A winged horse, flying horse, or pterippus is a kind of mythical creature, mostly depicted as a horse with the wings of a bird. Winged horses appear in the mythologies of various cultures including, but not limited to, Greek mythology, Chinese Mythology, and Hindu mythology. Multiple types and variations of mythological horses exist across cultures, however, of those that can fly, many possess winged features, avian or otherwise.
European mythos
Greco-Roman
The Greek winged horse,
Pegasus, was sired by
Poseidon or, in Roman myth, by Neptune, from
Medusa. Often portrayed as a white horse with feathered white wings, he was the steed of the Greek hero
Bellerophon until they both met their demise at the hands of
Zeus. He also has a constellation, and is often considered the 'prototypical' model for winged horses in both ancient and modern depictions.
Additionally, Selene, Greek goddess of the Moon, was often depicted as riding across the night sky either in a chariot pulled by winged white horses or on horseback herself. Her brother, Helios, Greek God of the Sun, was also pictured as riding through the sky o n horse-drawn carriage, and though his were not as often depicted as winged, there does exist material of them with wings as well.
Horses in the Jura
The
Jura Mountains on the Alps-Swiss border are mythologized to home magical horses, multiple of which are winged. The
White Horse of Foncine was seen often throughout the commune of Foncine-le-Haut, Foncine-le-Bas, and Les Planches, mainly in the dusk.
The
Horses of Cosges were known to be twin, headless horses with wings that lived in the Canton of Bletterans. Finally, the
Sylph Horseman of Bonlieu was taled to be the spirit of an old King rode who could be seen riding a winged horse in the
Jura Mountains region.
Norse
While many horses in
Norse mythology can fly, only
Hófvarpnir, steed of Gná, has been depicted as winged.
,
Odin eight-legged horse, is famously capable of flight, but is not said to have had wings.
Slavic
In the folklore of Romania, the prince and hero Făt-Frumos rides a steed called
(loosely translated as 'magic horse'
), often depicted as a flying, winged horse who advises the prince in their many adventures.
East Asian
Chinese Mythology
Three winged horses were discussed in ancient Chinese texts, yet the lines between the three seem to blur. Some scholars debate about the distinction or difference between the three, as their features were largely similar.
The tianma (meaning 'heavenly horse') were "blood-sweating horses" sometimes depicted as winged, that were highly sought after by Han Dynasty Emperor Wu.
Finally, the longma (meaning 'dragon horse') was a winged dragon horse referred to in the Bamboo Annals and Magic square. Although similar to a Chimera, longma were often depicted as dragon-horse hybrids with colorful scales who walked on water and were omens of a good emperor to come.
Tibetan Mythology
Lungta, or Wind Horse, in Tibetan Buddhism, is a flying horse, often winged, that was said to carry prayers from humans to the heavens.
The horse is known to have a large, colorful gem on its back and is depicted with the four other mythical creatures (dragon, garuda, snow lion, and tiger) on prayer flags.
As a symbol, the horse represents the buoyancy of life and fundamental goodness of the human spirit.
Hinduism
Two major winged horses are featured in
Hinduism.
In Vishnu's final avatar, Kalki, or Kalkin, is depicted as coming down from the heavens to end the world on a large winged horse named Devadatta (not to be confused with the monk, Devadatta, brother of Siddartha).
Uchchaihshravas, meaning Long-Ears, is a seven-headed, winged horse that was deemed 'King of Horses'. During the original churning of the Kshira Sagara, Uchchaihshravas emerged and was grabbed and ridden by Lord Indra.[Bhagavad Gita (10.27)]
West Asian mythos
Turkey
In Islamic tradition, and in Turkey more specifically, the prophet
Muhammad was said to have ridden the
Buraq,
or Al-Buraq, from
Jerusalem, to the Heavens, back to
Mecca in one night. While
Buraq now constitutes or is said to appear as a flash of white lightning, the earliest biographies of Muhammad describe the steed as a white half-donkey, half-mule with large wings and the face of a human.
Iran
In the
Sasanian Empire period and under
Zoroastrianism tradition, winged horses were understood as carrying souls and as manifestations of the Gods
Tishtrya and
Bahram V. They were often depicted with one leg raised and on the backs of coins and priestly seals.
African mythos
The
Pegasos Aithiopikos, or Ethiopian Pegasus, was born on the shores of the
Red Sea near Eritrea.
It was said to be directly descended from or inspired by the
Pegasus. The horse was said to be native to Ethiopia, with large wings, a reddish coat, and a large singular horn.
See also
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