When I was little my dad would always tell me stories from the lord of the rings. I was fascinated as a young boy and I would constantly ask questions. I don't remember what I asked but I remember being shocked when I learned that Tolkiens elves weren't little people. He went on to tell me they are supposed to be the first and finest example of a Noble race. That elves were supposed to be like perfect happy children. Tragic that they turned out to be so stoic and sad.
Tolkien will always hold a special place as a bridge from our pre-Christian ancestors beliefs and the Christian dogma which forcefully replaced it in some places. I respect Tolkirn immensely because his deep reverence for our pre-Christian ancestors and the work he did to bring it into our modern world.
It’s always disappointing to me that Anglo Saxon history and culture always gets sidelined in discussions about English pride and culture over the whole imperialism business. It’s really nice to learn more and more about my ancestors and know what kinds of beliefs they heard prior to Christianity. Thanks a lot!
I was born and raised in the modern German state of Lower Saxony and it is WILD how much of this is super familiar to me. Like those horse headed gables are literally everywhere even today
@@Jay-jj5gk it’s really eye opening to get some background information to so many traditions and stories you grew up with and never really spent any time thinking about. Makes you connect to your heritage in a different and more meaningful way.
I wish more people would start to take an interest in our culture and history it’s sad to see it slowly fading out so thank you for keeping it alive and for keeping us educated
@@nebnik2015 except his fans credit him with inventing the creatures and other folklore. Yea, elves are from a book in the 20th century. wtf is wrong with tolkein fans.
@@omnitravis not sure which tolkien fans you've been talking to. Pretty much everyone knows that Tolkien was inspired by mythology. He did pretty much invent modern fantasy elves though.
@@double7923 my name YQA? Your Quality Apologist aka Your Quality Anarchist. But if you're asking for other meanings let me know, if you're asking about : Asha? Logos? Sorry unclear to what your inquiry is about..
@@double7923 Or perhaps you mean my reference to many but not all light skinned people for some reason in mass tending to hate themselves and ancestry, guilt and/or negative views about their history, in that case it is a self-evident statement.
Also I noticed a weird anomaly, I definitely posted without it saying "... *Logos propaganda." That's weird to me that the comment got registered that way
Yeah idk what it was with this people and evil dog spirits or whatever, but here where i live (The Netherlands) there are multiple stories about those too. Wonder what's the lore behind those
@@kimashitawa8113 Not necessarily Saxon but other monstrous dogs/wolves like Garmr, Fenrir/Fenris from pagan lore etc possibly? who knows. i know in the church in Blythburgh there are "claw" marks down a door (i've seen them myself) although the look more like burn marks than scraps i guess. I think the Black Shuck story is more modern though than saxon but whether the story of demon dogs persists? again who knows. interesting use of the term Shuck, which Tom also mentions in this video.
@@valofalconery It being derived from a Continental-Germanic variant of Garmr or Fenrir sounds plausible, but yeah it's hard to see wether something is modern or derived from something ancient when it comes to folklore is hard sometimes.
@@avikingwego2162 good day to you too. Christianity originated in the middle east, but Europeans are the ones that turned it into what it is, and mixed it with their own folklore to create something new. Just like the Indo Europeans came from the steps of Asia, overwhelming the original European cultures with their own heritage and created something new. You should be proud of your heritage, including the last 1000 years of it.
@@Abilliph + Mark, good to see an agreeable discussion on YT for once :D I deleted my reply because I misread what you said and didn't exactly disagree anyways
@RUKMINI TALUKDER true. That's the beauty of it. It's like Judaism. It tried to remove it's Canaanite origins but they're still pretty much a part of the culture. We should take the old and the new, it's more fun that way. I love geeking out about ancient middle eastern cultures, and it would be great if those people tried to preserve a part of their past, like you attempt to do with the Indo European culture, but the present is also an important part of who everyone is.
