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The Blue Lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) is one of the two lotus flowers indigenous to Egyptian. The other is the White Lotus. A psychoactive plant, it's also called blue Egyptian lotus, blue water lily, and sacred blue lily. Purple lotus is sometimes sold as Blue, but it's a different species. See also: Nefertum: He Who is Beautiful Gods of Egypt German Myth - Father Rhine River God Asray: Ugaritic Underworld Goddess Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In natural health Egyptian Blue Lotus is used to treat anxiety and insomnia, having a sedative effect. Ingesting the flower can cause a mild euphoric feeling, but like cannibis the effects can differ among individuals. Because of its psychoactive properties it's recommended to handle with care. The Blue Lotus is sacred to the Egyptian God Nefertum (Nefertem), son of Ptah the Creator and Sekhmet the War Goddess. Known as He Who Sees Beauty or Beautiful One, Nefertum is a deity of fragrance and beauty. The Blue Lotus closes at night and opens by day to greet the sunrise with its ambrosial aroma. See also: Turquoise: Precious Stone of Ancients Hyssop (Hyssopus) - Plant of Mystic Lore Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The flower can be taken in tea, or as tincture, dried plant, oil or extract. It's not approved for human consumption in USA but also not illegal. It is illegal in Latvia. The main psychoactive ingredients are apomorphine and nuciferine. The underground rhizomes or roots are edible too. It's quite possible the priests of Nefertum used the flower to achieve a connection with the divine, granting the ability to see beauty in all things. See also: Ugarit - Trade Hub of Bronze Age Syria Nekhbet - Vulture Goddess of Egypt Steppe Trade Routes: Before the Silk Road Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Blue Lotus is known for its capacity to grow in nutrient-poor soils. It's pollinated by insects, especially evolved to accommodate certain types of bees. The fruit ripens and bursts, scattering seeds throughout the water. They gradually sink or travel with currents. When they fall to the bottom they sprout to create new colonies or add to exisitng ones. From seed, it takes 3-4 years before the first precious bud appears. See also: Herbology & Lore - Chamomile Rhinestones: Treasures of the Rhine Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Links Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Especially famous for its fragrance, Blue Lotus has benefits in aromatherapy. The aroma of the flower is linked to the dawn, a time of beginnings. It energizes the creative self. It can rouse a low libido and has been used for its aphrodisiac qualities. The fragrance is associated with bliss. The Blue Lotus brings visions of the future or cosmic awareness together with mediation, dreams or astral travel. See also: German Myth & Folklore: Elves The Mystic Victorian - Fortune Telling 1st Peace Treaty 1258 BCE - the Queens Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Blue Lotus is often depicted in the art of Egypt. Nefertum is shown with the stylized flower above his head, an identifying feature and symbol of his divinity. The Egyptians of the ancient world are great herbalists and naturalists. They use the Blue Lotus for ritual, healing and probably recreation. See also: Sun God of Heaven - Hittite Solar Deity Wadjet - Winged Snake Goddess of Egypt Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Back to Top

Life was wild in the Bronze Age. Civilizations rose and fell and were never seen again. People lived from the land, hunters following animals, nomads herding sheep, goats and cattle. Aurochs still roamed the plains and the ferocious brown bear ruled the northern forests. In some places sedentary tribes developed the agriculture of a new age. See also: Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minos Sulfur - Treasure of the Underworld Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle For many, life was grim. The average lifespan was thirty years. People were middle-aged at fifteen. Disease, hunger, battle, childbirth all took their toll. If a clan member died, how did families grieve? Death was a matter-of-fact occurrence in the unpredictable Bronze Age, but people are emotional animals. Interment usually took place in a burial mound. Toward the end of the Bronze Age post-death body disposal was more often done by cremation. The tumuli (sing. tumulus) are also known broadly as barrows, burial mounds, kurgans or cairns. Burial mounds such as these were not specific to one people but found throughout the world. See also: Early Fire Gods - Vulkan of Germania Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Mythical Pagan German Gods & Spirits The standard tumulus varies in shape. A tumulus built to hold many bodies is usually rectangular, also called a passage tumulus. Some are built stacked atop each other and seem perfectly round. The inhumation takes form in various ways. Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books It may involve a dolmen, or portal tomb, a Megalithic structure of stones; or a cist or kist, a type of stone coffin. It could be a mortuary enclosure, or area surrounded by a wood, stone or earth barrier, in which dead bodies are placed either for storage or burial; a mortuary house, or chamber tomb, more lavish dwelling places of the dead. See also: Rosemary: Immortal Essence & Balm of Kings Cult of the Bull: Divine Sacrifice Wiedergänger - the Undead Walk Again Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Items of value to the dead person, such as clothing, weapons, jewelry, combs and personal items, were placed within the tomb. After the burial, in the case of a high-ranking corpse, funeral games such as riding, fighting and sports were held. While many pagan cultures didn't believe in an afterlife per se, items buried with the dead indicate people may have at least entertained the possibility. Another reason is the theoretical curse attached to the belongings of a dead person, which would have some effect on the early Bronze Age psyche. See also: Castle Frankenstein - Legend & Lore Famous Women Inventors - Anna Connelly Agrippina & Son: Poisonous Plots of Rome The practice of including weapons, sometimes food or gold, decorated pottery and special items makes the tumulus today an invaluable piece of archaeological history. For example an ancient Greek mask was found in a tumulus in South Africa, a sign of travel and trade. Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books In the Nile area there's evidence family members brought ritual items and snacks for the corpse. Some of the tumuli, over time, assumed significant spiritual power. See also: Bronze Age: Ancient Tribes, Metal & Myth Immortal - Quest for the Elixir of Life Before the Viking Age - Gods of the Sámi Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Perhaps the spirits of the dead still live within. Perhaps they're a gateway to the spirit dimension, or they hold the secrets of divinity. The monuments also gained influence in places following a tradition of ancestor worship. Accorded reverence as sacred places, they could be built up and highly decorated. See also: Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Steam & Style - Agrippina of the Rhine German Myth - Father Rhine River God Back to Top

