NEW DNA Genetic Origin of the Indo-Europeans: Yamnaya/Sredny Stog

 

A new paper called The Genetic Origin of the Indo-Europeans (2024) reveals that the Proto-Indo-European languages originated in the Yamnaya and Sredny Stog cultures of Ukraine and South Russia. The split of PIE languages from Anatolian languages is revealed to have taken place on the steppe (lower Volga). Sredny Stog DNA is found in Central Anatolian Bronze Age Hittite samples proving the real IE people were indeed Steppe herders from Eastern Europe and not an unknown Armenian population as previously claimed in 2022. I discuss the findings in this stream.

Why are May bonfires important?

 

 

In many regions of Europe people celebrate May day, or the day before, by lighting bonfires. In Ireland they call it Beltaine, in Sweden they call it Valborg, and in both countries you will see people gather around enormous fires. But why?

The roots go back not only to the pagan religions of Celtic and Germanic Europe, but even further, to their shared origins. The earliest reference to Beltane in Ireland is from the 10th century and associates it with bonfires and a Celtic pagan god whose name is something like Belenus. This god has Indo-European roots as we also see a Slavic equivalent called Belobog “The white god” and an English god called Bældæg.

Swedes gather at the ancient barrows of Gamla Uppsala while the Valborg fire burns behind them

 

The Bel part of Beltane and Belenus means “bright” and is cognate with the Old English bæl meaning “bale” as in bale-fire “funeral fire/bonfire”. Bældæg is a god attested in Anglo-Saxon royal genealogies as the son of the god Woden. His name means “bale day” or “pyre day” and he is the same god as the Norse Baldr, son of Odin. In Norse myth the god Baldr is associated specifically with a funeral pyre and this is likely the reason for the name Bældæg “pyre day”.

The name of the Anglo-Saxon Saint Walburga replaced earlier names for the May fire festivals in Germany and Sweden which became Walpurgis and Valborg respectively. But thanks to Grimm we know that previously the Germans celebrated Pholtag “Phol day” and Phol is also another name for the god Baldr.

 

 

The evidence from Germany and England confirms that Baldr was the god of the Spring bonfire in the Germanic regions of Europe, while the Gaelic regions had a similar custom for their god Belenus.

The EU has introduced a new law which bans May bonfires and therefore infringes on the religious rights of European pagans to practise their ancient customs. Our right to practice our religion must be defended at all costs.


READ AND WATCH MORE:

VIDEO: May day traditions in Cornwall and Devon 

May Day and Easter have Pagan origins 

VIDEO: Pagan May Ritual in North Devon: The Earl of Rone 

Tories threaten May day (2011) 

VIDEO: 1953 May rites in Padstow