The Scythian Origin Myth, the Four Hallows, the Grail Runes and the Indo-European Caste System

Over the years I have from time to time discussed the Indo-European pagan origins of the grail or graal mythos and how this is rooted in pre-Christian Celtic religion and reflected in the last three or possibly last four rune staves and names. I have also referred to the Scythian connection in the past which I first encountered in Alu An Advanced Guide to Operative Runology by Edred Thorsson (2012, Weiser Books). Edred devotes an appendix in his book to discussing the grail runes (Appendix C Grail Mythos in Old English Runes?)

It would appear that according to Herodotus, writing in The Histories the ancestor of the Scythians was called Targitaos, the son of Zeus (the Greek name for the equivalent Scythian deity) and the daughter of the river god Borysthenes (the Greek name for the Dnieper). He in turn had three sons, Lipoxais, Arpoxais and his youngest Colaxais. These three sons fathered their own tribes. This origin myth bears some similarity to the Germanic origins myth referred to by Tacitus in his Germania. Mannus, the son of the 'earth born god' Tuisto fathered three sons who were the ancestors of the tribal confederations of the Ingaevones, Herminones and the Istvaeones. It is of course possible that these myths are a later survival of an original Proto-Indo-European origins myth.

An alternative view of these three sons is that they are the fathers of three castes rather than tribes. Only the ruling caste, the Skolotoi (Royal Scythians) who were descended from Colaxais worshiped the deity Thagimasadas (identified by Herodotus as the equivalent of Poseidon). This reminds me of the Germanic caste system myth in the Rigsthula of the Poetic Edda. It is the third and youngest caste, Jarl that bears the first Germanic king and this is represented by Kon, the youngest son of Jarl. Likewise Odin has a special relationship with the Jarl caste and it is my contention that the god referred to as Rig is in fact Odin, not Heimdall as this otherwise would not make a great deal of sense. I have discussed this elsewhere on my blogs and do not intend to repeat the arguments in favour of that theory here.

Herodotus goes on to relate that four gold implements fell from the sky to the sons of Targitaos, a plough, yoke, cup and a battle-axe. Dumezil interpreted these as symbols of the Indo-European caste system. The fact that these symbols appeared before the three progenitors of the Scythian castes is significant in my opinion. Only Colaxais was able to touch these gold implements without them bursting into fire and thus his descendants became the guardians of them. Quite obviously the plough and yoke became symbols of the producer or farmer caste. The battle-axe symbolised the warrior (and thus noble) caste whilst the cup represented the priestly one.

At this point I just wish to clarify that the Scythians are regarded as an Indo-European people of Iranian origins. This has been concluded via a study of  the genetics of ancient bodily remains, anthropological descriptions by classical authors, their language (Scythian, a branch of Eastern Iranian), culture and religion. Genetic analysis of six Kurgan warriors indicates that they were carriers of the R1b1a1a2 or R-M629 haplotype which is very common in western Europe and reaches its greatest intensity of 92.3% in Wales. Various classical writers describe the Scythians as having red or fair-hair, being of light skin and having grey or blue eyes and being tall in stature. These physical characteristics closely match those of the Germanic and Celtic peoples and no doubt point to a common distant origin.


The religion of the Scythians appears to have been derived from early primitive Iranian pre-Zoroastrian religion and a number of their deities have been identified. One of their primary deities whose name is unknown corresponds closely to the Greek Ares. As the Scythians were a war-like people this should not surprise us!

In recent years scholars have begun to reassess the King Arthur and grail legends in the light of Scythian history and mythology. Notable examples of this include From Scythia to Camelot: Radical Reassessment of the Legends of King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table and the Holy Grail (Arthurian Characters and Themes) by C. Scott Littleton and Linda A. Malcor (2000, Routledge) and Arthur the Dragon King. Man and Myth Reassessed by Howard Reid (2001, Headline Book Publishing).

