Life Connective Gods: Hu (Sun, Lion, Order) and Ba'al (Horned Animal, Storm, Chaos)

Sun God (Hu, Celtic Lugh, Greek Helios, Lion) with Ba'al (Celtic Cernunnos and Taranis, Greek Zeus, Bull, Horned God)

Shining bull from Brittany France (11,700 BCE). It combines the shining sun form with the rain producing bull form. This is from the proto-agricultural era when hunter gatherers routinely returned year after year to the same locations as they followed natures bounty.
Naudinot, N. and all (2017) Divergence in the evolution of Paleolithic symbolic and technological systems: The shining bull and engraved tablets of Rocher de l'Impératrice, Plos One. Online at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0173037

Hu (Sun, Lion) and Ba'al (Horned Bull, Storm) Were Seen as Two Aspects of the Same Deity Since the Beginnings of Agriculture (11,700 BCE)

(July 3, 2022) The Bull represents the cloud hidden sun, the chaotic storm powers of the middle connective layer of the Neolithic Ancient Pagan Paradigm. These powers bring needed rain and so are complimentary to the visible sun called Hu which provides light and heat.

Alphabetic Akkadian Lexicon entry (Olmsted Jan 1 2022):

AT [Akkadian atu] god Atu (noun) - life-growth connective god of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm representing the fertility fluid flow through the divine network. When the flow is orderly and constant, he is in his healing sun form called Hu and Shamash from Ṣ-M-Ṣ (active - fertility-fluid – activity. When the flow is chaotic or anarchic, he is in his storm form represented by the Bull called Ba’al meaning “Great-One.” Aḫḫāzu is the storm form meaning “that which eliminates Hu” from A-Ḫ-Z. Its sub-powers are: UM - bull’s storm powers
Ḫ [Akkadian Ḫu] god Hu – the masculine deity which represents Atu's healing sun form powers (light, heat) as opposed to his chaotic storm form powers (rain). Hu also associates the motion powers with the life powers to move the fertility fluids through the network. Hu’s epithet is often HL meaning “bright one” which is also the source for the Greek sun god word “Helios.”
AḪZ [Akkadian aḫḫāzu, aḫazu] Ahhazu (noun), grabber – an epithet for the chaotic storm bull form of Atu. It literally means “that which eliminates Hu” from A-Ḫ-Z where Hu is Atu’s healing sun form. So far this epithet only appears in Mesopotamia.
B’L [Akkadian ba’ūlu] The Great-One, Ba’al (noun), great (adjective) – “The Great One” or “Ba’al” is an epithet for the storm form of Atu.
UM [Akkadian ūmu] stormy-one, storm, storm-powers (noun), to make stormy (verb), stormy (adjective) - an epithet for the choatic storm bull. Storm powers cause conflict and chaos in the life-growth powers, compare to TB - to make a physical storm, IM - emotional magic powers of the motion class, NM - sun’s healing powers of the life-growth class, D - all powers of the life-growth class, IR - astrological powers of the motion class, EM - powers from lordly authority)

Indus Valley Unicorn Bull (2300 BCE)

This is a rare unicorn seal from Harappa has both the upper and lower sky-shells. This seal was found in the central area of Mound E and dates to Period 3B or early 3C, around 2450-2200 BC.
Notice the stars around the lower sky-shell but not on the top yet the top has a fish net pattern.
(http://old.harappa.com/indus2/133.html)

Two Horned Bull with Chalice From Mohenjo-daro

(Feb 8, 2023) While most seals from the Harapan Civilization centered around the Indus Valley are unicorn bulls some bulls are shown with 2 horns. The chalice in front of this bull shows the more typical life network flowing into the under-dome.

Reference

Parpola, Asko (2008) The Harappan unicorn in Eurasian and South Asian perspectives, in Linguistics, Archaeology, and the Human PastOnline at: https://www.harappa.com/sites/default/files/pdf/Parpola_A_2011_unicorn%20%281%29.pdf

Lion Attacks Unicorn Bull

A battle between order and chaos. This was found on a wall relief in Persepolis in modern day Iran. (Originally plate 18 in Shepherd 1930)

Reference

Unicorn Bull on Ishtar Gate of Babylon (575 BCE)

This unicorn bull on Ishtar Gate of Babylon shows the continuing cultural similarity between Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley. It only has one horn because it was only 1/2 of the whole connective god Atu.
The Ishtar Gate was the eighth gate to the inner city of Babylon. It was constructed in about 575 BCE by order of King Nebuchadnezzar II on the north side of the city. It was reconstructed at the Pergamon Museum in Berlin. (image from Wikipedia Commons)

