Willamena: I would answer only for the waters. Aryans considered it the life-force (apah). It was also the sun, because coming of the sun enlivened all things on earth. Aryan homeland was in the remote Arctic region, where the sun did not rise for nearly three months, the sun shown only for the long day of some seven months (One month each was for dawn and dusk - the 30 mornings, Ushas). The Aryans knew only seven suns as sons of Aditi (God mother), the eighth, Martanda (Mrt +Anda - Dead +Egg) was born undeveloped.
Coming of sun and release of life-giving waters was important to them. That is why they conducted 'Soma' sacrifices to strengthen Indra (Herakles in the Greek story) and his steed, who was to rescue the sun (or the cows - rays of the sun) from the dungeons where the dasas (Vritra, Namuchi, etc. - Titans in the Greek story) had imprisoned him, with the help of Sarama, a bich (Cerebrus, a dog in the Greek story). Coming of the sun released the life-giving waters (apah) which were supposed to come out in form of two rivers, one flowing east (Veh), and the other flowing west (Arag), from a spring 'Ardvi Sura Anahita' (in case of Zoroastrians) which is said to be on the lofty Hugar mountain (Hukeria), a portion of Alburz (the tower).