The Sword In The Ground: The Warrior's Divine Axis

In this short article I shall discuss what we know of sword worship, and one possible interpretation of it among Indo-European people. We know that among Aryans sword or club worship was prominent and was a symbol of connection and initiation to the divine. From Vajra which is Indra’s weapon, to the Mjolnir and the axe of Perun. We also know that many weapons have been offered in lakes and rivers across Europe. What we know from Herodotus is that the Scythian ‘’Ares’’ (who most likely was the equivalent of the thunderer and warrior God among IE people) was held in highest regard among the people of the steppe and had special a special rite to venerate that God. The rite included the formation of a big bundle of wood that has a sword in its center. This divine site is brought sacrifices of war captives and slaves. Later the Alani who were Sarmatian of origin ( a cousin people to the Schythians) had a ritual of striking a sword into the ground and then worshipping ‘’Mars’’ as attested by Ammianus Marcelinus. A possible interpretation of this whole ritual is that the sword became an axis mundi or a divine pole between the material and divine world. This pole was in the form of a sword thus invoking the god of war or the hero to whom sacrifices such as war captives were given. The sword striking the ground can also be interpreted as creating a spiritual center and a zone of worship as well as a symbol of higher forces being invoked onto the material world we reside. Later on in history Attila is said to have acquired the sword of ‘’Mars’’ by a myth where a sheperd brings it to him after having followed the blood trail of one of his calfs. The sword once more became a symbol of the scepter and of ‘’divine rule’’ . The scepter overall was seen as the right and symbol of the king to rule and as an axis between divinity and the material plane, thus placing the king as a mediator. The sword became more of a warrior pole and gave Attila the right to conquer and rule the Scythians at first and the rest he conquered later.

We will now examine the legend of Arthur and his beknown sword Excalibur. Arthur being able to obtain the sword is a justification for his sacred right to rule. He is the righteous one who was created and shaped to be the king. Why though does the sword come out of the water ? Water was seen as a barrier or a pathway between the material and metaphysical realm, thus giving the sword a sacred origin, and is send to find the right ruler by fate. The rock, in which Excalibur is in, most likely a primordial symbol of its material creation. Another very identical story we can find In the Volsunga Saga . The hero Sigmund, unknown to him, has an encounter with Odin who throws the sword Gram into a tree which is also in the middle of a hall (symbol of a center). The tree is again a primordial symbol for stability and a mediator. Many try to pull out the sword and acquire it, but only Sigmund takes it with ease and obtains it. In Russian folklore we can find a sword called Kladenets. The name could be interpreted as ‘’treasured’’ or ‘’layed’’ thus it is a hidden magical sword. The sword according to folklore traditions could be acquired only by a rightful Bogatyr (the knightly title among Slavic people). The places where the sword is found is under rocks, into walls or trees or interestingly enough in a mound, where by obtaining the sword of the dead it is said that the hero becomes carrier of death and transcends it. In the Russian epic of Eruslan Lazarevic he meets a giant’s head that is neither dead or alive and tells him where his body resides. The sword for Eruslan is hidden under the dead body and contains a great secret.

We can see the clear parallels between the mythologies that insist on that only a righteous and chosen hero or king can wield the sword and get closer to divinity via it and war. The sword was used again as mediator and symbol during oaths. The Roman Oath of the Horatii where three brothers would use their swords during their oath. There are many sources where a sword is used to make an oath. Let us not forget that later into history during the middle ages knights themselves were initiated into knighthood via a sword. To sum it up the sword played a very evident metaphysical role in the life of warriors, kings and families. It was not merely used for means of combat only, but had a higher role and symbolism. From initiation, to worship and giving an oath. For the future the sword will play a prominent role in the world of ours as a guide and smite during the ages of fall. 

Thank you for reading and praise the Sun!

-Rodnik.

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