Golden Bull of a Maykop Culture Chief (3,200 BCE)

Golden Bull from a Maykop culture kurgan dating to around 3200 BCE. This culture was located on the south side of the Caucasus Mountains. They became rich from selling metals into Mesopotamia. It is now at Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg, Russia. This interesting culture started out as Neolithic farmers suggesting they originally spoke Akkadian but that culture soon transitioned to the chiefdom culture (kurgans) of the Indo-Europeans just to the north. This mixing of cultures seems to have produced the Caucasus family of languages (Circassian, or Pontic, Georgian, Chechen)

Çatalhöyük Bull Horns (7,100 to 5,700 BCE)

North end of large house 77 showing the raised platforms. One platform has wild bull (auroch) horns. Whole auroch skulls were sometimes buried in the houses. Çatalhöyük is in southern Anatolia which was the launching point for the Neolithic farmers into Europe.
Photo from 2008 excavation season at project leader Ian Holder’s flickr stream at https://www.flickr.com/photos/catalhoyuk/albums/72157608731868428/with/3009675029/And lecture at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmFKBf5OVoI

Mithras Killing the Bull of Chaos (150 CE)

The Mithraeum near the Circus Maximus in Rome had a detailed white marble relief showing the bull of chaos getting killed. In this image Mithra in a wind swept cloak is slaying the bull. Mithra is wearing a Phrygian cap having a star at its peak. This cap derives from the snake cap of Mesopotamia which deities wore.
Four more stars are visible to the right of the god's head. A lion cub and the serpent are licking the blood from the wound of the bull. A scorpion grasps the testicles. On each side of the bull is a torch-bearer: Cautes (left) with a torch pointed up and Cautopates (right) with his torch pointed down. The two Corinthian columns beside them are pointed in the same directions are their torches. These likely represent the seasons with Cautes representing summer and Cautopates representing winter. Mithra is looking towards the sun side which is the side of life and growth.

Babylonian Bull God with a human head (1700 BCE)

Babylonian Bull with a human head dating to about 1700 BCE showing the lordification process making even the bull into a fully human lord god. (from Jastrow 1915 page 398a)
Jastrow, Morris (2015) The Civilization of Babylonian and Assyria. Online at: https://ia800200.us.archive.org/1/items/civilizationbab05jastgoog/civilizationbab05jastgoog.pd

Brindled Texas Longhorn Cow

Brindle is a term for the striped pattern on the side. The ancients seemed to associate it with the life network.

Brindled Bull Rhyton from Cyprus (1300-1200 BCE)

A rhyton is a vessel which pours water through a spout. This type of Cypriot figurine was common at this time. The water pouring is a aspect of the bull's chaotic storm power which brings the rain. Item not at the Harvard Art Museum: https://harvardartmuseums.org/tour/animal-shaped-vessels-from-the-ancient-world-1/slide/10651

Harappan (Indus Valley) Bronze Bull (2500 BCE)

This dates to between 2000 and 3000 BCE. Photo from: https://store.barakatgallery.com/product/indus-valley-bronze-bull/

Winged Sun Disk

Egyptian Sun Disk

Ayu with Hu as a Lion

Ayu and Hu are the connective life power deities of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. This silver pendant is full of both masculine and feminine life power correspondences.

This stone has a length: 5.76 centimeters, thickness of 1.60 centimeters, and width of 3.30 centimeters. It was acquired by the British Museum in 1892. (British Museum, number 91013, Online at: https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/W_1892-1213-9)

Sumerian Text Mentioning the Sumerian Sun God AN (2450 BCE)

(Jan 2023) The Sumerians also followed the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. Here AN is the Sumerian Hu. This stone was found in the Sumerian city of Sippar. This text was written on the expensive lapis lazuli stone imported from Afghanistan and would have been placed in a prominent place in a Sippar temple.

Text reads:

AN (Hu) is the harvest-chief. BU (Ba'al) is the fishing-ground
AN is the plant-grower
The Lady (INANNA, Ayu) reaps with AN
The Chief (AN) is submitting to the music-maker (INANNA)
The Chief supplies the life-forms
The three (AN, BU, INANNA) are making fearful the strings (life network)
Their words form the earth

(July 3, 2022) Assyrian relief showing winged Hu (Shamash) as the winged sun disk presiding over the tree of life whose branches represent the life network. This relief is from the northwest palace hall of Assyrian King Assurbanipal II at Nimrud. It dates to 883 to 859 BCE. Wings are always an indicator of a connective power deity. Not obvious in this image but Hu's hands are holding the feminine ring of life.

