SC - Horse worship

[snowfire at mail.snet.net]

- -Poster: Jean Holtom <Snowfire at mail.snet.net>
 
>> Historically, the consuming of horese meat was very much frowned upon in main 
>> stream Europe during most of , if not all, of the Middle Ages and this 
>> aversion has survived in Anglo cultures all around the world to the present 
>> day. I have had a VERY difficult time finding any information dealing with 
>> this subject other than personal feelings, gut reactions, and other 
>> non-substantive sources.  
>
> Horsemeat has been eaten under various circumstances in Europe more or
> less since the domestication of the horse. I gather horse-eating is associated 
> with certain religious rituals of the pre-Christian Anglo-Saxons, and > 
prohibiting it by secular authority (in a culture ruled by cavalry, more or  > 
less, mind you) was probably yet another method of forcing the Saxons to become > 
assimilated. Both Christianity and Norman law, of course, spread more or less 
> South to North in England, of, which is perhaps why until at least the early
> years of this century it was (and I have no evidence it isn't, still) a 
> pejorative term in England to refer to Yorkshiremen as "kicker-eaters", 
> "kicker" being a North Country term for horsemeat.
  
At Christmas, I brought up on the EK list my recollection from Wales of our 
Ancient Custom of "Mari Lwyd".  The following information from that post might 
also pertain somewhat to this discussion.  

Mari Llwyd is a primitive type of seasonal horse, carried round at 
Christmas time.  It in not a hobby horse, which apparently comes from 
the Age of chivalry, and which is "ridden" by the rider.

"Mari Lwyd" ("Grey Mary")consists of a horse's skull, set on a pole and carried 
upright by a man who is completely hidden by a white cloth.  The name "Mari Lwyd" 
has been subjected to various interpretations.  "the Grey Mare",  "The blessed 
Mary", (when it is given all sorts of Biblical associations wuch as the flight to 
Egypt, Ballam and the Ass, and the donkey turned out if its stall to make way for 
the birth of Christ).  

The actual origin of "Mari Lwyd", however, goes far back to prehistoric times. 
The horse and stag have long been regarded as symbols of fertility (Stag party, 
stallion etc.).  Cave drawings depicting worship of herd animals have been 
found in Spain and Derby.  

"Mari Lwyd" belongs to the same family as the Kentish Horse, the wild 
white horse of Ireland and the wild horse of Cheshire souling play.  
The appearance of "Mary Llwyd" is still believed to bring good luck and 
fertility to the houses it visits and those who are touched by it.

Do you think this ancient a folk memory could be part of the special place we 
have for horses?  Does it also, I wonder, contribute to our eating them in the 
past as part of religious ceremonies or not? 

I wonder if the pre-Saxon Britains maybe worshipped rather than ate horses?  If 
so, could this oldest subconsicous standard (i.e. worship not eat) still be 
"rearing it's head" ;-) (sorry!) in Britain thus causing our aversion to eating 
horsemeat?

Just wondering...

Elysant :-) 
Who's probably going to get blasted for that last paragraph...
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