Chinese Legends about the Construction Sacrifice in the 8<sup>th</sup> — 9<sup>th</sup> Centuries and Worship of the Smithing Goddesses

Legends of women who threw themselves into a smelting furnace and became patron goddesses blacksmiths founders (so-called tou lu shen) have existed in China since the 8 th century. Cults for such been common many regions more than thousand years, but their origins remain unknown. Two Tang stories about construction city walls Balkh Fenzhou, respectively, must be considered as parallels to first surviving record legend goddess furnace. Identifying motifs that make up these turn allows us establish affinity with group Indian Eastern European tales walled-up wives.