The Divine Fires of Creation: Homeric Hephaestos as a Comet/Meteor God

摘要

Hephaestos belongs to the guardian-gods or "creators" of the Universe and functions as a pivotal force among the "proto-Hellenic" deities. This paper focuses, firstly, on the strong relationship between Hephaestos and the Pelasgian substratum of circum-Mediterranean region. The Pelasgian nuclei of prehistoric Attica remained active through the dual worship of Athena and Hephaestos and the close connection of the Athenian city-state with the island of Lemnos even in Classical Era. Furthermore, Kabeiroi, these primordial and mysterious daemons of NE Aegean, were introduced by the Pelasgians of 12th century BC, when removed from Boeotia to Samothrace, Imbros and Lemnos. According to another ancient tradition, they were children of Hephaestos and the daughter of sea-god Proteas. All the same, another striking complication arises. The Kabeirian Mysteries were celebrated yearly and were related to the element of fire. They lasted for nine (9) days, as a remembrance of the nine year period during which Hephaestos remained at the bottom of the sea.