In ancient Egypt the deities appear in various animal or hybrid animal apsects, such as Taweret, the hippopotamus Goddess; and the falcon-headed Horus. Nekhbet (Nekhebet) is held in high esteem as the Vulture Goddess, one of the oldest of the animal deities. See also: Steppe Trade Routes: Before the Silk Road Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Tumulus Culture - Nordic Bronze Age Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books First signs of her worship are in the pre-dynastic stage of Egypt, as far back as c. 5000 BCE. Nekhbet is the patron deity of Upper Egypt. When Upper and Lower Egypt unify in 3100 BCE, Nekhbet rules jointly with the prehistoric winged snake goddess Wadjet as patron of all Egypt. They're called 'the Two Ladies.' See also: Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Divine Light - Sun Goddess of Arinna Hepat - Sun Goddess of Aleppo Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle For royalty, vulture and cobra crowns dress the heads of kings and queens for burial. While the uraeus or cobra crown is especially associated with kings, the vulture crown is that of the queen. A stylized form of the bird sits atop her head, face front with wings hanging down, like a type of helmet (see below). Nekhmet holds a pair of rings in her talons. A shen ring is a common deific accessory. Images of Inanna (Ishtar) and other Mesopotamian also hold the shen ring as representation of eternal protection. It's the shape of a circe with a line or rod at one end. See also: Sprites: Ethereal Creatures of Faerie Nature Spirits of German Mythology Ambrosia: Divine Nectar & Immortal Gods Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The hat worn by Nefertari above resembles a shallow bowl on her head. It's empty and represents an open receptive mind and willingness to acquire new knowledge. In ancient Egypt, animal deities start off as animals themselves. As time goes on the God forms a hybrid human shape, appearing with a cat head like Bastet or Falcon, as Horus. Below is the Hippopotmas goddess Taweret. See also: Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Sobekneferu - Queen of the Pharaohs Pazuzu - Demon God of Mesopotamia Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Sometimes all animal meanings fade away except as symbols or epithets. Other gods keep their primal form through time and changes, and Nekhbet is one of these. She symbolizes wisdom of the ages. The soaring vulture is the most graceful of birds. Vultures find food by sight and can spot a meal from up to four mi (6.4 km) away. By circling overhead they call others to the feast. A larger group is better if it has to chase predators like wolves away from the kill. Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Vultures are associated with death and the realm of the Underworld due to their abundant presence on battlefields, and role in nature to clean up carrion. If anyone profits throughout the early age of humans, it's the vulture. The effect of mass warfare is an abundance of carrion. Vultures have the toughest stomach acid in the animal world, and can eat rotting meat which would kill a lesser scavenger. And, after wading through putrid bodies, the vulture can disinfect itself with its own urine. See also: Lucifer, Venus & Anti-Gods of Mythology Arzawa - Rebel Kingdom of the Bronze Age Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books To the ancient Egyptians all vultures are female and spontaneously hatch without need for the male. Vultures correspond to purity, motherhood and the eternal cycle of death and rebirth. She is an important deity in the realm of Egypt, where it's said the sweep of her wings drives away evil and disease. See also: Nefertari Queen of Peace Ancient Egypt 1st Peace Treaty 1258 BCE - the Queens Sekhmet - War Goddess of Ancient Egypt Back to Top

Bronze Age weapons and metallurgy mold the course of warfare and history in the early centuries. The Bronze was the second of three Metal Ages, preceded by the Copper Age and succeeded by the Iron Age. The Nordic Bronze Age happens a few centuries later. See also: Weapons & Warfare of Bronze Age Europe 1 Mythical Pagan German Gods & Spirits Sacrificial Creation Myths: Early People Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle New technology enables the building of faster, lighter weapons, ships and war machines. While the Bronze Age of 3300 - 1200 BCE is a time of phenomenal industrial and trade progress it's also an era of warriors. The famous Battle of the Tollense River Valley is the largest conflict in history. A massive migration of the Steppe people, the Proto-Indo-European Yamnaya, pushes its way in all directions at the beginning of the Bronze Age. Populations grow and shift. See also: Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Road Before the Viking Age - Gods of the Sámi Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg On the Steppe and in the mountains, tribal warfare consists of pirate-type looting or ambush fighting. The Steppe people are fierce raiders, later compared to the armies of Attila because of the terrorist tactics and guerrilla techniques associated with their surprise attacks. The Yamnaya are also animal herders who colonize large areas of Europe beginning 3000 - 2000 BCE. They travel east to Spain, west to Russia, up to the North Sea and south through Anatolia. Cultural and social changes accompany their progress, including widespread creation of warrior classes. See also: Women of Alchemy - Mary the Jewess Bronze Age: Ancient Tribes, Metal & Myth Immortal - Quest for the Elixir of Life Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In the creation myths of the Proto-Indo-Europeans, warrior classes are born from the chest and arms of sacrificed twin Yemo. Warriors assumed a special place in Yamnaya society, which developed defined social classes according to status and wealth. Both warriors and smiths / metallurgists are highly regarded, being people of power, strength and wisdom of the Earth, and connections to otherworldly energy. As the Yamnaya were a patriarchal society women did not assume positions of warrior, metal worker or hunter, with the occasional exception. In the Bronze Age warfare moves from raiding parties and vengeance attacks to organized units of battle. The first large-scale conflict was the Tollense Valley Battle of c. 