Disparate Divine Names in Relation to Identity

[Psychonaut]

No there are not but considering that during the migration period it was not unknown to see two tribes speaking two different dialects working together they must have been able to recognize that their dialects resembled one another as well as their pantheons. One indication at least is the regions identified as "walh" by various Germanic peoples always seem to be regions that spoke a non-Germanic language: Wales, Rome, and later on France.

Yeah, I have no problem believing that a Saxon and a Langobard would've recognized Wuotan and Goden as being one and the same. What I'm wondering is if they would've made the same recognition with the Gallic God Lugus or the Roman Mercury.

[Groenewolf]

Yeah, I have no problem believing that a Saxon and a Langobard would've recognized Wuotan and Goden as being one and the same. What I'm wondering is if they would've made the same recognition with the Gallic God Lugus or the Roman Mercury.

Maybe if they had the time to study those Gods. But probaly not on first sight. The three weaving Sisters of fate are probaly a different matter.

[Psychonaut]

Maybe if they had the time to study those Gods. But probaly not on first sight. The three weaving Sisters of fate are probaly a different matter.

Just curious, what makes you think that they would not have recognized the Gods of others as being equivalent to their own when the Romans were able to easily make just that type of assessment? Any one with two eyes could see that two one-eyed All-fathers who bear spears and are accompanied by wolves and ravens are similar. What I'm wondering is whether these similarities would have been enough for the Germanics to make an identification between the two.

[Groenewolf]

Just curious, what makes you think that they would not have recognized the Gods of others as being equivalent to their own when the Romans were able to easily make just that type of assessment? Any one with two eyes could see that two one-eyed All-fathers who bear spears and are accompanied by wolves and ravens are similar. What I'm wondering is whether these similarities would have been enough for the Germanics to make an identification between the two.

I was more talking about relations between Roman and Germanic ones. The case you named is indeed an easy one, and one should probalt quickly draw the conclusion that they are the same Gods only with different names. However If we keep with comparsion Roman and Germanic Gods, that would probaly require some deeper looking. Since it does not have to translate easy one-on-one.

Lets take for example Donar. He has been compared to both Jupiter and Hercules by the Romans. Jupiter, because of the association with lightning. And Herculus, can not remember it right now.

[Óttar]

The Sumerian Inanna was called Ishtar by the Babylonians, and Venus and Astarte would've been identified as the same goddess. Gods were sometimes identified or related to one another through political contracts. Germanics would've easily identified Odin and Wodan, without a doubt. Would Germanics have identified Thor with the Celtic Tiranis? If how indigenous religions accomodate other belief systems is any indication, then yes.

Notions of religion nowadays differ from the way of the past. The old ways accomodated many different deities under an umbrella through identification, cults spreading through trade routes, marching armies etc.