Dumézil (1898-1986), classified societies and myths based on three principles to explain ancient cultures and drew analogies about the belief systems and social structures of Indo-European societies. He also claimed that societies were organized around three main functional principles: noble class, farmers and artisans, and the warriors. According to Dumézil, the relationship between these three classes can be seen in mythological stories and rituals. Dumézil's trinity theory attempts to define the Indo-European cultural tradition based on socio-political categories. Experts have argued in parallel that the theory tends to generalize and that not all societies conform to these three class structures. It should also be discussed whether the universal patterns proposed by the theory are applicable to every cultural area within the Indo-European domain. In this article, the function of myths in the analysis of social structure has been evaluated through the lens of certain followers of the theory.
Comparative mythology, history of religion, Indo-European, Dumézil, trinity theory.