THE WARRIOR

CULT OF ODIN:

Conflict With

and Suplantation of

the Werewolf Warrior Cult

RIG VEDA 4.26.2—SOMA

and INDRA and the EAGLE:

“I gave to Earth the Aryan¹”

Early in the development of the societies related to Proto-Indo-European warrior cults, was that of the “Ulfhednar,” or Werewolf (man-wolf)² warrior caste. This specialized class of warrior has a lineage evident as far back as the prominently featured artwork of the Upper Paleolithic the caves of Europe (30,000+ BCE), and enduring—thousands-of-years—evidence of such found in the societal regions of “Old Europe” and it’s Pontic steppes ( as early as 3,000+ BCE)… These wolf-cults existed, nearly unbroken, until the dawn of the primal Warrior-Cult of “Man-God” or the “super-human-warrior” Cult of Wotan/Odin (similarly Zeus/Lugh/Indra)…

The “Ulfhednar” warrior-cult (remnants of which survived in many forms—even until that of the Viking-age “Berzerkers,” bear-warrior; and Celtic-age “Cuchulainn,” Hound-Warrior) was centered around the paradigm of the wolf-man, whose totem embraced a anthrozoomorphic bond with the animistic, vicious, and ferocious pack-raiding features ascribed to the wolf throughout Indo-European mythos (e.g., the Roman parable of it’s human founders being suckled and raised by wolves).

Anthropological historical corroboration delineates a Proto-Indo-European raiding ritual that sent their young initiates out on livestock raids (pre-dating 3000 BCE). This was the institution of the “Männerbűnde,” “Korios,” or “Panis”: the warrior brotherhood of young men that were bound by oath to one another, or to ancestors, during a ritually prescribed raid, has been anthropologically reconstructed as a central part of such Proto-Indo-European initiation rituals. These same rituals survived for thousands-of-years, evinced by extant historical records that specifically pertain to rituals practiced by Galatians, Thracians, Skythians, Teutons, Vedic, and other ancient Indo-European peoples; well into the early centuries of the Common Era.

The most significant material trait linked to these ceremonies was the wolf (or hound); these young initiates were “possessed” by the wolf (or hound) spirit, and customarily wore the skins of their totem during their initiation. Canine-tooth-necklaces were worn as pendants, and often found in PIE (e.g., Yamnaya culture) graves in the western Pontic steppes (as discovered in the Ingul Valley, a known region of these migrations [about 3000 BCE]).

A second material trait linked to the Korios [Panis³], was the “Ulfhednar” belt, or girdle. Korios raiders wore little more than these belts (similar to much later warrior-figures in Celtic & Germanic occurrence, i.e., the Anglo-Saxon Fingelsham belt buckle). Initiates on raids often wore two belts: the leader of the raid wore a single belt, signifying his being bound by a single oath to an early war-god (likely a variant of Tyr/Tuiw/Zues) or to tribal ancestors, whereas the initiates following the leader wore two belts, showing they were double-bound to their war-god/ancestors and to their leaders. Stone anthropomorphic stelae (resembling similarly themed paintings found in the Chauvet & Lascaux caves of Southwest France and Altamira caves in Northern Spain⁴) were erected over hundreds of Yamnaya graves between the Ingul and South Bug valleys (and sometimes as far west as modern Bulgaria & Hungary); the same region where canine pendants were widespread. The most common clothing element carved upon these stelae, was a belt; often with an axe or pair of sandals attached to the belt. Typically, it was a single belt—most likely symbolizing a leader of the raid.

One of the most well-known early examples of the super-human warrior cult unseating and supplanting that of the korios, is exemplified by the northern invading tribes of Mycenaean “Greeks”; earliest of documented pioneers in establishing deities who did not resemble half-animal/half-human (“hybrid” [monster] deities). These early northern “barbarians” instead opted-for, and celebrated gods that resembled themselves (male and female), and embodied those eternal struggles and feelings of the common being.⁵ These Greco-“super-humans” were epitomized by such deities as Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, and so-on…

The warnings against induction into the werewolf cult⁶ are allegorized in the Volsunga Saga, specifically in the parable of Sigmund, and his son Sinfjötli; whereas, by the wearing of enchanted wolf skins, they themselves become werewolves. While in this “Ulfhednar” state, the father, Sigmund, in a “berserker” type rage, mortally wounds his son, Sinfjötli. Soon after this attack of father upon son, Wotan intervenes; who, through his raven, delivers an enchanted leaf that cures Sinfjötli’s lethal wounds. Shortly after, both Sigmund and Sinfjötli shed their wolf skins, transform back into men, curse their use, and consign the werewolf pelts to destruction by fire ⁶…

Early Eddaic texts reference a struggle between “the Eagle” [a pan-mythic symbol for Odin, Zeus, and Indra, respectively] and the werewolf. An Eddaic allegory specifically prohibits initiates from reaching Odin’s Hall if they are trapped by a werewolf who fishes for men in the river [of purification] surrounding Odin’s Hall… To enter the Hall [and Warrior-Cult] of Odin, the initiate must overcome the bestial-nature of the Werewolf (Grimnismal 9-10)… This Wotanic/Odinist warrior-caste concept is further evinced by the symbol that adorns the entrance to Allfather’s Hall—a bloody Eagle perched atop a Wolf; an unsubtle emblem implying that warriors may enter Allfather’s abode, but not through the warrior cult of “Ulfhednar…”

This transition can certainly be viewed as a vital development in spiritual evolution: a progression from primitive man-animal ethos, to one more in tune with the sanctity of man and man-god…