Returning to the issue of the grail legend Edred Thorsson makes the argument in his afore-mentioned book that the symbols of the grail are represented in the last three rune staves of the Anglo-Saxon or (more correctly) the Northumbrian runic futhorc. Calc symbolises the cup or chalice, Stan the stone and Gar the spear of Parsifal. Each of these three symbols, chalice, stone and spear are integral parts of the legend. In the version related in the Parzival of Wolfram von Eschenbach it is the stone rather than the chalice which represents the grail. Wagner in his last work Parsifal emphasises the spear and the chalice. Like Eschenbach Heinrich von Ofterdingen in his Wartburgkrieg depicts the grail as a green stone that fell from the crown of Lucifer. For more interesting background information on this topic I recommend both of Otto Rahn's books translated into English:- Crusade Against the Grail: The Struggle Between the Cathars, the Templars and the Church of Rome and Lucifer's Court: A Heretic's Journey in Search of the Light Bringers (Inner Traditions, 2006 and 2008).

All of this raises the question as to why was the grail mythos encoded in the last three Northumbrian runes? Edred posits the theory that the ultimate origin for the grail runes is to be found in the stationing of Alans in Northumbria by the Roman Empire. With the withdrawal of Rome from Britannia in the early 5th century the Alans appear to have been an influential community in that region of the country. Edred points out that the Alans are of course related to the Scythians and would have been familiar with the legend related by Herodotus. He speculates that the grail runes may have a similar or related meaning. What is certain is that these runes find their parallels in the four hallows of the Celtic gods, the Tuatha De Danann in Irish mythology.

The four hallows are the Stone of Fal, the Spear of Lug, the Cauldron of the Dagda and the Sword of Nuada. It should be noted at this point that the rune which appears immediately before the three grail runes is Cweorth. Some students of the runes have speculated that the etymology and possibly the shape of the stave may indicate a sword and it is certainly worth bearing in mind but it is unfortunately not provable.

Edred further speculates that the three grail runes like the four gold Scythian implements may symbolise the tripartite Indo-European caste system. The spear rune Gar which is closely associated with Odin symbolising the warrior or noble caste, the cup or chalice the rune Calc, the priestly caste whilst Stan the stone rune symbolising the caste of producers. If Edred's theory is correct then we should apply the same interpretation to the four hallows. The Spear of Lugh (partially mythically cognate with Odin) and the Sword of Nuada (mythically cognate with Tyr) represent the warrior and noble caste. The Cauldron of the Dagda would symbolise the priestly caste whilst the Stone of Fal would of course relate to the producers. It is certainly a tempting theory.

Cweorth, the 'Missing' Fourth Graal Rune

Over recent years I have pondered and analysed the last 3 Graal Runes of the Northumbrian Futhorc and compared these Runes to the 4 Hallows of Irish mythology but never able to reconcile them completely. The missing link was the missing 4th Graal Rune.

It was obvious to me that there was a corelation between the following 3 Graal Runes:

Calc-cup/chalice/Cauldron of the Dagda

Stan-stone/Stone of Fal/the Graal of Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzival

Gar-spear/Gungnir-the Spear of Woden/Spear of Lug/Spear of Parzival 


The problem for me was that although there were clear parallels between Germanic and Celtic mythologies on their own individual interpretation of the Graal mytho,s for this to be convincing there had to be a 4th Graal Rune. At one point I speculated whether this could be Teiwaz/Tyr as this God was the Germanic equivalent to Nuada and considered to be a sword God as is Saxnot and Irmin. However this was not one of the hidden Runes and not a part of the 4th Aett of the Anglo-Saxons. Also the Rune itself is clearly a spear or an Irmisul, certainly not a sword.

I reasoned that if there was a 4th Graal Rune it has to be located in the 4th Aett and logically one should expect to find it immediately before the Calc Rune. I have in the past given consideration to the 30th Rune, Cweorth but always dismissing it due to lack of any evidence-until now that is!