1300 BCE. Bronze was widely used for spears, daggers, swords, and later, armor. An alloy of copper and tin, bronze is harder than the more malleable copper and made significant improvements in tools and weapons alike. Bronze was used in wagons, buildings and boats, religious purposes and statuary, due to its toughness. See also: Ambrosia: Divine Nectar & Immortal Gods Bronze Age Culture - Rise of Heavy Metals Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Between 2000 and 1500 BCE, the population of Europe doubles. The late Bronze Age and ensuing Iron Age are industrial revolutions of prehistory. The rise in strategic warfare and warlike tactics, organization of troops as in Greece, and establishment of warrior classes in many cultures at once show a need for nations and tribes to remain competitive as resources and living space dwindled. Warfare and weapons depend on available materials, trade routes and skill sets. People have an advantage with better equipment, transportation or weaponry. The trade of blacksmith arises around 1500 BCE, though metallurgy itself goes back to the dawn of time. People use the metals of antiquity which can easily be surface mined or gathered. See also: Sprites: Ethereal Creatures of Faerie Butzemann, Witches & Nyx - Scare 'em Good Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle With new developments in metals and alloys, the smith fills a niche as a specialist. He is also associated with the elemental powers of the earth, associated with magic. He could make weapons, tools, furnishings, decorations, household needs, and care for the hooves of horses before the advent of farriers in Middle Ages. Chariots first appear in 2000 BCE, a strong advancement in warfare. Mycenaean Greeks (c. 1600 – c. 1100 BCE) usher in development of military infrastructures, and the first plate armor. See also: Rosemary: Immortal Essence & Balm of Kings Arsenic: Murderous Metal & Miracle Cure Bronze Age: Ancient Tribes, Metal & Myth Back to Top

One of the most intriguing battles of the ancient ages happens at the Tollense Valley in northern Germania, c 1300 BCE. For sheer size the battle is the greatest of its type thus far. Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The aggressors are two groups of warlike people feeling claustrophic in the North. They want to expand empires and territories and gain a monopoly on trade routes. See also: Lusatians - Nordic Bronze Age Cultures Urnfield Culture - Iron Age Europe Steppe Trade Routes: Before the Silk Roads Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The battle takes place about 120 km (74.5 mi) north of Berlin, in Brandenburg Germany. One of the opponents is a branch of the dominant Urnfield Culture, which covers most of Europe at the time. The others are strangers in town, possible migrants from the East. They might also be associated with the Lusatians, whose Empire extends south from the shore of the Baltic and occupies part of present-day Germany. Both Lusatian and Urnfield people are aggressive in their quest for dominance. See also: Bronze Age Cultures - Trzciniec Sacrificial Creation Myths: Early People Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In the 13th century BCE the North is getting crowded. In ancient days the temperature is slightly milder than today. People are eating better and develop resistence to common ailments. From domesticated animals comes milk, butter, cheese, with calcium for stronger bones and teeth. Lactose intolerance appears in a varying percentage of the population. It's thought humans evolved to tolerate milk products of animals such as goats, sheep and cattle. See also: Mythical Gods of Ancient Germania Ptah: God of Creators & Creation Egypt Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Fruit such as plums, cherries and grapes can be grown even in Scandinavia. Coastal waters are a bounty of herring, mackerel, cod and other edibles. Displaced citizens join the northern push. Settlements grow. At the same time, people are becoming more healthy and population increases. More nutritous food, warmer clothing, stability characterized by seed breeding and animal husbandry, lead to new knowledge. While the average age is still under 30, disease and infant mortality rates decline. See also: Nefertum: He Who is Beautiful Gods of Egypt Zababa - Bronze Age War God of Kish Ereshkigal Goddess of Underworld & Night Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Advanced weapons, defenses and acquisition of new skills leads to an increase in warlike behavior as the neighbors get too close for comfort. It all comes to a crunch in the Tollense Valley in the 2nd millenium BCE. The battlefield is immense, taking up the Tollense River Valley for several thousand meters on each side of the river. Countless bone fragments and artifacts of stone, bone and metal indicate a full-scale event of violence. See also: Reiker For Hire, Victorian Era & Nixies Lamashtu, Baby-Eating Demon Goddess of Mesopotamia Sacrifice of the Male: Temple at Uppsala Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Initially it's thought up to 4,000 soldiers and warriors take part. Arrowheads of flint, wooden clubs, animal bones, metal daggers and swords are all used as weapons. The battle is over in one day. Later evidence ups the number of participants to a possible 5,000 with 20 - 25% mortality rate. Most of the bones are male, 20 - 40 years of age, but bones of women and other age demographics are also found. Over 13,000 bone fragments have been identified. See also: Sobekneferu - Queen of the Pharaohs Allani - Hurrian Underworld Goddess Divine Light - Sun Goddess of Arinna Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Tollense Valley Battle is considered a possible causal factor in the overall collapse of the Bronze Age. Partial skeletons show healed or healing wounds, such as concussions, indicating the people involved in the battle are seasoned warriors. Weapons used in the battle include spears, clubs, swords, knives, sickles and arrows. Over 40 skulls have been found, one pierced by a bronze arrowhead, others with massive injuries. See also: Weapons & Warfare of Bronze Age Europe 1 Before the Viking Age - Gods of the Sámi Women of the Wild Hunt: Holle, Diana, Frigg Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books More than 50 bronze arrowheads have been unearthed so far. Stone is also used in abundance. Wooden shafts have decayed but provide some insight on dating. Early evidence of tin working appears in the oldest tin finds in Germany. Bronze artifacts have also been discovered in the river. Bones of at least five horses have been excavated, the animals having been ridden into battle. No swords are found at the scene, although judging from bone analysis and historical precedent, they were used. It's thought the bodies were robbed of material goods after the battle. See also: Nefertum: He