Swiss paganism

[catgirl]

I don't mean to double post, but I asked this question on the general Paths board and was directed here. I am interested in what traditions/paths pagans living in the area that is now Switzerland would have had. The German speaking part of Switzerland, if that makes any difference.

Thanks

[_Banbha_]

Well, I would recommend reading into the pre-Christian history of the area. My first thought is of Celts in Switzerland and a particuliar the Goddess Artio (http://www.celtnet.org.uk/gods_a/artio.html) and the bronze statue that shows her as a woman carrying in one hand a bowl, in the other flowers and fruits; next to her sits a bear under a tree. She was found in the Berne region. You could look into continental or Gaulish Celts for more.

The owner of this site is a member here and an expert on Gaulish Celts: http://epona.net/introduction.html

History of Celtic Tribes in Switzerland (http://history-switzerland.geschichte-schweiz.ch/history-celtic-helvetians-switzerland.html) This is a pretty comprehensive site for Swiss history.

SwissWorld.Org (http://www.swissworld.org/eng/swissworld.html?siteSect=802&sid=4096421&rubricId=16020) More History

Druidry Lore: Bears (http://www.druidry.org/obod/lore/animal/bear.html)
Artio (http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/artio.html)

[Toby Stimpson]

There is definitly a lot of evidence to say that the ancient swiss were followers of a celtic based religion...so i would agree with Ap Daffyd from your original swiss paganism post, as well as WyldeDryad. The thing with Asatru is that it mostly looks at the Norse, and although the area around Deutchland/Rhineland and the northern alps was infuenced by the norse, they were a different tribe with a different (or so archeology tells us) culture. There were many such tribes, and those tribes associated with what would be called 'Norse' were also mixed with those tribes that could be considered Celtic. I think aso it may be important to look at the neighbourhood, as the current country of Switzerland came froma kingdom most likely founded during the feudal dark ages...during the reign of Catholic and protestant europe...so to look for swiss paganism might not get you very far.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culture_of_Austria (a small brief summary of the culture of Austria over time)

http://www.reclaimingquarterly.org/8...parenting.html (Reclaiming article on central european traditions found in cultures today with Pagan links)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_tribes

http://www.crystalinks.com/celts.html (a summary of Indo European, and subsequently looking at europe...probably best not to use Firefox as little boxes appear, use IE )

http://history-switzerland.geschicht...y-summary.html

I hope soem of these links help you!

Namaste

Tobias

[Hærfest Leah]

The thing with Asatru is that it mostly looks at the Norse, and although the area around Deutchland/Rhineland and the northern alps was infuenced by the norse, they were a different tribe with a different (or so archeology tells us) culture. There were many such tribes, and those tribes associated with what would be called 'Norse' were also mixed with those tribes that could be considered Celtic.

Tobias

Good points but their are Heathens/Asatruars who focus mainly on the Continental/Teutonic Germanic tribes. Asatru isn't limited only to the Norse.

I found this one to be of good info also.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_history_of_Switzerland

[Brightshores]

While yes, Celtic culture and civilization was extremely important in the prehistory and early history of the area, don't forget the Romans...

For several hundred years, at least part of Switzerland was within the Roman empire.
http://www.hyperhistory.com/online_n2/images_n2/roman_emp.gif

So, Roman religion, traditions, and theology would have influenced the spirituality of the region. Also, since there was a lot of population movement in the Roman world, it's likely that religious thought from all corners of the Empire, from Persia to Greece to Britain to North Africa, would have at least tangentially had an influence in Switzerland during the first 500 years AD.

Also, I would expect some influence from the Germanic tribes (as differentiated from modern Germans or from the Norse) who were moving through the area - including the Ostrogoths and Visigoths, the Vandals and the Franks. Their traditions may have had some resemblance to Norse and/or Teutonic spirituality, but since I know next to nothing about that sort of thing, I won't speculate further. :bubbles:

[catgirl]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I'll check out the links.