The Alcis (

Proto-Germanic Proto-Germanic (abbreviated PGmc; also called Common Germanic) is the reconstructed proto-language of the Germanic branch of the Indo-European languages. Proto-Germanic eventually developed from pre-Proto-Germanic into three Germanic br ...

*') were a pair of young brothers worshipped by the Naharvali, an ancient Germanic tribe.

Name and origin

According to some scholars, the name ''Alcis'' should be interpreted as a Latinized form of

''*'' (or ''*''), meaning ' elk (''Alces alces'')' (cf.

Old Norse Old Norse, Old Nordic, or Old Scandinavian, is a stage of development of North Germanic dialects before their final divergence into separate Nordic languages. Old Norse was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and their overseas settlement ...

''elgr,''

Old English Old English (, ), or Anglo-Saxon, is the earliest recorded form of the English language, spoken in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages. It was brought to Great Britain by Anglo-Saxon settlers in the mid-5th ...

''eolh'',

Old High German Old High German (OHG; german: Althochdeutsch (Ahd.)) is the earliest stage of the German language, conventionally covering the period from around 750 to 1050. There is no standardised or supra-regional form of German at this period, and Old Hig ...

''elaho''). This would make the Alcis brothers the elk- or stag-gods. Other scholars propose to link *' to the Germanic root *''alh''- (cf. Goth. ''alhs'' 'temple', Old English ''ealgian'' 'to protect'; further Lith. '' alkas'' 'holy grove'), and thus to interpret the Alcis as 'protective' deities. The Alcis are generally regarded as a reflex of the

Divine Twins The Divine Twins are youthful horsemen, either gods or demigods, who serve as rescuers and healers in Proto-Indo-European mythology. Like other Proto-Indo-European divinities, the Divine Twins are not directly attested by archaeological or writt ...

, a pair of

Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Du ...

youthful horsemen. This may give support to the interpretation of the Alcis as elk-shaped or elk-gods, even though the widespread description of the Divine Twins as rescuers, healers and protectors in other Indo-European mythologies does not rule out the second proposition either. A speculative relation of the cult with the Germanic rune ''

Algiz Algiz (also Elhaz) is the name conventionally given to the "''z''-rune" of the Elder Futhark runic alphabet. Its transliteration is ''z'', understood as a phoneme of the Proto-Germanic language, the terminal ''*z'' continuing Proto-Indo-Europ ...

'', which is interpreted in the later Old Norse ''

Sigrdrífumál (also known as ) is the conventional title given to a section of the ''Poetic Edda'' text in . It follows without interruption, and it relates the meeting of Sigurðr with the valkyrie Brynhildr, here identified as ("driver to victory"). Its ...

'' as ''laeknishendr'' ('healing hands'), may be significant in our understanding of the etymological issue.

Overview

According to

Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus, known simply as Tacitus ( , ; – ), was a Roman historian and politician. Tacitus is widely regarded as one of the greatest Roman historians by modern scholars. The surviving portions of his two major works—the ...

, the Alcis were a deity worshiped by the Naharvali. The Roman historian states that their worship took place in a

sacred grove Sacred groves or sacred woods are groves of trees and have special religious importance within a particular culture. Sacred groves feature in various cultures throughout the world. They were important features of the mythological landscape and ...

, with a priest dressed in women's clothing presiding. The god(s) were given the name Alcis, and venerated as young men and brothers, but no images of the gods were used. A similarity with

Castor and Pollux Castor; grc, Κάστωρ, Kástōr, beaver. and Pollux. (or Polydeukes). are twin half-brothers in Greek and Roman mythology, known together as the Dioscuri.; grc, Διόσκουροι, Dióskouroi, sons of Zeus, links=no, from ''Dîos'' ('Z ...

is noted by Tacitus, though he states the cult was indigenous, not derived from an outside influence.

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Name and origin

Overview

See also

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Further reading