The king is pointing at Hu from whom all life powers flow and behind the king seems to be a masculine from of the goddess Ishtar (Ayu, Inanna) holding a pine cone containing pollen which he is shaking on the king. He is also holding a pollen bag. Pollen and bees are another representation of the feminine power as distributers of fertility. That she has been masculinized shows just how far the divine feminine has been suppressed in Mesopotamia after 900 BCE. Relief in British Museum at: http://www.britishmuseum.org/research/collection_online/collection_object_details.aspx?objectId=366005&partId=1&searchText=Ashurnasirpal&page=6

Image showing life deities which are left to right: rain storm god Ba'al, network editing goddess Ayu identified by snakes in her hair, and the life form revealing god Yahu having the additional power of the bear hat. According to the text, this bear hat seems to provide motion power to Yahu. Red letter assignments added by author. (Photo: Rönnlund, Wikimedia Commons, 2012).

Typical bronze statuette of Ba'al holding a spear and shield (missing dating to between 1550 and 1170 BCE). This was found in 1934 at Ras Shamra (Ugarit) on the Phoenician coast. Now at the Louvre, AO 17330 ; RS 6.264. Online at: https://collections.louvre.fr/en/ark:/53355/cl010142083

Etruscan Orcus Tomb Two Image 4: Ayu and Yahu Conversing with Ba’al in the Clouds

(Sept. 10, 2022) The next image clockwise around the room shows three deities in a cloud. They are left to right:

Rain storm god Ba'al holding a spear,
Network editing goddess Ayu identified by snakes in her hair,
Life form revealing god Yahu (Revealer) having the additional power of the bear hat.

Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 19.3)

(read right to left. Capital letters on stone. Inner vowels inferred)

Nu AA
Mu Edu Bu. Igu Ne Pu Ya
Du U Ṣu

In English

The Revealer (Yahu) is motion-empowered
Fertility-fluids are nourished by enlightenment, (But) the Eye (motion source god Su) does not open the Revealer.
Life-powers are because of activity (growth processes)

Interestingly, bear power is associated with the god Yahu here because he is wearing a bear hat. Bears represent the combination of emotion sourced motion powers with life powers. They are mostly pescatarians (fish, nuts, berries, vegetables) yet they very powerful fighters when aroused. In contrast the donkey is the combination of the astrological sourced motion powers and life powers.

Each plant in this scene divides the layers of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm which are represented by their main deities. From left to right are the god Alu, a dejected god Hu representing the malfunctioning network, and god Yahu. The left plant has 6 nymphs representing the 6 known planets of the sky shell between Hu and Alu. These planets are: Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. (Photo: Rönnlund, Wikimedia Commons, 2012).

Etruscan Orcus Tomb Two Image 4: Life God Hu Surrounded by Gods Alu and Yahu

(Sept. 10, 2022) The last image clockwise around the room shows a dejected life network god Hu standing between Alu and Ayu. Previously these deities were misidentified as Vanth, Agamemnon, and Tiresias.

Translation in Akkadian (Text Med 19.4)

(read right to left. Capital letters on stone. Inner vowels inferred)

Nu IGu AZu
Šu INu Qu. YAu LuTu E. Pu YAu Zu. Hu LeZu
... Mu EMu Du ...

In English

The Revealer associates with fate.
Correspondences are making luney the threads. Yahu (YA or IA) is not split-off. Openings for Yahu (YA or IA) have been eliminated. Hu endures.
… magic. The Supervisor (Alu) life-empowers …

Round Minoan tag at Heraklion Museum with Inscription

Round Tag displayed at Heraklion Museum in Crete. (Personal photo of Olmsted)

Round Temple Tag at Heraklion Museum (Minoan Text 1.5) - 1700 BCE

(August 13, 2022) Read left to right. This is not a workshop tag but seems to be a temple tag with a religious phrase.

Translation into Akkadian

Su lu Ḫu wa

Into English

A lacking Su makes miserable Hu

The full moon god Su is the motion source god and his motion powers are needed to push the fertility fluids through the life network represented by the visible sun god Hu. If the fertility fluids are sluggish then life forms do not get manifested making all the life powers miserable.

