Pages: 159-162

The focus is on the emergence of the hero cult in processes of cultural fusion. The hero cult is at the very core of western civilization. This cult dates back at least 7 000 years, and the beginnings are associated with the warrior caste of the Proto-Indo-European pastoralists in the Eurasian steppe. The hero cult was transferred with the Kurgan migrations into southeastern Europe. In a process of innovative cultural fusion, pre-Greek goddesses such as Hera and Athena, «daughters» of the Great Goddess of Old Europe, became the patrons of the Indo-European heroes. In this contribution, the ways of transformation and varying contexts are investigated to clarify the fabric of the hero cult in Greek antiquity.

Keywords: Indo-European hero cult, pre-Greek goddesses, Old Europe, cultural fusion processes

Information about authors:

Harald Haarmann (Helsinki, Finland). Professor, PhD. Institute of Archaeomythology, European Branch. Länsikaari 7, FI-54530 Luumäki, Finland
E-mail: [email protected]
ORCID: 0009-0006-4718-6449
LaBGC (Girona, Spain)