The Ašvieniai are divine twins named Usins and Martins in Baltic and Lithuanian mythology, identical to Latvian Dieva dēli and the Baltic counterparts of the Vedic Ashvins. Both names derive from the same Proto-Indo-European root for the horse – *ék̂wos: Old Lithuanian ašva and Sanskrit aśva mean "horse". Like the Greek Dioscuri Castor and Pollux, they are reflexes of a common Indo-European mytheme, the Divine Twins.
Ašvieniai are represented as pulling the carriage of Saulė (the Sun) through the sky. Ašvieniai, depicted as žirgeliai or little horses, are common motifs on Lithuanian rooftops,Tumėnas, Vytautas. ""Žirgelių" ornamento semantinis laukas" [Semantic field of „žirgeliai“ (gable decoration resembling horse’s head)]. In: Liaudies kultūra, 1997, Nr. 2 (53). pp. 22–35. placed for protection of the house. Similar motifs can also be found on beehives, harnesses, bed frames, and other household objects. Ašvieniai are related to Lithuanian Ūsinis and Latvian Ūsiņš (cf. Vedic Ushas), gods of horses.
Description and mythology
The Ašvieniai have been described as the twin divine horses that pull the sun chariot of Saules Meitia across the sky.
Other versions have Usins as the sole charioteer or have that the pair are able to take both horse and human forms. Usins was associated with spring and summer, when horses were ridden and grazed in the fields, while Martins cared for horses during the fall and winter when they were kept in stables. Usins in particular is described as having white hair in human form, while they both have white hair as horses.
Usins and Martins' father is Dievs, with their mother being either Lada or Saules Meitia. They are also sometimes described as the husbands of Surya and Saules Meitia in Lithuanian folklore.
Martins is associated with the festival of Martini on November 10th, and Usins with the festival of Jurģi on April 23rd.
See also Ashvins Hengist and Horsa Thracian horseman List of Lithuanian gods and mythological figures Proto-Indo-European mythology Baltic mythology Prussian mythology Lithuanian mythology
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