<<Me: One could, I suppose, define two
> gods with separate cults as being the same if they possess the same set of
> runes and have other properties in common (e.g. both River Gods). But then
the
> argument becomes suspicously circular IMO.
I agree we get on to very dodgy ground here. One non-circular test which is at least interesting, if hardly conclusive, is common initiation.>>
I agree that common initiation might well indicate that various River gods are in some way fundamentally the same. However, coming back to Hsunchen again, I personally doubt that Damala and Pralor, say, have common initiation, but I suspect their runes may be the same. And given the range of hsunchen (although I gather that Greg has recently stated that there are far less hsunchen than we had previously been lead to believe) I would expect there to be other, even more clear cut examples.
Of course, none of this is proof - we don't have conclusive evidence that Damala and Pralor are demonstrably separate, or that their runes are the same come to that - but it does seem to indicate to me that this initially attractive theory at least has some holes in it.
Forward the glorious Red Army!
Trotsky
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