Who is Beautiful Gods of Egypt Sun Goddess of the Earth: Hittite Underworld Minoan Genius (Genii) Helper Spirits Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The area is central to a number of trade roads, on a small river and not far from the seafaring routes, a prime location which might have sparked the battle. Who controls the way to the coasts controls travel and trade, a position of financial and territorial power. Findings of weaponry suggest a warrior class exists as a higher rank than those of commoners. Mounted, they carry weapons of bronze and assume the roles of officers. See also: Myth & Metallurgy - Metals of Antiquity Rosemary: Immortal Essence & Balm of Kings Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The immensity of the Tollense Valley battlefield and battle has never before been seen. The area isn't well populated in early times, with scattered homesteads on a broad delta plain. Thus up to 5,000 people arrive here under established leadership, are fed, take instruction and fight in patterns of organized warfare. Archaeologists may still be exploring the surface of this unparalleled event in the history of Europe. See also: Amber Trade - Bronze Age on the Baltic Butzemann, Witches & Nyx - Scare 'em Good German Nature Spirits: Evolution Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books About the same time in history as the unprecedented Battle of the Tollense Valley, the Hittites and Egyptians make the first peace treaty in the world. One of the women involved is the Hittite Queen Puduḫepa (Puduhepa). The other is Nefertari, Queen of Egypt. See also: Magic of Music & Cats Pretty Poisons: Holly, Yew, Mistletoe Cleopatra the Alchemist of Greece Back to Top

The Urnfield Cultures first appear as a people in 1300 BCE. They're quick to establish a wide swath of land from the Baltic Coast to the Italian Peninsula. At the same time, other powers rise to the forefront of Bronze and Iron Age Europe. See also: Lusatians - Nordic Bronze Age Cultures Steppe Trade Routes: Before the Silk Roads Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Nordic Bronze Age (1700 - 500 BCE) influences metallurgy and varies the types of tools or weapons used. It's not unusual to see a stone hand axe next to a bronze dagger or iron artifact in burial or settlement sites. As the name suggests the people of the Urnfield Culture cremate their dead and put the ashes in urns. Urns are placed in barrow or pit style graves. Sometimes the ashes are sprinkled in the burial pit without the urn. Grave goods, personal items, good luck tokens, beads and precious stones might also be found at a burial site. See also: Zababa - Bronze Age War God of Kish Sun Goddess of the Earth: Hittite Underworld Minoan Genius (Genii) Helper Spirits Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The Urnfields arise from the preceding powerhouse Tumulus Culture in a gradual transition. The Tumulus group buries the dead in mounds, tells, kurgans, cairns or tumuli, sometimes in layers. The succeeding generation builds its village on top of the preceding one. Mesopotamian kurgans are among the oldest used. The Neolithic community of Catal hoyuk in present day Turkey has about eighteen generational layers found so far. See also: Tumulus Culture - Nordic Bronze Age Volcanic Wipeout - 1600 BCE Eruption of Thera Lucifer, Venus & Anti-Gods of Mythology Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The widespread Urnfield culture consists of several different groups, including: Lower Rhine groups Knovitz culture Lausitz culture North Alpine groups Middle Danube groups Golasecca culture Gava culture Proto-Villanovan culture Early use of iron is from meteorite finds, shaped with a hammer or stone. Along with the Nordic Bronze Age, the Atlantic Bronze Age in England and area brought new techniques of metal working. People learn to extract iron from rock and shape, mold and strengthen it at temperatures barely attained by mortals. See also: Sun God of Heaven - Hittite Solar Deity Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Cult of the Fire God - Coming 2024 Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Iron is considered an inferior metal to bronze until the knowledge of ironworking spreads. Nonetheless, blacksmiths first appear around 1500 BCE in the continent, and industrial-grade steel work was already happening in Turkey in 1800 BCE, six hundred years before the beginning of the European Iron Age. By 1200 BCE the techniques and advancements of the Urnfield culture take hold among neighboring groups, generally by assimiliation. First use of the name 'Urnfield' to describe the people is in late 19th century Germany. See also: Cyclades Islands: Paradise of Ancients Bronze Age - Corded Ware Culture Spiritual Alchemy: Elements, Rocks & Plants Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In the Iron Age, Celts also occupied much of Europe. Eventually they spread north to the British Isles, and south to Italy. Several German place names including Worms come from the Celtic. Borbetomagus, or "settlement in a watery area", translates to Vormatia in Latin and from there to today's Worms. The Rhine and Neckar rivers also owe their names to Celtic tribes. The Celts call the Rhine "Renos" meaning "flowing" or "he flows". It becomes Rhenus Pater in Latin, associated with the Rhine God, Father Rhine. See also: Nibelung - Of Worms & Heroes Germanic Mythology - Brook Horses Butzemann, Witches & Nyx - Scare 'em Good Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Origin of the cremation rite is considered to be Hungary in the 2nd millennium BCE. Cremation itself has been practiced as early as 5500 BCE by the Neolithic Cucuteni -Trypillia culture of modern Romania and Ukraine. Some cremations also appear in the Proto-Lusatian and Trzciniec cultures. In burials, bodies are usually oriented north to south, knees bent, on the side. The Egyptians and other cultures believe the afterlife is more comfortable for the deceased if the body's in a position of relaxation. See also: Rhinestones: Treasure of the Rhine Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The influence of the Urnfield culture spreads rapidly, reaching the northeast Iberian coast. Here, the urn rituals are adapted and adopted by nearby Celtiberians. Here also appear signs of wealthy or elite contacts, including rilled-ware, swords and crested helmets discovered in the southwest Iberian peninsula. People have come a long way from living in pit houses. Settlements are busy and well-fortified, several above-ground dwellings with thatch or grass roofs. Trade opens the gates to new horizons. Settlements increase. But just as the Urnfields extend continental influence, disasters start to happen. See also: Apis - Sacred Sacrificial Bull of Egypt Rise of Pan: Fertility Goat God Péh₂usōn Cult of the Bull: Divine Sacrifice Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Hoards