Just fascinating. Our history, anthropology and ancient lore is being lost on purpose and its preservation is so important. You're doing the real job of the BBC and similar agencies. I hope someday you will become a wealthy man because of this incredible work you're doing.
Ive been studying history and recently got more into the west, and found myself discovering your channel just as i was beginning to study British history. You go in depth on levels i really and truly appreciate, and myself as a linguist adding those little language break downs makes it all that much more interesting. Great channel man.
7:04 these roof gables are still to be seen in German Lower Saxony. On older buildings they are being renewed every few decades and people who are building a new house in traditional style often add them too - these horse heads are called Hengest & Horsa. Closer to the North Sea there is another variaton, instead of the two crossed horse heads there is a single carved beam added to the roof, these are called Wotan's head or stick, but I have seen these only on few old buildings
What better gift to mark the beginning of April than this, always a damn good day when Survive the Jive releases some content. I can scarcely think of a better predawn video to be watching as the world around me resurrects into wakefulness from its winter death dream- filling my room with the chorus of frogs and the scent of spring balsam. Makes the history in my bones being explored in this video that much more alive...
In the northwest Iberan peninsula "there are" Trasgos. Small human like beings, wiht berets usually red, that live in farms and play tricks on the dwellers of a house. ;)
Interesting to note on the subject of the Valkyries is that they are not necessarily distinct entities but rather transcendental personifications of certain elements of the warriors themselves, in this manner relating themselves to certain depictions made in the Iranian tradition of the Fravashi, the storming virgins of battle.
In the keralite(south indian) rigvedic tradition (among the namboothiri brahmin and Nair castes) as I observed being a part of it myself, there is a post death ritual that involves the raven. Where from year after the cremation of the dead body( the urn containing the bones could still be revered in a place outside the house with a daily oil lamp, or could have already been set off in a holy river), year after year on the day of death, rice is kept outside in a banana leaf, the ritual involves the performer (who in the first year must be a brahmin, uses incantations. From the next year's could be performed by the son/daughter of the deceased, son having precedence in the ceremonies). The rice is then set outside, in the open in the earth, on the leaf. The bystanders wait at a distance until a black raven arrives and perches on the rice lump. All other animals except common crows and ravens are chased away. The essence apparently being, the black raven being the deceased reborn, coming for a visit. I do not know if this could be traced back to any rigvedic ritual. Johan Frederik "Frits" Staal, could be a good source material if rigvedic rituals are to be used in a proto-indo european context. Great and nuanced work 👍🏼
Was there an expression of concern, or worry, that he may not be understood? Odd to compliment someone on their English when…it wasn’t a concern to begin with.
35:00 "forget Lord of the Rings" I can't recall Tolkien saying that elves had pointed ears. (I think this is a product of the films) . In fact, his portrayal of them as being almost semi divine beings, tall, shining and beautiful, fits in with your description rather well.
@@Survivethejive I've never seen anything in any Icelandic saga or other Germanic literature that mentions wights ever say humans and animals could be wights.We know that wights are supernatural beings connectrd to lands often.
Practically mortal beings (not really meaning that supernatural beings are immortal,gods can be killed too) are humans,animals and plants in that mythologies
Both were staunch Christians. Tolkien was a life--long Catholic, whereas Lewis was a well-known Chistian apologist. They may have argued the fine points, but neither was any thing close to pagan.
I know people gave me s**t in the last video comment section for loving and taking pride in my Anglo-Saxon heritage. But I dont care, I still love it :)
While listening to your section on the Norns being spinners and weavers of fate, my minds eye instantly drew up images of Sleeping beauty and Rumplestiltskin, where a fantastical spinning element is central to the story.
As a descendant of Welsh, Scottish and English ancestors I have struggled my entire young adult and adult life to find my faith in Christ. Like so many people I was expected to be a Christian as were my parents and their parents and so on. My Grandparents were Welsh and as far as I know they were members of the Church of England. Although they were not devout they were invested in the Christian dogma. I never felt a connection to their beliefs or their hanging Christ. I flirted with other occult beliefs as a young adult including an embarrassing interlude with the new age candle cult of Wicca. I can honestly say I've never felt more compelled by a "religion" than I have with Anglo Saxon paganism. Thank you for the work you do. It has brought me closer to my ancestors and closer to finding true belief.