Find location was not listed

References

Godart, L. and Poursat, J-C (1978) Malia. Le Quartier Mu 1. Introduction générale par J.-Cl. Poursat. Écriture hiéroglyphique crétoise par L. Godart et J.-P. Olivier. Études crétoises, 23, 1978 - 2021 École Française d'Athènes. Online at: https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=23&ce=oatbaqmb7gsvpv7saktgh9sd9dd7b3sr&sp=230

Minoan Linear A Tablet Listing Ritual Supplies for the Life Powers of Hu

Linear A text side 1 of Minoan Malia Tablet HT 7 in the Heraklion Museum in Crete. Olmsted personal photo (2019)

Linear A text reads left to right. Sign assignments by Olmsted. Minoan Malia Tablet HT 7a as it appears on page 14 of Godart, L., and Olivier, J-P (1970). https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=21&issue_number=1&ce=cdgbj3h4otm6j6qpia2490ld6elpsapb&sp=50

Minoan Linear A Malia Tablet HT 7b (Text Page 14 of Godart, L., and Olivier, J-P (1970)

Linear A text reads left to right. Sign assignments by Olmsted. Minoan Malia Tablet HT 7b (Text Page 14 of Godart, L., and Olivier, J-P (1970). https://cefael.efa.gr/detail.php?site_id=1&actionID=page&serie_id=EtCret&volume_number=21&issue_number=1&ce=cdgbj3h4otm6j6qpia2490ld6elpsapb&sp=50

Ritual Supplies for the Life Powers of Hu - Malia Tablet HT 7 (Minoan Text 10)

Front of Tablet

(November 25, 2022) The text reads:

The activity-powers of Su are lacking,
not the elimination-powers. For Hu 3
thread-items. For the nourishers of Hu (Alu) 4.
For nourishing the distant-ones (life source deities) 1 anti-misery-maker.
For magic for doing the same thing with Su-powers 1.

In Akkadian

ṣi su li
ya zi. Ḫu 3
qu ba Ḫu 4
bu nasû 1
tu še si 1

Back of Tablet

The text reads

For life-manifestation-powers (Yahu) working with the nourishing motion-powers 1
For the misery eliminating-powers for working with openings 2

In Akkadian

di si bi 1
wa zi pu 2

Photo of alphabetic inscription from Mine L at Serabit el-Khadim

Photo and drawing of Butin’s inscription 353 (text 3) from Mine L (Butin 1928). It is now at the Cairo Museum were it was deposited by Petrie. Red letter assignments by Olmsted

Wall Relief from Mine L at Serabit el-Khadim Blames Human Emotion Magic for Causing the Great Drought (Sinai Text 3)

(August 6) This text blames human emotion magic for causing chaos in the network. It absolves from blame the astrological motion powers.

In Akkadian

Right Column

etû dâṣu namû
ṣamȗ Ḫu bā’u letû

Middle Column

īnu ešû nâṣu
agȗ u tu

Left Column

e ittu šâmu
atu ludȗ lâšu nu

In English

Right Column - agreement on the problem

The boundary is disrespecting the fertility-fluid-Revealer (Yahu)
Dehydration splits-off Hu's nest (network)

Middle Column - magic motion powers are the cause

The moon-eyed (magic crafters) are confusing the repulsion
The chaos is because of magic

Left Column - life powers are the cause

No omen is forcing-fate
Atu's fields (network) are influencing the Revealer

The right column is blaming the life power's middle layer of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm (boundary) for a drought. The network is not allowing fertility fluids to flow through it. These fertility fluids are needed to trigger the life form manifestations by the Revealer (god Yahu). The drying-out (dehydration) of fertility fluids causes the network (nest) represented by the sun god Hu to split-off from the Revealer.

The middle column blames the magic crafters for making the flow of the fertility fluids chaotic. These fluids are pushed through the channels by repulsion.

The last column absolves the motion powers from the astrological night sky. The drought is not due to fate but due to magic crafters.