and fortified settlements indicate upheaval and warfare. A great collapse and further migrations occur as the Iron Age takes hold of Europe. Many and varied, they include: end of the Mycenean culture c. 1200 BC destruction of Troy VI c. 1200 BC battles of Ramses III against Sea Peoples, 1195–1190 BC end of Hittite empire 1180 BC settlement of Philistines in Canaan c. 1170 BC The widespread Urnfield culture soldiers on. Pottery of the time is smooth, mimimally decorated, with cylindrical neck and fluted edge being popular. Kilns are already known. Beaten sheets of bronze are used to make vessels and containers. See also: Amethyst - Divine Purple Quartz Gemstone Bronze Age Ancients - Catacomb Culture Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Tin foil is used as an inlay in Swiss pile dwellings. Wood, stone, clay and metal materials exist together as houseware, tools or weaponry, spanning generations of expertise. Bronze working rises to new heights with armor, helmets and shields as well as swords, spear heads and knife blades. Volcanic glass or obsidian is desired for sharpness of edges and cleavage similar to flint. Luxury abounds for those who have means. See also: Visigoths, King Alaric & the Ruin of Rome Sacrifice of the Male: Temple at Uppsala Tiamat - Queen of Chaos & the Sea Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Chariots change from the three-wheeled Lusatian model to the two-wheeler. Some four-wheel wagons are used for entire burials, with appropriate sacrifice and selection of grave goods. Both horses and oxen are used to pull wagons, though horses are more popular among the elite. While iron tools, ornaments and weapons appear in settlements and gravesites, their use is limited. It's the developing Hallstatt culture (1200 - 500 BCE) who further exploits the potential of iron. See also: Mušḫuššu - Mythic Snake Dragon Sukkal Lead: Death Metal of Metallurgy Mythical Pagan German Gods & Spirits Back to Top

From 1300 - 500 BCE, during the late Bronze and early Iron Ages of Europe, the culture of the Lusatians dominates the Baltic coast. In Scandinavia and surrounding areas the Nordic Bronze Age is in full swing. South of the Baltic the people form a widespread community in regions now east Germany, Poland, parts of Czech Replublic, Slovakia and Ukraine. See also: Steppe Trade Routes: Before the Silk Road Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Sun God of Heaven - Hittite Solar Deity Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Lusatian culture is influenced by the advances in metllurgy of the Nordic Bronze Age, shown in jewelry, tools and weapons. In the 12th century BCE, the rise of the Halstatt Culture has artistic and technical influence. The Lusatians develop from the preceding Trzciniec culture. A Celtic culture also occupies the area. Along the Baltic coast the people find precious amber, called Gold of the North, and elbow in on the lucrative amber trade. See also: Tumulus Culture - Nordic Bronze Age Before the Vikings - Nordic Bronze Age Stone Age Botai - First Horse People Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Of course at the time they aren't called Lusatians. The term comes from the first area their grave sites, homesteads and settlements are found, in Saxony, northern Germany. It was adopted in the 19th century by scientist Rudolf Virtchow to distinguish the people who gathered in this part of the world. He describes several burial sites in Germany as being pre-Germanic. Among the Lusatians are ancestors of the first Germans, who form German language settlements along the northern coast by about 500 BCE. German shepherd dogs came into existence more recently, in the 19th century CE. See also: Animal Spirits - Puma, Butterfly, Dog Germanic Mythology - Brook Horses Wiedergänger - One Who Walks Again Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Some burial sites contain funeral urns, some ashes with no urns, showing the Lusatians practice cremation. Other sites are earth burial or inhumation. Trends of burial types can change within a society as time goes by. The funeral urns or burial pits may be accompanied by grave goods. Villages are fortified with fences and towers with a few habitations outside the walls. Reconstructions of the original habitations have been created near Berlin and Biskupen in Poland. Settlements include longhouses and outbuildings. Mediterranean imports such as glass, turquoise and beads are found with urns in graves. See also: Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Zircon - the Primordial Gemstone Earth Mother - Goddess of Life Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Grave sites don't include much metal ornamentation, but can be richly decorated. Metal moulds are found in some sites, indicating the use of metallurgy. Graveyards or Cities of the Dead could be immense, some with over 1,000 graves. Based on advances in agriculture, the economy includes wheat (emmer), barley, millet, rye, oats, peas, beans, lentils and flax. Fruit trees produce plums, pears and apples. The large and plentiful storage pits indicate the high level of agriculture, and the effects of a climate slightly warmer than today's. See also: Ziu - Ancient Sky God of Germania Apples: Myth, Nature & German Folklore Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Domestic animals kept by the Lusatians include cows and pigs, sheep, goats, horses and dogs. Equestrianism, horse riding are depicted on Iron Age urns from Silesia. Horses are also paired with chariots in art and burials. The people are hunters too, with archaeologists finding bones of red and roe deer, boar, bison, elk, hare, fox, and wolf. Judging from the frog bones at Biskupin, frogs or frogs' legs might have been on the menu as well. See also: Amethyst - Divine Purple Quartz Gemstone Sobekneferu - Queen of the Pharaohs Anzû - Mesopotamian Monster of Mayhem Back to Top

