L’aśvamedha nella storia. Un’indagine sulle testimonianze storiche della celebrazione del sacrificio del cavallo in India

Abstract

This article is an attempt to outline a way for a historical approach to the aśvamedha, the horse sacrifice performed by Vedic Indians and described in several works of Sanskrit literature. The main concern is to select the sources for a productive analysis: after only that it will be possible to ascertain if the aśvamedha was really performed. This inquiry offers a new perspective about one of the most important rituals of Indian religion and it could even become a useful support to understand better some periods of Indian history as well as the religious dynamics in ancient India.