That the sacrifice of a horse is one of the classic Indo-European rituals is no surprise. Versions of it are found throughout the Indo-European world. One particular variation is found in India, Rome,
and Ireland, with hints from Wales, Anatolia, and Germania, and it is that variation this chapter is about. The descriptions, especially from India, are exceptionally detailed, making this a Proto-IndoEuropean ritual which can be restored with extreme accuracy. (See O’Flaherty, 1980, for a good summary of the evidence, although I disagree with her opinion that the horse sacrificed in the ProtoIndo-European version was male.)
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