Some evidence in support of Cweorth being the 4th Graal Rune was supplied to me by a poster by the name of OPersephone and I am grateful for her scholarship. Furthermore this link was confirmed separately by Wulf Ingesunnu in one edition of Spear of Woden. Wulf writes "the fourth, Cweorth could refer to a sword." OPersophene writes:

"Regarding the association of the sword with the Northumbrian rune "cweorth"... as the word "cweorth" is unattested in Anglo-Saxon outside the Northumbrian runes, it is my belief that this could be a case of an ancient transcription error. The Anglo-Saxon word for "sword" was "sweord". "D" and "TH" were often used interchangably during the Anglo-Saxon period, due to the loss of the unique alphabetical character representing a hard "th" sound. As a result, this sound was sometimes represented by "th", and sometimes by "d". If we assume that some ancient scribe mistakenly wrote "cweorth" instead of "sweorth", then what we are left with is simply an alternative spelling of the Anglo-Saxon word for "sword"."

Britain and Ireland share a similar megalithic culture and as scientists have shown, the same Indo-European DNA. The site at Stonehenge was the centre of a British Isles wide sacred solar cult and what has survived are the remnants of the lost sunken northern civilisation of Atland, referred to in the Frisian Oera Linda Book. The Graal Runes hold the key to this knowledge and it is part of the task of the Ages for Woden Initiates now to unlock this knowledge.

The Graal Runes of the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc

This article should be read in conjunction with The Four Sacred Treasures of the Tuatha De Danann . In that article I discussed in great detail the nature and origin of the four hallows of the Tuatha De Danann who are the same mysterious Hyperborean beings as the Aesir-Vanir. Miguel Serrano in his Nos, Book of the Resurrection equated the Tuatha De Danann with the Aesir. Steven L. Akins in his The Lebor Feasa Runda speculates that the Tuatha fled their island home  Tir nan`Og or the Avalon of the British legends to reside in Ireland (Eire-land of the Aryans) and that this could be an echo of the Atlantis myth. I direct any interested readers to Paul Dunbavin`s book Atlantis of the West for more information about the available scientific evidence to support the British-Irish geographical location for this lost early Aryan civilisation.

Of the four hallows, the Sword of Nuada, the Spear of Lugh, the Stone of Destiny and the Cauldron of the Dagda, only the last three have a direct connection with the Graal myth and thus with the final three Runes of the Anglo-Saxon Futhorc. To be more technically correct the 33 Rune Futhorc is a Northumbrian Futhorc, the earlier Anglo-Saxon one consisting of 31 Runes and the Anglo-Frisian 29 Runes. It is the 33 Rune Futhorc that we use in Woden`s Folk and there is a good reason for this. The last three Runes- Calc, Stan and Gar relate directly to the Graal mystery, a mystery which is Hyperborean in origin and its secrets now belong to the corpus of recovered lore of England`s Wodenist religion (See Spear of Woden, Saxon Rune Mysteries). 

Calc is known in Old Norse as Kalkr and means `chalice`. Calc is not to be found in the Old English Rune Poem. Is this because Calc is a late addition as suggested by Edred Thorsson in his book, Alu, An Advanced Guide To Operative Runology or is it as I suspect, that this Rune was withheld from public use by our ancient Rune Masters because of the sacred nature of its mystery, only to be revealed now during the Kali Yuga? Thorsson reveals that the chalice replaced the drinking horn as these were outlawed by the Church when used in a religious context. The whole practice of the use of the mead horn in our sacred Germanic rites was co-opted as a practice into the Church`s rite of Holy Communion. There is reason to suspect therefore that Calc was not the original name of this Rune but possibly `Horn` as Thorsson suggests. If the Rune is reversed it resembles the Elhaz/Algiz/Eolhsecg Rune which depicts horns! Calc symbolises the Celtic Cauldron of the Dagda.

Stan derives from the Proto-Germanic stainaz, `stone`. The stone symbolises eternity and permanence. Most of the surviving Runic inscriptions are to be found on standing stones mainly in Scandinavia and northern Germany. We know from Wolfram von Eschenbach (Parzival) that the Graal was originally a green stone that fell from the crown of Lucifer. On this stone there is curious writing, "heathen writing" which can only be a reference to the Runes. The Graal is therefore a Runic mystery and is the possession of both the Celtic and Germanic peoples. Indeed there is evidence to suggest its common Indo-European origins. I will disclose this evidence in a future article. As Thorsson says "the astounding fact is that there was originally absolutely nothing Christian about it......there was simply no Christ in it." Stan obviously relates to the Stone of Destiny-a very real historical artifact. 

