The wolf in ancient beliefs and rituals

The cult of the wolf dates back to ancient times. Eurasia and North America are considered the homeland of the original cult of the wolf. Central Eurasian and North American mythology is dominated by the belief that the wolf is the leader of the tribe, and that the wolf-mother is perceived as a nurturing and feeding principle. In Indo-European mythology, the wolf is associated with a war god or tribal leader. Although among many peoples the wolf is a totem, an ancestor of the tribe, the Indo-European word is taboo and replaced by other words. Among the legends and beliefs about the wolf, it is remarkable that the people also weaved various stories around individual parts of the wolf's body, endowing each of them with magical power. One of the most common beliefs about wolves in folklore concerns wolf fur. In relation to wolf fur, we can distinguish two main functions: healing, as well as fertility, and punishment, which is realized through transformation. In ancient Armenian beliefs and traditional conversations, wolf fur is a symbol of evil and darkness. Armenian beliefs are characterized by the transformation of a person into a wolf, and this mythological figure is called a werewolf in Armenian. "Gelkap" prayers were said primarily for one purpose, to bring back lost livestock by tying up a wolf. These prayers were accompanied by a certain magical ceremony. The wolf appears as a cult animal in the mythologies of a number of countries, weaving many legends around it. In addition to acting as a complete figure, this animal also manifests its physical characteristics, manifested in medicine, witchcraft, and divination. Killing a wolf was considered a great heroism, because a number of organs could be taken from its body and used in medicine as a remedy....Read more