Ašvieniai are divine twins in the Lithuanian mythology, identical to Latvian Dieva dēli and the Baltic counterparts of Vedic Ashvins. [1] Both names derive from the same Proto-Indo-European root for the horse – *ék̂wos: Old Lithuanian ašva and Sanskrit ashva mean "horse". [2] Like the Greek Dioscuri Castor and Pollux, they are reflexes of a common Indo-European mytheme, the Divine Twins. [3]
Ašvieniai are represented as pulling a carriage of Saulė (the Sun) through the sky. [1] Ašvieniai, depicted as žirgeliai or little horses, are common motifs on Lithuanian rooftops, [1] [4] placed for protection of the house. [5] Similar motifs can also be found on beehives, harnesses, bed frames, and other household objects. [6] Ašvieniai are related to Lithuanian Ūsinis and Latvian Ūsiņš ( cf. Vedic Ushas), gods of horses. [7] Usins, one of the Ašvieniai, is described as driving a solar chariot pulled across the sky by a pair of white horses. [1]