Are there any myths we can plausibly trace back to a common Proto-Indo-European ancestor?

Question

It is well-known today that many peoples trace their origin back to a group of people known as the Proto-Indo-Europeans, who probably lived c. 4000 BCE. Among them are some of the most mythologically-rich cultures in the world - most of Europe (including the Greeks and Romans); northern India; and also the Persians.

Much work has been done in reconstructing the shared language of the PIE people; what about their mythology? I am aware of some weak but well-substantiated connections, such as the fact that the Norse Æsir and the Hindu Asuras were probably the same group of beings at one point. Have we managed to reconstruct any narratives that putatively are derived from common PIE myths?

Answer 1

Yes, the very common divine twins myths are believed to trace back to a shared Proto-Indo-European narrative. The central motif involves two twins born of the sky deity (or sun), with some customary attributes such as being horsemen or riding horse-drawn chariots.

Another manifestation of the binary conception of society and the world is the cult of twins widespread in Indo-European mythology. A myth of divine twins who are children of the sun god goes back to Proto-Indo-European antiquity. The myth is found in all the main ancient Indo-European traditions, which not only repeat the same motfisbut also share correspondences in the names of the heroes, thus establishing the Proto-Indo-European character of the motif and the personages.

_{- Gamkrelidze, T. V., and Vjaceslav V. I. Indo-European and the Indo-Europeans: A Reconstruction and Historical Analysis of a Proto-Language and Proto-Culture. Vol. 80. Walter de Gruyter, 1995.}

A variant of this myth is found in all major Indo-European traditions of old. It's popularity in very geographically diverse Indo-European cultures allows scholars to securely reconstruct it as a common Proto-Indo-European heritage.

In addition, elements of this myth is preserved in the systems of dual kingships widespread in antiquity. Examples include the famous Romulus and Remus of Rome, the twins Eurysthenes and Procles of Sparta, and Hengist and Horsa of the Anglo-Saxons in Britain.

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Examples of myths considered linked to a common PIE origin include:

• Graeco Roman Dioskouri: Castor and Pollux (Greek) or Gemini and Castores (Roman).
• Hindu Nara-Narayana
• Vedic Ashwini Kumaras
• Lithuanian Ašvieniai
• Germanic Alics

Answer 2

Common things can be tracked in Norse and Slavic mythologies, some gods can be portrayed in same way, like Perun and Thor. Their only difference is that Thor has hammer and Perun has an axe. Also Slavic mythology has some same things with mythology of India - slavic god Krishen is analogue of indian Krishna. These common things are actually a sign that whole Europe was concentrated in same place.

By last research, some historians suspect that origin of Indo-European folks come from Urals(Russia), southern area. During a certain period of time some tribes just decided to move to west(explains similar languages of Urals folks and estonian/finnish/hungarian languages).

In fact, all the mythologies of all the cultures can be considered as relatively created.

Answer 3

I think the poetry of Innana's high priestess Enheduanna, recently translated into English from the original cuneiform tablets (and currently thought to be the earliest known writing) have quite a rich mythology.

There is a sizeable pantheon that developed in the fertile crescent and a lot of stories involving them.