Yeti. A Historical Essay. Alexander Belov, June 10, 2023.
Yeti – a historical essay. Alexander Belov, June 10, 2023
Covered in fur from head to toe, horned, with hooves and a tail. They resemble humans, but aren't. Guess who they are? Devils, of course. The image of the devil has survived not only in Slavic culture but also among other Indo-Europeans. These creatures have various names. The ancient Iranians called them divs, the Hindus called them rakshasas and kimpurushas, the Greeks called them satyrs, the Romans called them fauns and dylenes, the Celts called them dusii, and so on. What they have in common is that they are covered in hair, lack self-control, live in forests, and have a bestial appearance.
Apparently, these creatures really did exist. Regarding the horse tails, goat hooves, and horns, perhaps this is a metaphor indicating the heightened sexuality of these characters. As we can see, attitudes toward these characters were ambivalent. They were often simply killed, seen as the spawn of hell. And who would like a civilized and cultured people if savages systematically stole their children, food, clothing, and household items? Naturally, the locals didn't stand on ceremony with the savages.
In some places, people feared the hairy savages, trying to appease them with offerings, establish some kind of relationship, and draw a demarcation line dividing the domains of humans and savages. However, this hardly stopped the emotional and unrestrained savages, especially in places where there were many of them. They fought the savages. Thus, the Zent-Avesta contains references to the fact that after the Iranian Aryans arrived in northern Iran and Turkmenistan, the nomads encountered a widespread population of wild people (divs), with whom they had to fight for three generations. The Iranian Aryans used arrows, spears, and swords, while the divs used clubs and stones. The savages were defeated. However, the savage population could not be completely eradicated. In the Pahlavi version of the Avesta, we find mention of the divs continuing to harass the Aryans even after their defeat. The legendary hero Rustam confronted the hairy savages and again achieved victory. The Shahnameh (Royal Book), written by the poet Ferdowsi at the turn of the first and second millennia CE, narrates that divs were used by some rulers of ancient Iran as shock troops in their armies. They are chained by one foot to a long chain, armed with an iron club with hooks, and forced to fight the enemy.
It is also reported that the soldiers of the Roman general Sulla, during a military campaign in Greece in 89 BC, captured a hairy satyr in the forest, whose unusual appearance caused general astonishment. The satyr was brought to the general, who personally demanded to see and interrogate it. But when Sulla questioned him, it only responded with sounds that simultaneously resembled the neighing of a horse and the bleating of a goat. After this, Sulla became disillusioned with the captive and ordered him removed from his sight, deemed an extremely ugly and disgusting creature.
Another notable character imprinted in ancient folklore is Ea-bani. The Babylonian Epic of Gilkamesh, dating from 3,000 BCE, tells, among other interesting stories, of a wild, hairy man named Eabani, who is unusually strong and steals livestock from peaceful herders. Shepherds decided to teach the scoundrel a lesson. They sent a prostitute to him, who easily seduced the savage. The man-beast was captured and subsequently tamed. Gilgamesh used him to guard his flocks, as one would use a faithful guard dog.
Later, the tamed man-beast betrays his fellow savages. He shows the shepherds the way to the forests of Lebanon, where savages like himself live. Caught unawares, the man-men are mercilessly exterminated by the shepherds. Apparently, not only adult men but also women and children were killed. After this successful raid, no one steals Gilgamesh's flocks.
However, the gods were angry with Gilgamesh. Once again, the man-beast comes to the rescue. He serves as an atoning sacrifice, offered to the gods in his master's stead. It's good to have a strong, obedient assistant who can't speak in response and unquestioningly carries out all orders. He may be hairy, but he is absolutely indispensable as a dual slave.
There are also references to wild, hairy people in the Bible. The Hebrew scholar Rabbi Jonah ibn Aaron carefully copied down references to these savages from the Old Testament. They inhabited the Sinai Peninsula and southern Egypt in ancient times. They were called "seirim," meaning "hairy ones." During the Jews' stay in Egypt, the "hairy ones" were a great nuisance. They stole food, clothing, and children. Nevertheless, the Jews somehow tolerated their presence. Some were tamed and used as slaves.