25:07 Addition: the word "weird" is also related to the German word "werden" meaning "to become/becoming", which is related in meaning to the term "fate" as well.
@@b3nzayizkoolyo He was triggered because someones tries to re-learn his culture? Without looking, he sounds like the tipical post-modern self hating anglo.
On Pucks.. Tolkien referred to the men who lived in The Paths of the Dead as 'Pukel men'. The way you described their morality, neither good nor bad, seems pretty apt.. Since they double crossed Isildur and then redeemed themselves to Aragorn.
After seeing both Videos, I now wanted the same for the Roman/Greek Pantheon and Mythology. This Videos are a great Insight in to the History of Europe and his People.
My friend, you are one of the best sources for information on Germanic paganism and mythology on RU-vid. I don't have much but I'm going to see if I can donate something for you. You are tragically underrated. Keep up the good work, you're a true Drengr my friend!
Can you do a video on the sight? And specifically which sort of plants were used throughout Europe for the sight and or/ lycanthropy? I'm hearing fly agaric and henbane. Salvia will let you see spirits fyi. Great video.
I think paganism is okay as long as you don’t sacrifice animals or humans lol,but I hate when Christian’s think everything that is not Islam or Judaism is from the devil and should be destroyed lol
Thanks for posting videos that are pro northern European. They are very detailed and entertaining. I've been trying to find more info on the saxons/north west Germans , strangely there's so few.
it's very interesting to see similarities to the finnish myths of the kalevala, how pohja is both north and "the bottom", a place of cold and evil spirits. Maybe it's the same myths or just developed from the same landscape and climate. Linguists say that the finnic languages are like a time machine to seeing old germanic loan words in their truest form, like kuningas for king. Perhaps diving into the kalevala can give even more knowledge?
It's interesting that in Russian there's also one word for both a spirit/soul and breath. Seems like it's a Proto-Indo-European thing. Also it makes me wonder what the corresponding myth looked like for the Slavic Paganism.
The detail that you bring to your videos is astounding. Great companion to the first. It is a true joy that those of us interested in these ideas and heritage can get such high quality information. Thank you.
The more I learn about the Anglo Saxons the more I’m convinced that they were indistinguishable from the Norse. They had similar gods, a similar language, similar armor, even similar looking ships!
They were from a very close vicinity of each other. Especially in terms of Danes, Jutes, angles, Saxons and Frisians, (form the North sea coastal boot) which are quite indistinguishable in genetic terms. Norwegians and Swedes were also similar but did have differing cultural elements and are genetically distinguishable.
If you look at West European history from the neolithic age then you'll see that the British Isles have endured waves of Germanic gene-type peoples for a few millennia. When the Yamnaya invaded Northern/East Europe and pushed into Western Europe history was set to repeat over and over it seems, ending with the Viking age. Kinda sad honestly because the Vikings were the last of that culture. However, equally important the British Isles has seen countless waves of Indo-European genes, Celts included. I'm North Eastern English, total up my DNA up without much thought and I'd be 60% germanic in origin and 40% Celtic. Yet, I resemble an Indo-European. I was confused when so much of my heritage was set in Britain until I learnt about the history. Britain is a mix, just think how many times over that conflict of Anglo-Saxon and Celtic like hatred played out before eventually being forgotten as people integrated. Only then to meet the next wave of invaders.
The Wyrd Sisters reminds me of one of the tales of Cú Chullain, The Goddess Morrígan who is a goddess of fate appears to Cú Chullain in the form of 3 old women and speak to him to foretell that he would cast a spear to kill 3 kings, and lead him to his death.