Gar unlike the other 32 Runes does not belong to one of the four aetts but stands separate and central for it is the Spear of Woden and esoterically the gift of Ing. Gar stems from the Proto Germanic gaisaz and this is related to the Old Irish gae, both meaning `spear`. It is the symbol of regal power and was also carried by Parsifal in the tradition of the ancient Germanic priest-kings. Gar is also the Spear of Lugh, who is mythologically cognate with Woden. All three Runes-Calc, Stan and Gar are placed together in the Futhorc and this is symbolic. As Thorsson explains in his book that Runes situated next to one another in dyads continue a connecting theme or link. The whole Futhorc reveals a story to those with the wisdom to interpret it. Now of course one may ask what about the sword of Nuada? I have discussed this in my earlier article and there is more that I can say about this but as it does not form a direct link to the last three Runes I will reserve an article especially for Tir as the Graal associations are indirect but they DO exist. Clearly the Anglo-Saxon English people and the land of Albion (oldest known name of Britain, meaning `white`) have an important part to play in these dark days and our destiny is revealed through the study of these mysteries.

Calc/Yr: Think of the End!

This is an image of one of my Hammer amulets. The reader will notice the Calc Rune, the 31st stave of the Northumbrian Futhorc and one of the Graal Runes. It is also the Yr Rune of the Armanen Futharkh and the Younger Futhark. In the latter two traditions the Rune is connected with the yew tree, a symbol of death to the Germanic tribes and thus became known as the Todesrune. However this is a superficial understanding as after death or passing away there is new birth so this is really a Rune of transformation.

The Ogham few that relates to the yew tree is idad, the 20th and last few which I think is significant. The Anglo-Saxon rune Eoh and the Common Germanic Eihwaz  also symbolise the yew and appear one third and one half of the way through the Futhorc/Futhark. However in the Younger Futhark Yr appears at the very end and this gives a kind of finality to the meaning of the rune which is not present in any of the three rune poems although interestingly the Abecedarium Nordmannicum does say "Yr al behabet (Yew holds all) which I interpret to mean death. 

This meaning is supported by the corresponding Yr rune of the Armanen Futhork. Guido von List calls this the "error-rune" (Irr-rune). He summarises for this rune: "Think about the end!"-very worthy advice! (See The Secret of the Runes)

The yew tree may be found in most ancient English church yards as these were usually built upon sites that were considered sacred to our ancestors. The yew was undoubtedly a sacred tree and the Celts for instance forbade their damage or destruction. Anne Ross in her Pagan Britain (1967) points out that assembles were held under particular trees which were regarded as sacred and it was considered 'tabu' to inflict any damage on these trees. Not unsurprisingly zealous Christian missionaries targeted these trees for destruction. A particularly well known example is the felling of 'Donar's Oak' by Saint Boniface in 73 or 724 CE.

Calc represents the mead horn and thus is the container for the sacred divine fluid. The mead symbolises both divine inspiration but in a magical sense also the divine essence of the Gods. When we partake of the mead, sanctified by the Hammer of Thunor we share in the essence of the Gods. The Christian church stole this concept from Germanic heathendom and they call it communion or mass. Calc also represents the downward plunge of the Arya from the world of life-giving spirit into dense matter which is subject to decay and death. However in turn Calc reminds us of our eventual return to our former and truer eternal state.

Perudur, the Cymric Parzival

Some time ago I completed my first reading of Peredur the Son of Evrawc from The Mabinogion translated by Lady Charlotte Guest (1812-1895) and published in 1841. Peredur, the son of a northern Earl Evrawc is nephew to King Arthur and becomes a knighted member of his court. According to Lady Charlotte he was probably an historical figure that "fell in the battle of Cattraeth, in the beginning of the 6th century, as Aneurin mentions a chieftain of this name among the slain." Aneurin refers to "Peredur of steel arms".

