The sky-twin myth
The sky-twin myth is conventionally accepted as one of the core parts of Indo-European mythology. It tells of twins, or brothers, one of whom is murdered or sacrificed while the other founds a new civilisation. In the context of comet-inspired mythology, it likely relates to a pair of comets in similar orbits, of which one crashes into Earth (dies), thereby resetting civilisation, while the other continues. Plato tells us about this cycle of cosmic catastrophes, by relating the story told to his ancestor, Solon, by an Egyptian Priest. It agrees well with Clube and Napier’s theory of coherent catastrophism, based on the Taurid meteor stream (which links this myth to bull-worship), and the latest science - the Younger Dryas impact for example.
The reconstructed proto-Indo-European version tells how Manu and Yemo travel the sky with a giant cow. Yemo (or sometimes the cow) is sacrificed and Manu founds a new civilisation. Sometimes a battle with a cosmic chaos serpent is also involved. The Germanic version involves Mannus and Ymir, while the Roman version is Romulus and Remus (and the cow is now a wolf). There are also Irish, Norse and Vedic (north Indian) counterparts.
But this myth is not limited to Indo-European cultures. In ancient Egypt we have the brothers Set and Osiris. Set murders Osiris, but Osiris is resurrected by his wife (Isis) and together they create Horus, and order (civilisation) is restored. Set is also known for battling Apep, the cosmic chaos serpent (said to have a head of stone).
Also, in ancient Babylon/Sumeria, we have the Epic of Gilgamesh, which tells how best friends, Gilgamesh and Enkidu, travel to the Cedar Forest to slay the monster, Humbaba the Terrible, and cut down the trees. A great battle ensues, which they win. They return to civilisation, where Gilgamesh is King, but the goddess Ishtar sends the Bull of Heaven to defeat them. They survive the great destruction, but Enkidu is killed anyway by the gods. The story then morphs into a flood narrative, including a Noah-like character, Utnapishtim, with further battles with serpents and scorpions.
Later versions of the sky-twin myth are found in modern religions. Obviously, there is Cain and Abel. Cain murders Abel, and after some wandering around, he fathers a new civilisation and founds the city Enoch. The Christian Jesus, brother of the Holy Ghost, also dies to save mankind.
It seems that the sky-twin myth has its origins in an earlier culture that inspired later Indo-European and Afro-Asiatic mythology, and continues in modern-day religions. What was this earlier culture? Where did it originate, and is there a clear link to comets and their impacts? In my new book 'Prehistory Decoded' I use Witzel's excellent 'Origins of the World's Mythologies' to provide an answer.
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