FYI some of the daemones were negative! for eg. the chaldean oracles talks about dog daemons that try to prevent you from ascending to a higher spiritual level
Perhaps it is time for us to abandon the Semitic god with the myths of the virgin birth and all its pagan adoptations. Maybe it’s time we revived the old ways and found our selves finally after centuries under Norman rule and today under modernity’s frivolous stupid modern day Consumer culture that makes a mockery of us all . Going to the old ways means becoming real again. Dignified . Not moved by the modern crap of this deculturated world …
I just discovered your channel, and I LOVE IT!!! Super interesting!!! I very much believe we will regain our strength and ancient memory by remembering the old ways of our ancestors, and the roots of our culture and language!!! Keep up the good work!!! Much Love!!!
I would enjoy studying Welsh mythology. My Welsh cousin's wife descended from a long line of Welsh witches. I only met her a few times. For some unknown reason, she feared me. I have a strong spirit
Much of ancient belief was centered on the concept of the "in between". Events, locations, and beings that could cross between barriers or were situated upon these enclosed regions were sacred and magical. This is why dusk/dawn, eclipses, season changes, waterways, groves, leas, barrows, etc. were all associated with the supernatural. Those things and people that defied the norm were "elf-touched" which became associated more with malignant forces as Christian influence subverted, manipulated, then subsumed the older belief systems. However, I imagine to most people, as it is today, if you were encouraged to keep your food and livestock offerings, because a god already made an offering of themselves, and instead of just the chosen warrior elite getting to party in the afterlife, but even a farmer could enjoy paradise, then conversion would be rather appealing.
Germanic pagan mythology has a great influence on entertainment industry. Mythological figures such as elves appear in fantasy games, movies, comics, cartoons, manga, anime, etc.
Hey survive the jive! I just watched your video about the aryan invasion of india very interesting stuff! I wish you goodluck on your future projects since you have educated me more and made me feel more proud of my background! Keep on keeping!
About you're disclaimer at the end: I think the aversion some people have towards "systemizing" this stuff is just silly. "Systemizing" is exactly what Neoplatonists did with Hellenic mythology and lore, and what Hindu reconstructionist movements did with their faith under British rule. The end result for them was a resurgence in these beliefs.
Well that’s all very well if you’re trying to promote a neo-pagan religion, but the problem with modern people trying to systemise ancient mythologies and religious beliefs is that it’s easy to get it wrong-and then you’ve potentially got a mistaken belief running around that can often obscure our view of the actual historical facts. That’s the real problem with overenthusiastic systematising.
Contrary to Peter Jackson, Tolkien never describes Elves of his Middle Earth to have pointy ears. They are just tall, fair of face, and graceful in motion. And of course quasi-immortal.
I'm not sure Christians really believe the saved are all equal in Heaven. And that isn't consistent with Christ's words, if the Gospels are to be believed. I know this video is about Pagan beliefs, but I think it's important to call out how spiritual concepts can be altered to fit a political expedient, in this case, a very weird egalitarianism. And besides Christians, some Buddhists have been 'encouraged' by governments to reinterpret troublesome doctrines, such as 'contentment', as it's bad for the economy. Take Roman Paganism. Much has been said about the damage done to Christian thought once the Roman empire adopted it, but I think Roman rule did just as much damage to Pagan ideas. Empires have a way of 'organizing' peoples' reverence, and distilling it into a commercial racket. ... Anyway, I've really been enjoying your videos.
Some of my ancestors were Hollowells from Northamptonshire, their surname apparently derived from a village there, its name from "holy well", obviously pre-Christian sacred places. Great work on this docu, Mr. Rowsell, enjoyed it.
Half of people have lower than average intellect. That's why high IQ upper middle class and wealthy have gated communities to segregate themselves. If you're smart you often get stares from stupid people who don't know what you mean.
Southern American here with majority English Irish heritage. History here is taught mostly through an American lens and doesn't go into British history which is kind of an extension to American history, so this is really been filling the gap that we miss here. Hope your channel grows and more people find you
@@ivorwm2291 This history really isn't that important to learn in school honestly. Basically think of how Mythology was its own class, and even then its the famous Greek ones. This stuff is for people who are interested in it to seek out.
