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Latvian ethnographer Pēteris Šmits noted that the Mahtes seem to be a phenomenon exclusive to Latvian mythology, with no equivalent either in its Baltic neighbours (Prussian and Lithuanian), nor in other Indo-European mythologies.

Historical linguist specialized in the Baltic languages Jenny Larsson, Finno-Ugric myhologies, this is an innovation brought on by cultural contact with the neighbouring Baltic Finns, where this mother cult seems to have much deeper roots. We find them in several of the different Finno-Ugric myhologies.

Literary scholar Nina Yurchenkova

Die lettische Religion mit ihrer großen Zahl einzelner Naturmütter steht solitär da, lediglich die benachbarten Esten kennen eine ähnliche Form des Mütterkultes.