The Steppe trade route network is in place about two thousand years before the official establishment of the Silk Roads in the 2nd century BCE. Trade routes are highly valued for travel, commerce, barter and exchange. They can range from simple trails to well-trodden roads with comfort stops. See also: Taweret - Hippopotamus Goddess of Egypt Zababa - Bronze Age War God of Kish Sun Goddess of the Earth: Hittite Underworld Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Northerners, Iberians and Celts mingle with Minoans, Egyptians and Phoenicians. The latter are rising to prominence as seafaring merchants in the 20th century BCE. The Mycenaeans, mainland Greeks, are quick to establish a connection. Trade reaches continental Asia, especially Korea, and the islands of Japan. Items for trade could include metals, silk, wool, furs, dye, spices, yarn, tools, weapons, charms, amber, slaves, bronze, Egyptian faience, horses, livestock, oils, olives, amethyst and other precious stones, glass, pottery, tea and wine. See also: Sun God of Heaven - Hittite Solar Deity Stone Age Botai - First Horse People Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Traveling east/west from the far East to Eurasia, the Steppe Route meets up with the legendary Amber Road south of the Black Sea. The Amber Road is the primary north/south trade route, running from the area of today's Gdansk, Poland at the Baltic Sea, to the Mediterranean and Greek Aegean Seas. The Steppe Route stretches 10,000 km (6,200 mi). Centered on the North Asian Steppes the route connects eastern Europe to northeast China, from the Danube River to the Pacific Ocean. It runs just south of Siberia. See also: Sobekneferu - Queen of the Pharaohs Puduḫepa - Queen of the Hittites Before the Vikings - Nordic Bronze Age Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The first person considered to use the Silk Road is Zhang Qian, explorer and diplomat from Han China in 138 BCE. He took an expedition from East to West to demonstrate how safe travel could be achieved to the West, and is also the first person to bring reliable descriptions of western lands to China. From the main routes, more roads, rivers and seaways branch off to reach distant destinations such as Egypt and north Africa. Eurasia is a network of ground, ocean and freshwater routes. It's an early industrial revolution as new lands are discovered, knowledge expands and transportation gets faster and better. See also: Inanna (Ishtar) - Goddess of Ancients What is a Ziggurat? Anatolia - Kārum City of Trade Kültepe Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The four stages of the Steppe Route are easy going with horse and wagon, but interrupted by challenging landscapes of the Urals, Altai and Sayan mountains, and the Greater Kinghan range. To the south, the land becomes arid and barren. With trade goods come ideas, information, news and networking. Towns spring up to become stopping and shopping places for travelers. Security is enforced either by state or local bodies, as raiders such as Kaskians come down from the mountains to rob or pillage. Safe travel is a priority for all who use the roads. See also: Allani - Hurrian Underworld Goddess Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Bell Beaker Culture: European Bronze Age Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Along the Steppes terrain is varied, from dry grassland to hills and forest valleys. Much of the land in ancient times is given to agriculture and (today) cotinuance of the unique ecosystems of the Steppes. Good agricultural land is sparse, making settlement sporadic. Many people adopt a hunter-gatherer lifestyle based on a militant mentality. Others are herders who move their animals to the best grazing grounds, and some farm the land, and many combine activities. See also: Pagan Pantheon - Anu, Oldest of the Gods Tumulus Culture - Nordic Bronze Age Divine Light - Sun Goddess of Arinna Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Early People Early cultures along the Steppe Route are known primarily by burial sites and grave goods. The Steppes are inhabited from c. 7000 BCE by nomadic groups. From these evolve the Yamnaya Steppe People. Around 3000 BCE the Yamnaya migrate in all directions, displacing settlers and causing a ripple effect as farmers move to other lands. They lack a written language but create artifacts of fine craftsmanship. Those found in grave sites are unique for their delicacy of detail. Botai people of the Steppe are the first to domesticate horses. See also: Lucifer, Venus & Anti-Gods of Mythology Ḫurri & Šeri - Hurrian Divine Bulls Spiritual Alchemy: Obsidian Volcanic Glass Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle During and after the Steppe migrations a new world order begins. Traders trickle through, on the way somewhere else. Over time the trickle becomes a steady current. By 2000 BCE the route begins to take the shape of the later network of Silk Roads. By 1000 BCE, the Steppe Route is well known and traveled. Traders, mercenaries, herders, horse warriors, hunting groups, merchants and itinerate workers exchange ideas but guard their secrets well. See also: A Viking Christmas Yule Wild Women and Winter Tales Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books The Silk Roads form a tangible network in c. 130 BCE. The Romans first see silk in 53 BCE, as Parthian victory banners are unfurled after a Roman defeat. Soon, the exchange network along the Steppe Route becomes known as the Silk Road. See also: Minoan Genius (Genii) Helper Spirits Ereshkigal Goddess of Underworld & Night Visigoths, King Alaric & the Ruin of Rome Back to Top

The Sun Goddess of the Earth is a chthonic aspect or variation of the Sun Goddess of Arinna. The Sun Goddess of the Earth equates with Hittite Lelwani, who rules the Old Gods in the Underworld; Babylonian & Mesopotamian Goddess Ereshkigal; and Hurrian Underworld Goddess Allani. See also: Divine Light - Sun Goddess of Arinna Anatolia - Alaca Höyük City of the Sun Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Belief the sun goes into the Earth at sundown gives her the name Sun Goddess of the Earth. She travels through the Earth, synonymous for Underworld, to appear in the east, the new day. She may have heralds, such as the Goddess of Dawn, a powerful entity in her own right. The morning star & evening star, celestial representations of planet Venus, mark the coming of dawn and the end of the day. See also: Minoan Genius (Genii) Helper Spirits Tumulus Culture - Nordic Bronze Age Volcanic Wipeout - 1600 BCE Eruption of Thera Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle In her Underword aspect she lives in a luxurious palace attended by servants and viziers. Her sons are the Weather God of Nerik (by the Hittite God of War) and the Weather God of Zippalanda (by the Weather God of the Heavens) named after their tutelary towns. The Sun Goddess of the Earth opens doors to the Underworld. Her connection is one of healing and harmony. The Hittites don't specifically see the Underworld as a bad place. It's just where the soul or spirit goes after death. See also: Bronze Age Ancients - Catacomb Culture Nature Spirits of German Mythology Egyptian Blue Faience - Ceramic Glass Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books However in some regions, such as the Babylonian Mesopotamian, the spirits have nothing to eat but dry dust. Their descendents must pour libations into the ancestor's grave so the person can drink. This eventually gives rise to grave goods, ornate tombs, ziggurats, pyramids and cities of the Dead or necropoli. In Anatolia the Sun Goddess of the Earth is primarily worshipped in Ankuwa, Nerik, and Zippalanda. People of Kizzuwatna also pay her homage. She has the power to cleanse all evil, impurity and sickness from the Earth. See also: Spiritual Alchemy: Obsidian Volcanic Glass Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Rise of Pan: Fertility Goat God Péh₂usōn Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Her male equivalent is the Luwian Sun God of the Earth, the chthonic form of the Hittite Sun God of Heaven. His influence is limited. Meanwhile, the Sun God of Heaven is the second most worshipped deity of the Hittite Empire, after the Sun Goddess of Arinna. See also: Stone Age Botai - First Horse People Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Bronze Age Cultures - the Hittites Back to Top

