Traditions, Superstitions and Folk-lore (Chiefly Lancashire and the North of England:) Their Affinity to Others in Widely-Distributed Localities; Their Eastern Origin and Mythical Significance.

CHAPTER I.

Chapter 1338 wordsPublic domain

THE EARLY INHABITANTS OF LANCASHIRE AND THE NEIGHBOURING COUNTIES, AND REMAINS OF THEIR MYTHOLOGY AND LOCAL NOMENCLATURE.

Etymology. Philology. The Aryan theory of the common origin of most of the European races of men. Sanscrit. The Rig Vedas. Probable element of truth at the base of Geoffrey of Monmouth's mythical History of the Britons. The Brigantes. The Ph[oe]nicians. The Hyperboreans. Stonehenge. Bel or Baal, the sun-god. The Persian Ormusd. Temple of Mithras in Northumberland. The "Bronze age." The Cushites or Hamites of Ancient Arabia. Palæoliths, or ancient stone weapons. The Belisama (Ribble). Altars dedicated to Belatucadrus in the North of England. The Brigantes of the East, Spain, Ireland, and the North of England. The Aryan fire-god Agni, and his retainers, the Bhrigus, etc. Altars in the North of England dedicated to Vitires, Vetiris, or Veteres. Vithris (Odin). Vritra of the Hindoo Vedas. Altars dedicated to Cocidius, The Styx, Acheron, and Cocytus of the Greeks. The Coccium of Antoninus, at Walton, near Preston. Ancient local nomenclature. The Belisama. The Irish god Samhan. The Aryan god Soma. The "heavenly soma." The amrita or nectar, the "drink of the gods." Madhu. Mead. Brewing and lightening. Bel, the luminous deity of the Britons. Deification of rivers. The Wharf, the Lune, etc. The Solway and Eden (Ituna of Ptolemy). Idunn, the goddess of youth and beauty. Swan maidens. Eagle shirts. Frost giants, etc. The "Luck of Eden Hall." Phallic symbols. The Dee (the Seteia of Ptolemy). Dêvas, deities, evil spirits, devils. The Severn, Sabrina, Varuna. War between the dêvas and the asuras. The Vedic serpent, Sesha. The chark. Churning the sea, or brewing soma. The lake of Amara, or of the gods, and the Sitanta mountains, at the head of the Nile. The second Avatâra of Vishnu. The Setantii, ancient inhabitants of Lancashire. The Humber (the Abus of Ptolemy). The Vedic Arbhus. The Elbe. Elemental strife. The Wash (the Metaris of Ptolemy). The Vedic Mithra, the friend of Varuna, the god of daylight. Figurative interpretation. The origin of language. Page 1