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

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