Tumulus are the dominant people in Northern Europe during the Nordic Bronze Age, coming to power from the remnants of the previous Unetice culture. Tumulus influence is felt through north Eurasia from 1600 - 1300 BCE, and later interactions with Italy and the Celts. See also: Stone Age Botai - First Horse People Hesperus (Vesper) the Evening Star Sobekneferu - Queen of the Pharaohs Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The Tumulus people control the Baltic coast and the inland regions recently inhabited by Unetice and Corded Ware cultures. Lethal warriors, the Tumulus carve out a generous place for themselves in Bronze Age history. Their name comes from the method of burial, a mound, kurgan or tumulus for one or multiple graves. The graves might be built one atop another, as entire villages could be. The excavations at Çatalhöyük (Catal hoyuk) show 18 layers of habitation. See also: Allani - Hurrian Underworld Goddess Divine Light - Sun Goddess of Arinna Volcanic Wipeout - 1600 BCE Eruption of Thera Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Because the tumulus is found elsewhere in the world, the name as a culture centers on the North European regions, parts of Germany, Czech Republic, Carpathian Basin, Poland, France, Switzerland and Austria. Significant settlements are found in early Bavaria and southern Germany. Chiefdoms and clan groups form the basis of Tumulus culture. Some settlements are built fortress style on a hill, along with the famous spiked poles and fortified battle towers. Walls are wood, stone and clay. Neighbors can be hostile, especially as the Tumulus presence on the Baltic coast has significant control of Baltic Amber trade. See also: Arsenic: Murderous Metal & Miracle Cure Baltic Amber - Gold of the North What is the Philosopher's Stone? Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Fortified Bronze Age Tumulus culture settlements include Heuneburg, Germany, Tumulus 1500 BCE under later Celtic mound burials Bullenheimer Berg, Bavaria, hilltop Bronze Age settlement; 3km stone wall remains Ehrenbürg, Bavaria, linked to Walpurgisnacht or Hexennacht (Witches' Night) Bernstorf, Bavaria - grave goods include gold and amber The people are capable of moving enormous stones such as in the Greek 'Cyclopean' architecture style stone fortifications. These monumental structures are built about 1400 BCE, topped with wood battlements, were exemplified at the hillfort Stätteberg in Bavaria. About this time, the Phoenicians start to make waves from coastal Levant. See also: Lucifer, Venus & Anti-Gods of Mythology Arzawa - Rebel Kingdom of the Bronze Age Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books People of the Tumulus culture trade with Scandinavia, Atlantic Europe, Mediterranean region and the Aegean. Mycenaean Greeks, a dominant power, were eager to establish and fortify trade networks by land or sea. Amber and metal ornaments or tools are common items of trade. Other trade desireables include spices, wine, fabrics, dyes, weapons, slaves, livestock, pottery, deific idols, news and gossip. See also: Anatolia - Alaca Höyük City of the Sun Asteria - Starry Gems of Myth & Magic Sacrifice of the Male: Temple at Uppsala Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books From the beginning of the Middle Bronze Age buyers and sellers weigh metal as a form of payment or money. About the same time, in 1500 BCE, the Egyptian Pharoah declares gold to be currency. There's evidence of trade goods having a silver and gold value in Mesopotamian trade towns such as Kültepe (Kultepe), whence the earliest writing comes. Golden 'hats' appear among artifacts of the Tumulus cultures of Germany and France. Covered in gold leaf, they're embellished with intricate carvings to represent a part or all of a solar calendar. They may have been used in priestly rites. Other Tumulus-era gold discs and calendars come from Czech Republic, Austria and Sweden. See also: Puduḫepa - Queen of the Hittites Kaska - Mountain Raiders of Anatolia Weather God of Zippalanda: Bronze Age Gods Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle The Tumulus Culture does not unite under one leader, preferring to remain united in tribal or clan group form. In grave burials and hoards, Tumulus Culture characterisitics include metalwork and bronze items such as palstaves or bronze axes flange‐hilted or ribbed hilt swords dirks / daggers with rounded or symmetrical pommels jewelry, arm & ankle bands, pins and bracelets See also: Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Teshub: Hurrian Bronze Age Storm God Ancient Wild Predators - Eurasian Lion Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Pottery includes roundish vessels with cylindrical necks, bowls with pedestals and one‐handled cups. The Tumulus culture lasts three hundred years and leaves a strong legacy. The Tumulus Culture is succeeded by the Urnfield Tradition of the late Bronze Age. See also: Shaushka (Šauška) - the Great Goddess Tiamat - Queen of Chaos & the Sea Inanna (Ishtar) - Goddess of Ancients Back to Top

From modern Khazistan comes the influence of the Late Stone Age Botai Culture c. 3700 - 3000 BCE, named after the current town at the site. Living at the cusp of the Copper and Bronze Ages, the Botai are considered the first culture to domesticate horses. See also: Germanic Mythology - Brook Horses Animal Spirits - Horse, Otter, Goose Ancient Deities: Proto Indo European Gods Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Domestication means active animal husbandry or selective breeding, skeletal changes reflecting domestic use or warfare, diet, and evidence of animals born and raised in captivity. An animal tamed from the wild isn't considered domesticated. The Botai are foragers and hunter gathering tribes who take advantage of the increased wild horse population on the Steppes. They live in settlements along the Imanburlyq River of North Kazakhstan. See also: A Viking Christmas Yule Wild Women and Winter Tales Bell Beaker Culture: European Bronze Age Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Wild horses are primary prey for the Botai, and before long they learned to tame wild horses, breed and develop them for riding and hunting. The first to master the skills of horseback riding, the Botai rode domesticated horses to hunt