. By the time he had written this work though, the tradition of
the Pagan worship had long died out and was replaced by the Christian Paschal
month to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.
information was ever found and all are linked to one source. In the 8th
century the work of “The Reckoning of Time” by Bede, states that during April
the Pagan Anglo Saxons would hold feasts in honor of Eostre, also known as
Easter or Ostre. By the time he had written this work though, the tradition of
the Pagan worship had long died out and was replaced by the Christian Paschal
month to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.
This was all we knew
of Easter – at least we think. With deep digging historical linguists were able
to trace the name of Eostre to the Proto-Indo-European Goddess of Dawn. Even
with this little information, they couldn’t be sure if the theories were
legitimate and not an invention by Bede.
of Easter – at least we think. With deep digging historical linguists were able
to trace the name of Eostre to the Proto-Indo-European Goddess of Dawn. Even
with this little information, they couldn’t be sure if the theories were
legitimate and not an invention by Bede.
With Scholars potentially
stomping out all theories of this Goddess existing, is there really, even the
tiniest bit possibility of this Goddess existing?
stomping out all theories of this Goddess existing, is there really, even the
tiniest bit possibility of this Goddess existing?
So I dug deeper myself.
Goddess of Dawn
To
be truthful, and let’s be totally honest – I am not a professional researcher –
I wish to travel the world to archeological sites and read ancient books to
give all the right answers but with minimum information given to me I was able
to find what I found.
be truthful, and let’s be totally honest – I am not a professional researcher –
I wish to travel the world to archeological sites and read ancient books to
give all the right answers but with minimum information given to me I was able
to find what I found.
There
are probably a hundred different goddesses that could relate to Dawn or Spring
in some form and I was able to find a list of nine that stick out the most.
Forgive my misprounouncation now. Eos (Greek), Thesan(Etruscan) , Eostre(German),
Ushas (hindu), Aurora (Roman) , Zorya (Slavic), Brigid (Ireland),
Ame-No-Usume-No-Mikoto (Japan) and Anpao (Native American).
are probably a hundred different goddesses that could relate to Dawn or Spring
in some form and I was able to find a list of nine that stick out the most.
Forgive my misprounouncation now. Eos (Greek), Thesan(Etruscan) , Eostre(German),
Ushas (hindu), Aurora (Roman) , Zorya (Slavic), Brigid (Ireland),
Ame-No-Usume-No-Mikoto (Japan) and Anpao (Native American).
All
of these Goddesses have their respected reputation in their locations and
religions, some even linking to one another of being possibly the same person.
And as I searched through their tales only one stuck out the most for the
possible candidate as the real Goddess of Easter.
of these Goddesses have their respected reputation in their locations and
religions, some even linking to one another of being possibly the same person.
And as I searched through their tales only one stuck out the most for the
possible candidate as the real Goddess of Easter.
Her
name is Brigid and she is the Irish Goddess of Dawn, who pre-dates Christian
Ireland. She associates with the spring season, fertility, healing, poetry, and
smithcraft. What ties her closer to Easter than the other Goddesses is the
Pagan festival of (Imbolc) where they celebrate the beginning of Spring, much
as we do for Easter. Another small, but important link to her and Easter, is
she possessed two oxen, the King of Boars Torc Triath, and Cirb the King of
Sheep. Due to this she was considered the Guardian of domesticated animals –
which many of us have in our homes – such as the rabbit.
name is Brigid and she is the Irish Goddess of Dawn, who pre-dates Christian
Ireland. She associates with the spring season, fertility, healing, poetry, and
smithcraft. What ties her closer to Easter than the other Goddesses is the
Pagan festival of (Imbolc) where they celebrate the beginning of Spring, much
as we do for Easter. Another small, but important link to her and Easter, is
she possessed two oxen, the King of Boars Torc Triath, and Cirb the King of
Sheep. Due to this she was considered the Guardian of domesticated animals –
which many of us have in our homes – such as the rabbit.
Regardless
the feast day was on Feburary 1st, we can’t disregard that Brigid is
the closest link to a Goddess of what we know as Easter.
the feast day was on Feburary 1st, we can’t disregard that Brigid is
the closest link to a Goddess of what we know as Easter.
The
Rabbit and the Eggs
Rabbit and the Eggs
The customs we are so
familiarized with today may have come from the late 19th – century
scholar Charles Isaac Elton, in his study of the hare in folk custom and
mythology. He wasn’t the only one who cited it, Charles J. Billson found
numerous incidents of folk custom involving hare around the period of “Easter”
in Northern Europe, “the sacredness of this animal reaches back into an age
still more remote, where it is probably a very important part of the great
Spring Festival of the Prehistoric inhabitants of this Island.” This Island
meaning Northern Europe.
familiarized with today may have come from the late 19th – century
scholar Charles Isaac Elton, in his study of the hare in folk custom and
mythology. He wasn’t the only one who cited it, Charles J. Billson found
numerous incidents of folk custom involving hare around the period of “Easter”
in Northern Europe, “the sacredness of this animal reaches back into an age
still more remote, where it is probably a very important part of the great
Spring Festival of the Prehistoric inhabitants of this Island.” This Island
meaning Northern Europe.
And well, for eggs – the
exchange of eggs is an ancient custom celebrated by many cultures.
exchange of eggs is an ancient custom celebrated by many cultures.
So
what of it?
what of it?
There
is no proof from what scholars and historians have found of a Goddess known as
Easter and what they did find was only one source by a novelist who could have
been making it all up. That’s not to say the least that there is a goddess
closely resembling the traits of the holiday. There are several Goddesses of
Dawn – world wide – but Brigid, Goddess of Dawn in Ireland is the closest resemblance
I could find at the time being.
is no proof from what scholars and historians have found of a Goddess known as
Easter and what they did find was only one source by a novelist who could have
been making it all up. That’s not to say the least that there is a goddess
closely resembling the traits of the holiday. There are several Goddesses of
Dawn – world wide – but Brigid, Goddess of Dawn in Ireland is the closest resemblance
I could find at the time being.
Not
only was there a day she was celebrated for that also told of the first day of
spring but she cared and owned many animals that titled her a goddess of
domesticated animals which now a days we can see rabbits as associated with.
only was there a day she was celebrated for that also told of the first day of
spring but she cared and owned many animals that titled her a goddess of
domesticated animals which now a days we can see rabbits as associated with.
There
is a big possibility of a goddess being more closely related to what we see
Easter is but has been lost in time like many historical figures that we have
misread today. But it is safe to say for now that Easter is ruled by the
Christian belief and not a Germanic pagan god – at least no longer.
is a big possibility of a goddess being more closely related to what we see
Easter is but has been lost in time like many historical figures that we have
misread today. But it is safe to say for now that Easter is ruled by the
Christian belief and not a Germanic pagan god – at least no longer.
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