> In my view, Ronance created a system of canals in the Garden
> used for irrigation and travel by people of the Golden Age.
I've thought the same, but not with as much detail as you have. Clearly, irrigation canals can be seen as bringing fertility. I think his chariot has been depicted as being drawn by serpents, which are symbols for water, though that might only be a Dan Fahey special: http://www.poppyware.com/dunham/glorantha/fahey/ronance.gif
One of the confusing things for me is that I remember him, maybe incorrectly, as being explicitly described as an earth god.
> This is a modern misunderstanding, I think, of a system of
> canals with barges instead of chariots, whose "wheels" never
> touch the ground.
Nice. It doesn't necessarily have to be waterways large enough for barges (picturing the Grand Canal in China). Canoes and reed craft are another possibility. They are both pretty anciently known forms of boat, and both have a very shallow draft and narrow beam, so you don't need much of a waterway to be able to navigate. Especially if the friendly water serpents are willing to help pull your water chariot.
That fits better with my vision of the Garden, though I should also say that the Grand Canal in China is old (500 BC or so), the Egyptians possibly had navigable canals way before then (maybe as early as 1800 BC!), and canals generally are some of the oldest forms of engingeering. So, there's no reason it couldn't be huge canals.
Chris
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