Lady Charlotte goes on to say in her notes to this tale:

"Peredur is frequently alluded to by the Bards of the Middle Ages, in terms illustrative of the high esteem in which his deeds of prowess then were held. Gruffydd ab Meredydd, who flourished about the end of the 13th century, in his Elegy on Tudor ap Garonwy, one of the ancestors of the House of Tudor, thus mentions him:-

"O Bountiful Creator of the radiant sun and waning moon, Sad is the fall of the chief of valiant deeds, Eagle of the battle-charge, equal to Peredur, Tudor, assaulter of the Angles*, he who never shunned the fight.

"In the old Romances, as Morte d'Arthur, &c., he is celebrated, under the name of Perceval, as one of those engaged in the quest of the Sangreal, in which character he is also spoken of in the Triads, together with Bort, the son of the King of that name, and Galath, the son of Lancelot du Lac.-Tri. lxi. Myv. Ar II. 14."

Evrawc or Efrawg is a Cymric translation of Eboracum, the Latin name for the ancient English city of York. People tend to think of York as a Viking city and that York derives from the Old Danish Jorvik. However before that it belonged to the Angles who called it Eoforwic. Prior to this under Roman rule it was called Eboracum, derived from the ancient British (Cymric) Eborakon, meaning a place of yew trees. However an error in translation from the Cymric Ebor and the Latin Ebor resulted in the similar sounding but different in meaning Eofor or Ebor which is Germanic for boar!

If Peredur was an historical character then he was obviously associated with post Roman York and thus his father was a northern Earl. The Battle of Catraeth or Cattrick took place in about the year 600 CE between the Germanic Angles from the Northumbrian kingdoms of Bernicea and Deira which roughly equates with Southeast Scotland/County Durham/Northumberland (Bernicea) and Yorkshire (Deira). The Britons were defeated in this battle.

What struck me by my reading of Peredur was the heathen nature of the tale. It is marred by xtian references but despite this it is clearly based on pre-xtian Celtic mythology, indicating that whilst Peredur may have been an historical character he was based on an earlier mythological archetype just as in the case of the various potential historical candidates for Robin Hood.

Peredur is clearly the same character as the English Perceval and the German Parzival and apparently Wagner was equated with  the tale of Peredur before he penned his Parsifal sacred drama. Peredur unlike Parzival does not contain any kind of grail but it does remarkably feature the lance! Whilst in the castle of an unnamed uncle Peredur witnesses a strange spectacle:

"The Peredur and his uncle discoursed together, and he beheld two youths enter the hall, and proceed up to the chamber, bearing a spear of mighty size, with three streams of blood flowing from the point to the ground. And when all the company saw this, they began wailing and lamenting. But for all that, the man did not break off his discourse with Peredur. And as he did not tell Peredur the meaning of what he saw, he forbade to ask him concerning it. And when the clamour had a little subsided, behold two maidens entered, with a large salver between them, in which was a man's head, surrounded by a profusion of blood. And thereupon the company of the court made so great an outcry, that it was irksome to be in the same hall with them. But at length they were silent. And when time was that they should sleep, Peredur was brought into a fair chamber."

 Interestingly in contrast to Wolfram von Eschenbach's Parzifal Peredur is encouraged by his uncle not to ask the meaning of anything that should happen in the castle that would "cause thee to wonder" and that "if no one has the courtesy to inform thee, the reproach will not fall upon thee, but upon me that am thy teacher." So no guilt could be attached to Peredur's lack of compassion unlike how a similar event is portrayed in Parzival.  However later on in the tale he is reproached for failing to ask the meaning of the bloody spear. This particular apect of the story will be analysed in more detail and will be compared with the Parzival account in a future article on my  blog. My purpose in writing this article is simply to draw attention to the lesser known but earlier and more heathen tale of Peredur.
So Peredur whilst making several references to the bloody spear contains no reference or allusion to a grail of any description, unless of course one considers the head on the salver as such. This also will require further analysis. Thus the concept of a grail, whether it be a chalice as in the French romances or a stone in the German Parzival is something which does not originate with the earlier Peredur myth. Regardless of the actual written composition of  Peredur the work itself would have been at first orally transmitted by the Druidic Bards as there are definite Iron Age historical and pre-xtian mythological threads woven into it.

*my emphasis