Carthage Stone as display at the Carthage National Museum in Byrsa, Tunisia. Photo from م ض via Wikimedia Commons at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mus_Carthage.JPG

Line by Line Explanation

Threads are the channels of the life network through which fertility fluids flow to trigger Yahu to manifest life forms. But, fertility fluids affected by negative human emotions which are not being covered up but are instead being made manifest by the motion source god and full moon god Su. The sun god Hu represents the life network but it is not being properly formed.
Thu is the hermaphrodite motion power deity for the connective layer of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. He is the one who normally filters out negative human emotions but he is being intimidated by the source power of this motion powers which is Su.
Eagle vultures are the familiars which edit the life network by cutting off unwanted links.
Lack of drought depends on a working life network represented by the sun god Hu and the pushing of the fertility fluids through it by spiritual motion (wind) powers represented by the owl familiar.
Humans emotions are causing the misery
The astrological motion powers are in control of human emotions right now.
This line makes a connection between the life powers and motion powers by using the analogy of sex.

Translation of Carthage Stone Text Blames Drought on Negative and Unblocked Emotions (170 BCE)

(September 5, 2022) This text is blaming a drought on negative and unblocked human emotions. Normally the connective hermaphrodite motion power deity, Thu, blocked most of these negative emotions before they could affect the flow of fertility fluids through the life network represented by sun god Hu. In this case Thu is being restrained by the astrological motion source powers represented by the full moon god Su.

Translation in Akkadian

(read right to left. Capital letters on stone. Inner vowels inferred)

Lu Qu ḪaWu Le'u. IA Šu Qu. E ḪaSu. Su IMu Du. Mu Ta'u Ru. E ReTu A. Tu NūNu Bu Ḫu.
Tu Lu Ṭu. MuTa Lu Ṭu U APu Nu. Ba'u I' QaRu. Apu Nu. Ba'u Yabu A Tu MaNu. ḪaNu Su Bu NuNu.
Du RuQu Bu. Nu HuNu AWu. Hu Bu Ru. Nu MaṬu. Nu A Ma'u Ya Hu Mu. IWu Qu Se'u. Bu PaMu IDu RaQu.
Bu Pamu ID RaQu. Bu Nu Be'u. Ya Ḫu Nu A Bu. NaBu PaMu ID Raqu. Lu IṢu ŠuḪu U Aku Nu A.
Ṣu Ḫu RaQu Nu. Ṣu Qu EMu U Ṣu AMu. A Tu Ba'u. MaDu DaRu QaTu Du. IMu EQu Q. WA T A
A Tu Imu Nu. Ṣu U Ḫu RaSu UMu. A NuNu MaWu. BaQu QeNu RaMu U Le'u IṢu Pu. IMu A Ḫu Pu
U'a Nu Tu. EMu Ḫu TaBu. Mu A Tu. INu AZu Qu. E A Pu Mu. E A U ṢȃLu AYu Lu Gi. Ya Le'u IMu NeKu

In English

The lack of threading is the howling of the astrological-powers. Yahu (IA) is being the same as the threading. Nothing is being covered-up. Su manifests the emotions. Fertility-fluids are being pastured by the eagle-vultures. Nothing is being set by them. Anarchic magic is nourishing Hu.
Magic is lacking Thu. The murderer is lacking Thu and veiling the Revealer (Yahu). The nest (network) determines the fate of Yahu (I'). Veiled is the Revealer. The nest's enemy is supported by this magic. Intimidation by Su is nourishing anarchy.
Life-manifesting is being made difficult for the nourishments (fertility-fluids). The Revealer (Yahu) is being intimidated by the motion-powers. Hu is being nourished by the eagle-vultures. The Revealer is scarce. Those revelations are not being pushed by Hu's fertility-fluids. The redirection of threads is being inhibited. Nourishments are being night-dinned into the difficult life-channels.
Nourishments are being night-dinned into the ignored life-channels. Nourishments nest the Revealer. Shouldn’t Hu be revealing those nourishments? The Nourishment-Revealer (Yahu) is nocturnally-chorusing for the difficult life-channels. A lack of scarcity depends on the wind and emotion-owls will be revealing that.
The activity of Hu is being difficult for the Revealer (Yahu). The activity of the threads is being supervised and activated by the Reed-Boat (Ayu). Her magic is nested. The creation of invisible-forms is ending in life-manifestations, (but) emotions are making ineffective the life-threads. Misery is from those magical-powers.
This magic is revealed by emotions. Activity and Hu are being attacked by the storm-powers. This makes anarchic the waters. The swarm (stars) is taking possession of the emotional-releasing and the astrological powers are making-scarce the openings. Those emotions open Hu.
Misery is being revealed by magic. The Supervisor (Ayu) arouses Hu. Fertility-fluids are crafted by magic for that. Moon-eyes are associating with the threads. None of this is opening-up the fertility-fluids. None of this is fighting Ayu’s lack of energy. Do not the astrological-powers emotionally-empower illicit-sex..

