The Storm God Adda: Thor from Germanic Mythology?

While reading the article "Temple of the Storm God" by Andrew Lawler in the periodical Archaeology distributed by the Archaeological Institute of America (November/December 2009 issue), I could not help notice similarities between the storm god Adda and the Germanic storm god Thor. The Adda temple (sanctuary) has been estimated to be about 5,000 years old. The oddest thing to me is that this sanctuary has a relief depicting a "fisherman" carrying a pine-cone and bucket. That is correct, a pine-cone! I nearly fell out of my seat when I saw the picture of this in the Archaeology magazine. Pine-cones and fir trees are not indigenous to Syria. They are in Europe. At the time frame of this relief being created Syria undoubtedly had zero pine trees and Europe had forests of them. More unusual was the found motif determined to be from about 900 b.c. in Hittite-style. The picture of the motif show the storm god dressed in what looks like a Norse helmet (conical cap with horns), armor, a kilt, dagger and a club. This storm god Adda, in the motif, rides a Hittite chariot pulled by a bull. This temple dedicated to the storm god Adda has had several restorations throughout its history. The last restoration was completed around 900 b.c. by an anonymous patron. The temple dedicated to Adda was no longer used after a horrible fire, but in the Hellenistic period (around 300 b.c.) the altar was uncovered by Greeks (an ancient Grecian styled trench proves this), but for some unknown reason was not touched. It is speculated that the Greeks, who believed in the storm god Zeus, respected this temple in honor of Adda and regarded it as sacred. As years passed, the temple and its contents were forgotten; completely covered.

In my personal studies regarding the Indo-European people, the pine-cone was a sacred symbol for protection. The Indo-European goddess Zisa, wife of the god Ziu (aka Tyr), and the patron goddess of Augsburg, Bavaria in southern Germany is closely associated with the pine-cone. Even Augsburg's city emblem has a pine-cone in the middle of it. Zisa's feast day was listed as September 28 and according to documents found, was still being celebrated by the city of Augsburg during the 11th century a.d. There is a rumor that the eldest church of Augsburg still harbors a small statue of a woman figure holding a basket of pine-cones known as "The Lady" which is believed to originally have been created in the honor of the patron goddess Zisa. Could the relief, from the temple of the storm god Adda, depicting the "fisherman" carrying a pine-cone and bucket be proof that the ancient Indo-Europeans from the Augsburg region in Bavaria and 14th century b.c. people indigenous to Syria interacted or traded with one another? Shared each others spiritual beliefs and symbols?

According to Norse mythology, the god of thunder and storms known as Thor wears a helmet with horns (like depicted in the motif at the temple of the storm god Adda). There have been numerous artistic representations with Thor wearing a helmet with horns and looking very Norse in attire. Granted Thor has a magic war hammer called "The Crusher" (Miolnir) instead of dagger and club. The motif found in Syria could have been depicting a combination of two or more deities, possibly Thor and others, by the sculptor in order to create the desired representation of the storm god Adda for the sanctuary. Artists and sculptors get their inspiration from things they know, have seen, or heard. If the people residing in Syria around 900 b.c. had interaction or trade with the Indo-Europeans (including those from the Scandinavian area), it is possible the sculptor could have been influenced by them and heard some of the stories about Thor, son of Odin.

Thor is known to occasionally wear body armor (not a lot, but some, including iron gauntlets named Iarn-greiper) and in some Germanic artist representations from yore, he wears a kilt with leggings and a magic belt called Megin-giord. Thor is known for the brazen chariot he rode (even in Southern Germany), however, it was drawn by two goats (instead of a bull) named "Tooth-cracker" (Tanngniostr) and "Tooth-knasher" (Tanngrisnr). When Thor is driving his brazen chariot, he is known as Aku-Thor (begins with an "A" like Adda). The motif found in Syria does have a kilt being worn by Adda driving a chariot, two more similarities, which further gives credence to my suspicion of the possibility that ancient Syria had connections with the Indo-Europeans, even those of Bavaria from 14th century b.c. through 900 b.c.

According to Dr. Kay Kohlmeyer who is the archaeologist in charge of "The Temple of the Storm God Adda" site, Adda was depicted as carrying a weapon or a thunderbolt as a symbol of his power. The type of weapon is unknown. It could have been a sword, war hammer, or numerous other types of weapons known in the ancient b.c. periods. Thor's hammer "The Crusher" is known for lightening emanating from it upon usage. The symbol for the Greek god Zeus is the thunderbolt too. Zeus was known for throwing them down in order to destroy his enemies. Again, similarities to European gods from two separate pantheons. Could this Adda be a Thor and Zeus combination? Lumped together in one temple?

We will not know for certain about any Indo-European influence upon ancient Syria until the German and Syrian archaeologists finish excavating the entire "Temple of the Storm God Adda" in the old quarter of Aleppo, Syria. This dig is fairly new. Dr. Kay Kohlmeyer, an archaeologist from Berlin's University of Applied Sciences, and her team have spent more than 10 years sifting through the layers needed to be excavated, expertly and slowly, in order to unravel this temple's secrets and contents. I can only imagine their surprise when they found the relief with a pine-cone on it, and the motif with a god wearing a "Norse" type helmet plus a kilt and driving a chariot. The similarities found in the Syrian temple in comparison to the Indo-European deities and sacred symbols are astounding.

Alicia Rose, personal studies of the Indo-European people 2005 to present.
Article "Temple of the Storm God" by Andrew Lawler, a staff writer for Science, Archaeology magazine, publication of the the Archaeological Institute of America, November/December 2009 issue, pages 20 - 25.
Myths of the Norsemen from the Eddas and Sagas by H.A. Guerber, Dover Publications Inc., New York, 1992
Gods of the Ancient Northmen, by Georges Dumezil, University of California Press, Berkley,1973
Thor, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thor
Tyr, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyr
Zisa, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zisa_(goddess)
Augsburg (Bavaria), Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augsburg
Syria, Wikipedia website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria#Geography