Eostre / Ostara | Who Was the Pagan Easter Goddess?

Further Videos

Further Reading
- Help
- The Reckoning of Time - Bede
- Teutonic Mythology (with a grain of salt) - Jacob Grimm
- [incoherent screaming]

music by Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio

00:00 - Intro
00:16 - Easter / Eostre / Ostara
01:16 - The Venerable Bede
03:20 - Jacob Grimm
06:22 - Historical Practice
07:43 - Eggs
11:06 - Rabbits
12:08 - Reconstructing Practice

[EstherDollette]

Loved this! I always feel my research itch is settled once you make a video regarding a subject that is incredibly hard to find from being consumed under mounds of misinformation. I also loved the Slavic egg painting information you added in. I come from a Czech family and the painting/wax dripping of the eggs was always a tradition dear to my heart. I always knew it was an old tradition not really linked to the whole "Easter" holiday itself, but it was so incredible to learn even more about something so traditionally important to me. Wonderful work as alwasy!

[kauko]

Another thing about eggs to consider: originally during Lent Christians abstained from consuming all animal products (including eggs), alcohol and oil (this is still the way it's done in Eastern Christianity, but the practice died out in Western Christianity). But, of course, during Lent the chickens would continue to lay eggs, and eggs remain good and edible for a good amount of time. So when the Lenten fast was broken on Easter (or Pascha as it is known in most languages outside English), eggs would be plentiful and people would probably have eaten a lot of them.

[izabelastrzakowiec]

I'm Polish, and painted eggs are part of our tradition as well. Symbols and colors of them were very symbolic. Afterwards eggs were eaten and eggshells were placed under the doorsteps of the house for protection.

[Torz_]

I'm so proud of having Germanic & Celtic ancestry. I'm also a very proud Heathen 🐇🐰

[YahyaKuadzhe]

I've been digging into an equally unknown goddess in Circassian paganism named Khate Guashe (Хатэ-гуащэ) "Lady of the Garden", the goddess of flower fields, orchards and spring. Similarly, her holiday is vaguely in April (probably at the same time as Eostre) but there is no information about it beyond that young adults would convene at the fields during this holiday, pick flowers and gift each other bouquets. There obviously would be dancing, drinking and eating involved in the celebrations. Just another figure in another culture to consider.

Also, thank you for making this video, it has definitely pointed me in new directions to continue my search 🙂

[jtztbassman]

Algorithmic Cookies must be left in gratitude.

[InvincibleSummer]

You really outdid yourself in this one Ocean! Truly an Egg-Ceptional I'll see myself out

[wondermeg]

Hiya Ocean Keltoi, this is a shot in the dark since I do not have legit sources to point to but, there is a goddess named Andraste that is associated with Queen Boudicca’s tribe, the Iceni. According to Roman historian Dio Cassius, that a hare was released from Boudicca’s gown as she delivered a speech about crushing the romans in battle and pleading Andraste for helping them in victory. So many neopagans associate the goddess of victory with the hare.

This may come completely left field, I just thought the name sounded so similar to Eostre and of course the symbolism with the rabbits may also be an indicator. Great vid, love the research you put in all your videos!

[steamroller]

The first time, each spring, that we find the chickens have found a comfortable place to lay a clutch of eggs outside the coop, we have a feast to celebrate. This is the signal that Eostre has declared Spring officially under way.
The grandchildren search for egg clutches all summer because we free range the chickens. This is of course, great practice for searching for hidden candies as a celebration for the kids.

[ByronPendason]

Another awesome video, Ocean. I love how you handle Anglo-Saxon topics and sources very respectfully, when it seems many Norse Heathens like to brush them away, calling into question anything written by Bede.

Thank you also for the mention of my blog (Mine Wyrtruman) in the description of the video!

[mastermonkeyman]

bunny? in Australia we have the Easter Bilby!
a much cuter hippy hoppy rodent.

[Master_Blackthorne]

The eggs you are referring to are called pysanky and they are made by a dyeing process similar to batik. Red is the chief color as that symbolizes the sun and warmth and when you freeze seven months out of the year, Spring is greatly appreciated. A common decorated motif on pysanky is the eight pointed star which is called the star of Ron, the creator god in the Slavic pantheon. Although creator, he is not supreme--that would be Perun who is similar to Thor. Pysanky are exchanged as talismans of fertility and protection with some hung in barns.

[ForlornFea]

I just love everything about this. The nuance, the humour, the sources, the puns… great stuff, great channel.

[Gdwmartin]

"off by a hare"....good one! Loved it

[gregorymitchell]

Egypt's Sham Ennessim is a modern and ancient Egyptian spring holiday that today is celebrated Muslims and Christians alike in Egypt. BOTH MUSLIMS & CHRISTIANS COLOR EGGS for the holiday. The egg coloring has never been critiqued as a colonial import from Europe which indicates it has pre-Coptic Christian roots in Ancient Egypt.

[xJadeWolfxx]

Honestly I don't have the patience necessarily to do full reconstructions like what is discussed here, and lean slightly more eclectic when I need to make choices for myself (this double dips in the fact that Mani is so personal to me but we have so incredibly little about him or his ASH counterpart Mona). But sitting and listening to the history and potential ideas, as well as being supplied sources and other paths to chase down is precisely why I so voraciously consume this content. Seeing the sources so faithfully laid out gives me a path to tread to make my own eclectic decisions rooted in as much history as I can manage. And that is so unbelievably helpful and special.

[Moss_]

From what I understand of the Ukrainian tradition of painting eggs, the mythology states that there is a great wolf bound in chains that once it breaks free will devour the earth, and that when an egg is painted for Easter it adds another link to the wolf's chain, thus as long as the tradition continues the world will be safe.

[greysonbogle]

Disliked for the algorithm, liked for the tally. Glad you’re finding time to be more active again. Another video to rewatch again and again, provoking endless rabbit-holes of productive thought!

[erinrising]

"keeper of odd knowledge" I hope one day to be described this way

[chaserevstuning]

I wish Anglo-Saxon heathens left more for us to learn. Although it's directly related to germanic and Norse so things can be derived. Cultural education is my favorite, learning where we come from and how they lived. I'm a mutt, mix of German, Norwegian, French, Welsh and Irish. Lot to educate on. Your channel has been very helpful