THE PLEIADES IN KHEVSURIAN COSMOGONY: THE CULT, SERVICE AND RITUAL CUISINE OF KAJETIAN WOMEN LINKING WITH DODONEAN CULT
Abstract
The oracle at Dodona, located in Epirus, Greece, is one of the oldest oracular sites in the ancient world, with its origins shrouded in myth and antiquity. According to Herodotus (Histories 2:54–57), the priests of Egyptian Thebes recounted a story in the 5th century BC about two priestesses who were carried away from Thebes by Phoenicians[1]. One of these priestesses was sold in Libya and the other in Hellas (Greece). The narrative claims that these women were the original founders of the oracular sites in these respective countries. This myth suggests that the oracles at Siwa in Libya and Dodona in Epirus share an ancient and culturally significant connection, possibly linked through Phoenician mediation and the dissemination of religious practices.
The symbolism of the black doves is particularly intriguing. The doves are described as "black," a detail that invites various interpretations and symbolic readings. It is possible that the color "black" is associated with the "pel-" element found in the names of figures such as "Peleus" and "Pelops," which have connotations related to darkness or mud. This etymological connection may hint at a deeper, possibly forgotten, mythological symbolism that was retrospectively applied to the Dodona priestesses, known as "peleiades" or "doves." The term "dove" may have been employed metaphorically to describe these priestesses due to their perceived divine inspiration and oracular role.
In Khevsuretian mythology and liturgical practice, doves are considered oracular voices that announce the will of God regarding the establishment of shrines. The black doves likely represent the elderly women, priestesses of the Cybele/Kybele cult (represented as Khibal-Kudianis in the Tushetian mythological cycle about Doraiskheveli), who brought ancient healing wisdom that was later perceived as magical by the newer cult. However, they are regarded as evil; although, they are seen as helpers to the children of the new God.
The narrative of the black doves can be viewed as an attempt to synthesize religious practices with broader Mediterranean traditions. This integration of mythological elements also reflects a common practice in antiquity of using mythology to validate the continuity and legitimacy of religious traditions. By linking the origins of the Dodona oracle to a distant and respected source, such as Georgia, the narrative enhances the sanctity and authority of the oracle within the Mediterrenean and Hellenic world.
In conclusion, the myth of the black doves (or pleades) is a rich narrative that offers insights into the cultural and religious syncretism of the ancient Mediterranean world. It illustrates how mythological stories were employed to establish connections between different cultural and religious traditions, thereby reinforcing the authority and sanctity of sacred sites like Dodona. The blending of Egyptian and Greek elements within these myths highlights the fluidity of religious identities and the permeability of cultural boundaries in the ancient world. The narratives serve as a testament to the enduring human fascination with the divine and the continual search for meaning through the sacred.
Kajetian women occupy a unique space within the religious and mythological canon of Khevsureti. They are at once a remnant of ancient celestial orders and a transformative force within Christian cosmology, traversing gender, species, and cosmic strata. Through their associations with birds, milk, ritual law, and ecstatic disappearance, they embody a matrix of sacred liminality—simultaneously inaccessible and indispensable, both dove and divinity.
Keywords: Khevsurian Mythology; Tushetian mythology; Cybele Cult; Dairy Products in Cult Cuisine; Pleades; Samdzimari / Samdzivari; Doraiskheveli.
[1] Priestesses carried from Thebes by Phoenicians – the mythological parallel of Samdzivari and other Kajetian women carried from Kajaveti to Khevsureti makes an intriguing parallel. Also is interesting the idea of witch women Ali from Karzawa from Hittite ritual texts. (Mouton, .2013), (Gambashidze M, Gambashidze N., 2023)