@@scarlett2299 They're mostly German and irish, not to mention lots of italians, slavs, jews etc. have migrated there. There's nothing British about America, least of all English.
@@fyrdman2185 This is incorrect. American identity is so entangled with the English that English ancestry is considered default or boring so there is a tendency for anyone with any other European ancestry besides English to list their ancestry as that other thing because its seen as more exotic. But if you measure anything objective like surname frequency, genetics, migration patterns and the like English ancestry predominates. Besides that, our culture is primarily English in derivation with us speaking English, having Anglo-Saxon tribal law as our legal system, having offices that have all but disappeared in England like the Sheriff among countless other things. To say that British history has nothing to with the US is really off the mark.
18:45 I did my dissertation on the Jaws of Hell. The image of Hell's mouth as a wolf, or snake is not Biblical. And seems to emerge in 11th century English art. There has been some academic research on it, and it's well worth looking into. It may well be a pagan English motif. You might find it interesting. Amazing video as usual btw.
I commented above about the view of Hell in the Old Testament, which is to say that it didn't really talk about a literal Hell. According to Ehrman, 'sheol', as it was mostly translated from, just meant a 'pit'. He argues that ideas about Hell developed due to Greek influence on Jewish thought and then, as the 'Coming of Christ' didn't happen in their lifetimes, as they had expected, the idea of ascended to a spiritual Heaven (and descent to Hell) became popular. In sum, a lot of what we think about Heaven and Hell is not found in Jesus' teachings or the Old Testament.
@@castizodonkeykong282 Agreed, though to associate it's disembodied head with doors of hell is a big and somewhat strange innovation on the part of the Anglo-Saxons. And I think certainly is an interesting view into their mindset.
@@wodenravens Quite right. The Jewish concept of Gehenna is a darkness, usually interpreted to mean distant from God’s light, and therefore a place of suffering. Nothing about burning fire, eternal torment, etc. Some Jews believed in reincarnation (some still do), and many believe in a purgatory-esque process, whereby every soul eventually makes its way into God’s presence. BTW Ehrman isn’t always a good source on Jewish history and beliefs. Better to read real Jewish sources.
My ma had just uploaded her dna into true ancestry and it came back as matching skeletons’ dna in a Viking burial in Iceland and also Cheddar man. I now have so much context for this thanks to you.
Mikael Agricola probably confused Tursas with Tyr/Tiwaz when he said "Turisas voiton antoi sodast (Turisas brought victory in war)". The Kalevala version where Tursas is a sea monster is probably more accurate and is likely cognate with þyrsas as an early borrowing from the Proto-Germanic Þurisaz. Thus the Finnish Tursas is more like the primeval giant Ymir or Jormungandr than Tyr the god of war.
PIE is fascinating. I hear of some words every now and again that are still in use in Polish like "luka". Means exactly that, an empty space. It's a commonly used word till this day.
this is amazing content, super fascinating. I wish this was taught in school. I can see my self rewatching this many many times to absorb all this information
For 17:00 he talks about the meaning of breath and spirit to be the same thing, and believes it derives from an old Norse myth. But I have possibly another meaning, for this doesn’t originate from English paganism, but from Finnish paganism. In it, they have a somewhat universal belief that each person has three spirits without looking it up and I could be wrong I believe it’s henke itse and I can’t quite remember the third one of those spirits or well aspect of one’s soul also means breath. You can check out the finish, pagan Wikipedia page for more information on that. But I think that it’s referring to the breath of one’s life, in terms of their spirit.
I used to live in Suffolk not far from Sutton Hoo. In fact I remember when the archaeologists recovered Anglo Saxon remains where a new hospital was to be built. I always wondered where the name for the village Elveden came from.
I've been a patron for a few years now. This justifies why. Your work is far too important not to support, Tom. Keep going, mate. This information is valuable.
