Indo-European youth priesthoods and the Männerbund theory: a study of the Vedic Vrātyas and their ancient Indo-European analogues

Thesis

This study assesses the plausibility of a German ethnographic concept known as the Männerbund, a social institution among tribal societies, when applied to aspects of religion in ancient societies, particularly those of Greece, Germany, India, Iran, Ireland, Rome, and Scandinavia. These have been selected because they all possess languages descended from Proto-Indo-European (PIE), a reconstructed ancestor language. The aim is to demonstrate that comparative religion using data from t...

Expand abstract

Authors: Elby, T

• DOI: 10.5287/ora-nbzqa6xrj
• Type of award: DPhil
• Level of award: Doctoral
• Awarding institution: University of Oxford
• Language: English
• Keywords: Männerbund; Luperci; Indo-European comparativism; Vrātyas; Kouretes
• Subjects: Mythology, Indo-European, in literature; Indo-European antiquities; Religions