Minoan Bull at Heraklion Museum Crete (2500-1600 BCE)

(Olmsted personal photo 2019)

Bulls in Minoan Crete (2500-1600 BCE)

Red bulls were a common figurine found in peak temples but they were not the only ones. All food animals and even body parts were also found indicating these Minoan life class temples had expanded their role from just dealing with community concerns to dealing with personal level problems by getting involved with healing. The red color indicates life powers were being invoked.
(Personal photo from Minoan Heraklion Museum Crete)

Bull found at Ritual Circle, Israel

This bronze bull was found near the western wall of the site. This bull differs from the bull from nearby Hazor which had extensions on the hooves to attach to attach it to something. This bull has well defined genitalia demonstrating potency and power and deep eye sockets which may once have held semi-precious stones. The figurine is 17.5 cm. long and 12.4 cm high. It was produced using the "lost wax" technique with the opening mark for the smelted bronze visible at the top of the neck.
It is now on display in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. Photo from Mazar, A (1982) The Bull Site - An Iron Age 1 Open Cult Place. Bulletin of the American Schools of Oriental Research. No. 247 (Summer, 1982), pp. 27-42. https://doi.org/10.2307/1356477https://www.jstor.org/stable/1356477

Bull head on Lyre from Puabi's Grave PG_800, Royal Cemetery Ur - British Museum

One of two Sumerian Lyres (Olmsted personal photo). These bull figurine on a lyre seen were found at the Royal Cemetery of Ur, Iraq. They date to the Third Dynasty of Ur between 2050 and 2200 BCE. The beard on this bull head shows the beginning of lordification in which deities started to be seen only as humans instead of as powers. The beard is made from the rare lapis lazuli imported from Afghanistan.
The inlay on the right image shows a funeral parade with the divine powers of life and death represented by animals. The top panel has a hyena and a lion (chaos and order on earth) at the front of the parade bringing meat and drink for the deceased. Below that are some mythical creatures playing music. A dragon is playing the lyre. Below that is a singing scorpion man (paralysis power) who is trying to play a musical instrument but can't because of his claws. Beside him is a goat shaking rattles.

Bull head on Lyre from Royal Cemetery Ur - Penn Museum

A different Sumerian lyre with bearded bull head representing the chaotic storm form of Atu. Penn Museum Object B17694. It is online at https://www.penn.museum/sites/iraq/?page_id=58#

Horned Storm God on Gundestrup Cauldron (150 to 1 BCE)

As the horned god moved into the northern forests of Europe it changed from a bull into an elk stag. By the time this cauldron was made deity lordification had occurred in this area so the horned god was shown as a person with antlers. That it is a life god is further supported by it holding a snake and a life ring (torque). This life ring is also seen on images of the life connective goddess Ishtar from Mesopotamia. The horned god is seated perhaps representing the connection between earth and sky.
Based on its silverwork and soldering, this cauldron was most likely made in the Roman Provence of Thrace which is the land on the European side of the Bosporus.
Photo from National Museum of Denmark via Wikimedia Commons at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gundestrupkedlen-_00054_(cropped).jpg

Gundestrup Cauldron (150 to 1 BCE)

The Grundestrup Cauldron is composed of a series of silver plates soldiered together. It was found in a peat bog near Grundestup, Denmark. The plate showing the horned god is an inner plate shown in the rear of this image. In general this cauldron celebrates life and prosperity.
Photo from National Museum of Denmark via Wikimedia Commons at: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gundestrupkarret_F.I.7074b.jpg

Horned Storm God with Wings and Water Buffalo Horns from Mohenjo-daro, India (2600 - 1900 BCE)

In an example of parallel development, lordification advanced much more rapidly in the ancient Indus Valley. Their horned god had horns but horns modeled on a different animal. It also had wings instead of life symbols because wings still represented the connective layer of life deities of the Ancient Pagan Paradigm. Significantly, both representations had the god seated on the ground, perhaps signaling the connection between earth and sky.
Original photo from page 334 in Further Excavations at Mohenjodaro by E.J.H. Mackay (1938).Photo taken from https://www.harappa.com/blog/deity-seal

Horned Storm God in Water Buffalo Killing Scene from Mohenjo-daro, India (2600 - 1900 BCE)

This seems to be an early simple seal as the horned god is shown without wings but in the context of killing the chaotic bull.
Photo at https://www.harappa.com/indus/89.html