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Re: Huldre and memories of lost ethnic groups (was Re: Nimrina phonology)

From:Jörg Rhiemeier <joerg_rhiemeier@...>
Date:Monday, August 21, 2006, 16:06
Hallo!

On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 16:35:14 +1000, Yahya Abdal-Aziz wrote:

> So, Jörg - any chance the "elves" were the Picts of > mysterious memory? (Tho if they were Atlanteans, > perhaps the cultural levels would be too far apart.)
In my fancy (it is way too speculative to call it a "theory"), there were two pre-Celtic groups in the British Isles which may be called "Elves" and "Dwarves". The Picts were a coalition of "Elves", "Dwarves" and Celts who had moved north to escape the Romans. On Mon, 21 Aug 2006 22:23:53 +1200, Wesley Parish wrote:
> FWLIW, I think that's a common theme throughout the world. The masalai > (woodland spirits) in PNG are probably the memories (turned into traditions) > of encountering erectines in the Malay/Indonesian peninsular, as it would > have been at that time.
Possible. Another example are the Ebu Gogo on Flores, who possibly are Homo floresiensis.
> I suspect that neandertal encounters would have supplied the bulk of the > story > behind the trolls and other woodland spirits of European culture. And human > cultures of a earlier material cultural level would have provided the story > for the "elves" - in particular their aversion to iron. An iron spearhead > is > toxic to anyone on the receiving end of it! ;)
Possible. ... brought to you by the Weeping Elf