Cook, Arthur B.: Zeus: a study in ancient religion (Band 2,1): Zeus god of the dark sky (thunder and lightning): Text and notes (Cambridge, 1925)

56

The Irminsul

How that belief arose, we can only surmise. It may be that in
the dim past, when the ancestors of these tribes developed out of
hunters into herdsmen and emerged from the forest on to the open
plain, they missed the big tree that seemed to support the sky
('heaven-reaching,' as Homer1 calls it). And in the absence of
that mighty prop there was nothing to guarantee the safety of
their roof2.

Now early man was a practical person. His roof being insecure,
he proceeded to shore it up. The Irminsul was primarily a sky-
prop, though we may well believe that it came to be viewed as the

1 Od. 5. 239 iXdrrj t r)v ovpavolarjKr/s, cp. Hdt. 2. 138 8ev8pea ovpavofirjKea, Anth. Pal.
4. I. 49 f. (Meleagros) ovpavofxaKevs \ (poiviKos. 'I remember, I remember, | The fir trees
dark and high; | I used to think their slender tops | Were close against the sky'
(T. Hood).

2 Attention may here be drawn to the various accounts of the Kallikantzaroi given by
the modern Greeks. These are summarised as follows by J. C. Lawson Modem Greek
Polklore and Ancient Greek Religion Cambridge 1910 p. 194: 'The Callicantzari appear
only during the 8u8€Karip.tpov or "period of twelve days" between Christmas and
Epiphany1. (l Leo Allatius [De quor. Graec. opinat. cap. ix.) makes the period a week
only, ending on New-Year's Day.) * The rest of the year they live in the lower world, and
occupy themselves in trying to gnaw through or cut down the great tree (or in other
accounts the one or more columns) on which the world rests. Each Christmas they have
nearly completed their task, when the time comes for their appearance in the upper world,
and during their twelve days' absence, the supports of the world are made whole again.'
Details will be found in N. G. Polites Tlapadoaeis Athens 1904 i. 331 no. 590 from
Bourboura in Kynouria (The Lykokatzaraioi come from below the earth. All the time
they are hewing away with their a^e^ at the tree which supports the earth (to Sevrpo wov
paaraei rr) yr/s). They chop" and chop till a tiny piece no bigger than a thread remains
uncut, and they say 'Come, let us be off; it will fall of itself.' They return after the
Baptism and find the tree entire, absolutely whole. And again they chop, and again they
come, and so continually do they busy themselves), i. 347 no. 612 from Naupaktos (...the
Pagan Ones begin hewing with their teeth and with axes the three columns which support
the world (rots rpeis KoXovvats, irou (3aaTav tov kckt/xo), to hurl them down, that the world
may collapse. Etc.), i. 352 no. 621 from Lasta in the deme Mylaon, Gortynia (The earth
is supported below by one column, which has four other pillars (/ulo. KoXovva, irov £%ei
recrcrepovs dXXovs arvXovs [infra § 3 (a) iii (k)]). There the Kolikantzaroi are in bondage for
ever and labour at cutting the column to make the earth fall. Etc.), i. 354 no. 622 from
Demetsana in Gortynia (The Kallikantzaroi are naked, apart from beards and moustaches,
and in size resemble a child of ten, some being a little taller, others a little shorter. They
dwell in the Underworld, where there are three wooden columns supporting the whole
earth (e/ceZ eti/cu rpeis £u\ii>ais koXovvcus kcli Kparovv oXr/v tyjv yrj). The Kalikantzaraioi
want to cut the columns and overthrow the world, and they are perpetually getting to work
with their axes and chopping the three columns. Etc.), i. 355 no. 623 from Gralista in
the deme Ithome, Karditsa (The Karkantsaloi have their dwelling in Hades, and gnaw
with their teeth the pillars which support the sky, that it may fall and crush the earth
{kI pov/cavovv fxi tcl 86vna tovs to. crrvXia, d,7r' j3aaT0vv toxjv ovpavb vd p.r\v irearj kl irXaK&arj
t-q yrj). They gnaw and gnaw and do their utmost to cut the pillars. Etc.). See further
N. G. Polites MeXer^ eiri tov (3Lov tCjv 'Neurepwv "EXXrjvojv Athens 1871 i. 26 and 69,
J. N. Svoronos in the Jotirti. Intern, d)Arch. Num. 1912 xiv. 252 and 280. It will be
observed that, whereas most of these versions make the tree (no. 590) or columns (nos. 612,
621, 622) support the earth, one at least (no. 623) makes the pillars support the sky.