Arimaspi - Arimaspi

…Pliny the Elder considered them to be a real race, and in Book 7 of the Natural History, he states that they practiced human sacrifice. The same book also lists a race called the Arimaspi, who are described as a one-eyed people who steal and dig for gold underground that is guarded by griffins. The first of these, which are associated with blacksmithing, cannibalism, human sacrifice, and underground wealth, may also be a legend of people who were originally one-eyed, such as disabled people who were consecrated to serve the gods, or priestesses who blinded their eyes as a condition for entering the underworld. …

*Some of the terminology explanations that mention "Arimasupi" are listed below.

Source | Heibonsha World Encyclopedia 2nd Edition | Information

…大プリニウスは彼らを実在の種族とみなし，人身御供を習慣としたことを《博物誌》7巻に述べている。また同書にはアリマスピArimaspiなる種族が挙げられ，グリフォンの守る地中の黄金を盗み掘る単眼族と説明されている。このように鍛冶，人食い，人身御供，地下の富などと関係づけられた一つ目は，神に仕える者として聖別された不具者や，冥界に通じる条件として目をつぶした巫女など，本来は片目であった人々の伝説化とも考えられる。…

※「アリマスピ」について言及している用語解説の一部を掲載しています。

出典｜株式会社平凡社世界大百科事典 第２版について | 情報