the wild horses of northern Kazakhstan between 3500 and 3000 BCE. The domesticated horses are not considered related to today's horse (Equus ferus caballus). They're closer kin to the Przewalski's horse (Equus ferus przewalskii). See also: Neolithic Europe - Danube Valley Culture Bronze Age - Corded Ware Culture Killer Compost: Nature Gone Bad For Good Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Also called the Mongolian wild horse or Dzungarian horse, it's native to the Central Asian Steppes. Przewalski's was bred back from the brink of extinction in the late 20th century but remains endangered. Although the horse is of a different species of Equus ferus, it's the first evidence of horse domestication and riding. Later cultures such as the Yamanaya Steppe People domesticated the direct ancestor of the modern horse. See also: Ancient Greek Cultures: People of Minoa Baltic Amber - Gold of the North Earth Mother - Goddess of Life Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Botai settlements in this period include 50 to 150 pit houses. Unlike other early sites no cattle or sheep bones appear, only those of horses and dogs. Of the thousands of animal bones found in graves and waste deposits, 65% to 99% come from horses. According to analysis of pottery shards, the Botai are milk drinkers. They keep horses for meat, riding and milk. In later excavations milk is absent from their diet and pottery shards show more animal fat. See also: Mušḫuššu - Mythic Snake Dragon Sukkal Kaska - Mountain Raiders of Anatolia Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Bones may be used in building structures, much like the work of the early mammoth people. Sinews may be used for sewing and binding. Horsehair was still considered the best furniture stuffing in the 19th century CE. Before the Botai, other groups of people traveled through the vast steppe lands. They made semi-permanent settlements indicating attempts at horse hunting, but not much luck. Settlements were small, animal remains insignificant, and overall the people prefer to roam. See also: Rosemary: Immortal Essence & Balm of Kings Bronze Age Europe - The Amber Road Bronze Age Culture - Rise of Heavy Metals Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Many believe the Botai are the first to domesticate and use horses for riding and hunting. Scientists tend to dispute the level of horse domestication among the Botai, with some claiming the Botai hunted wild horses on foot but never domesticated them. Others point to the widespread occurrence of mass sites of horse dung and high-phosphorus soil deposits, indicating the presence of horses kept in corrals. A circular construction with pole holes indicate at least one corral at Krasnyi Yar, the settlement most studied. See also: Anatolia - Kārum City of Trade Kültepe Cult of the Bull - Prehistoric Aurochs Iron Age - Metallurgy & Metal Magic Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Bit wear also indicates a horse was ridden or driven as the bit creates abrasion on the molar teeth of the horse. Absence of bit wear isn't necessarily a sign or wildness as horses can be ridden and guided without a bit. Earliest evidence of bit wear comes from a Kazakhstan site dating to 3500 BCE. Due to availability of resources the Botai people could form a more settled culture than those who came before. The people went from habits of roaming hunters or semi-sedentary gatherers to dwelling in settlements of over 160 buildings. See also: Mythic Fire Gods: Hephaestus of the Greek Primeval Deities: Goddess of the Dawn Zircon - the Primordial Gemstone Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books Buildings are used as private houses or for public events. Pit houses were often built close together with rooftop openings and most of the house underground. Urban neolithic settlements like Çatalhöyük, even older, use the rooftop entrance concept Early evidence of metal working doesn't extend to the Botai people, who use tools of horse bone, wood and stone, and cook and store food in pottery vessels. Hand axes made of stone are similiar to those of weapons centuries ago, created from sharp-edged flint or other stone. See also: Wine God Liber: Liberty & Liberal Libation German Myth & Folklore: Dwarfs Alchemist Dippel: the Frankenstein Files Back to Top

Earth is a disaster zone. Fires rage out of control. Food riots erupt across the world. Fresh water is a luxury. Crowds of people swarm shopping centers and hospitals. Parts of coastlines fall into the sea. Garbage clogs the toxic rivers. Law enforcement is sporadic and ineffective. Gangs rule crumbling empires. The earth is exhausted and barren. See also: Cult of the Fire God - Coming 2024 Inanna (Ishtar) - Goddess of Ancients Lead: Death Metal of Metallurgy Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Disease runs rampant with new strains of influenza and cancer, and old villains like leprosy. Things are falling apart. Up beyond an ever-present ring of space garbage, five people in an experimental space station are desperate to find answers. The questions, however, are not so clear. Due to the ring of space junk and the techno turmoil on Planet Earth, transmissions between the World Experimental Space Station (WESS) and Earth, are sometimes impossible for days. Among the astronaut scientists strange bonds, emotions and widening rifts make people a little bit crazy. Or it could be the mushrooms. See also: Folk Magic: Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria) Myth & Metallurgy - Metals of Antiquity Silver - Queen of Precious Metals Today's Zazzle Specials Smashwords Books They must put their personal problems aside and concentrate on the bigger picture: find a way to save the planet, naturally. They're involved in experimental media to restore the health of the Earth, and so far have met with success. They grow hybrid plants with superior resistance to disease, and seek ways to dispose of waste to create new earth. Central to the latter is a large smelly compost heap below decks, where a number of trials with growth hormones and material deconstructors are seeing strong results. See also: Asteria - Starry Gems of Myth & Magic Arsenic: Murderous Metal & Miracle Cure Al-Mi'raj: Unicorn Hare of Arab Myth Sylvia Rose Books on Smashwords Lora Ley Fantasy Fiction Series Reiker For Hire Murder Mysteries Sylvia Rose Art on Zazzle Into the mix comes the supply ship from Earth, operated by dashing space pilot Lance Wood and his alcoholic co-pilot Meredith Plainly. When space junk damage to their ship necessitates repair, they decide to stay a couple of days aboard WESS. As scientists show them around, a blood-curdling shriek resounds. From there, things go from bad to worse for the unfortunate humans in space. See also: Nature Spirits of German Mythology Copper - Ruddy Metal of Mystic Magic Sun Goddesses of World Mythology Back to Top