Ancient Slavic god of water. Slavic god of water and mythology contradictions
Slavic gods of water
IN Slavic mythology Little information has been preserved about water deities. From the epic about Sadko it is known that the god of the seas was called the Miracle of the Sea, the Sea King, the Pallet King, and the Water Man. The name of Danube, the god of rivers and fishing, who was considered the father of all mermaids, often appears in myths. The Slavs gave his name to big river. Among the Slavs, Pereplut served as the god of the sea and navigation, the master of the watermen, and was Dana’s father. Eurynome was the goddess of the lower underwater world and underground springs. Perun, in addition to his main functions, played the role of rain-giver, and his son Sitivrat was the god of rain and fertility. Yara-God was the guardian god of nature, to whom the guardian spirits of reservoirs obeyed. But the most significant deities and mythological creatures associated with the element of water were considered to be Kupala, Niy, mermen and mermaids.
Niy. In Slavic mythology, he was the god of the oceans and seas, the patron of navigation and fishing. The image of this deity and the functions it performs are similar to the role played by Neptune and Poseidon. In the images he is holding right hand a sacred trident, allowing him to control the winds, storms and weather at sea, in the left is a shell used to summon his army - dolphins, whales and killer whales. Niy spent most of his time in the Heavenly Palace in the circle of his many daughters, but sometimes he went down to the underwater palace at the bottom of the ocean. He was considered the patron saint of the Slavic family of Ants - modern Ukrainians and Little Russians.
It is known from the chronicles ancient name Volga - Ra. It is assumed that the Slavs identified the sun with the river, into which it went every day at sunset and rose from it at dawn. According to another theory, it is related to the sacred bull of the Egyptians: “ox” - bull, “ga” - path, road to God, that is, “divine moving ox”. According to another version, this river was a large trade road (“Bolga”). The Eastern Slavs also called it Itil and Mother Volga.
Water. This Slavic water deity lived primarily in rivers, lakes, streams and wells. He personified the negative, negative principle of the element of water and was often associated with the Sea King. In fact, our ancestors considered Vodyany an evil spirit. He was depicted as a naked old man with bulging eyes, a gray beard, a long green mustache, horns on his head, a fish tail, large paws and entangled in mud. Objects and animals sacrificed to the Vodyanoi were black (roosters, goats). The millers, in order to appease him, kept animals on their farms that predominantly had this color. It was believed that the mermen specifically frightened swimmers, then drowned them and carried them to the bottom. They often overtake their victims when they drink water from a well or stream. There are many fairy tales with a similar plot preserved in Russian folklore. Mermen have a unique sense of humor; they love to play pranks, scaring people by pretending to be a fish, a log or a snag. People believed that their prey was those who did not cross the water and themselves, and who bathed in reservoirs after sunset, at midnight or noon. The victims of this deity on the river bottom become slaves and are forced to pointlessly pour water or wash sand. Bruises, wounds and scratches found on the corpses of drowned people, as the Slavs believed, testified to their stay in the powerful paws of the merman. The people believed that he left drowned animals at the bottom of the reservoir for his own meal, and sometimes returned people. Some legends say that mermen were angels cast out of heaven by God and fell into bodies of water.
Mermaid. In Slavic myths, she is a representative of evil forces, and in Russian and foreign literature she is a charming girl with long flowing green hair and a fish tail. Mermaids live in the water, and at midnight they come ashore and lure belated travelers with their wondrous singing. The southern Slavs called them pitchforks, the western Slavs called them undines. The romantic image of mermaids existed in the works of Western European writers and poets, but the people’s attitude towards them was different. For example, in the Volga region they looked completely unromantic - with a big belly, a shaggy mane, a hump and an iron hook with which they attracted passers-by. In Belarus, mermaids (waterwomen, swimmers) turned into dirty and angry old women with a stick. In Pomorie and the Urals, mermaids were called jesters or devils, in Ukraine - rags, and in the southern regions - dead people, Mavkas or Navkas. Consequently, our ancestors emphasized their belonging to evil spirits.
It was believed that unbaptized children and drowned girls who did not have time to get married, as well as missing people, cursed by their parents and unforgiven, turned into mermaids. They were the souls of dead people. There was also a strong belief that a girl born during Mermaid Week becomes a mermaid after death, just like a girl who died at the same time.
According to legends, mermaids spend most of the year in various bodies of water or underground and occasionally appear in a field, forest or near water, combing their long hair or washing clothes. They love to ride on the mill wheel, but when they see a person they hide in the water. Mermaids become active during Rusal Week - from Spiritual Day to Trinity to All Saints' Day. They run through the fields, frolic on the surface of reservoirs, penetrate into people's homes, dance in circles, sing songs, swing on birch and oak trees that bend down to the water. During this week, people could see mermaids in unclean places: at crossroads, bridges and near swamps. At the same time, the Slavs believed that in the fields where mermaids frolicked, the grass became thicker and greener, and the harvest became more abundant, although it was also likely that it could be ruined by heavy rains or hail.
Since mermaids belonged to forces hostile to man, rituals to get rid of them were widespread in Rus': driving (through the village), seeing off (outside the outskirts), symbolic funerals or expulsion.
Bathed. On the night of July 23-24 (old style), almost all of Europe was covered in lights. The spectacle was so impressive that it was impossible to understand where the earth ended and the sky began. The Slavs celebrated on this day the festival of the sun and fire, or the day of Ivan Kupala, and believed that the union of fire and water helps to increase soil fertility.
For most Eastern Slavs, a white flower picked on a festive night was personified with the name of Kupala. They called him kupava. On Midsummer's night, the girls collected white flowers, wove them into a wreath and lowered them into the water, and then closely watched its movement. If he drowned, the girl was not destined to marry her beloved this year. But there were several hundred such wreaths, so there was always hope that good luck and happiness lay ahead.
It is assumed that Kupala was originally a goddess, not a god, which is confirmed by the phonetic structure of the word (the ending “a”) and its semantic meaning (“water” is a feminine word). Subsequently, after the introduction of Christianity, the pagan ritual rite coincided with the celebration of the birth of John the Baptist. Since John the Baptist, having proclaimed the appearance of the Savior and the advent of the Kingdom of God, called on people to repent and perform the ritual of purification by immersion in the water of the Jordan River, the names overlapped each other. Over time, the holiday absorbed pagan and Christian elements: the name from John the Baptist, the act of ritual bathing from Kupala. Until now, people perceive this holiday as a triumph of paganism. Initially, the name of the deity was associated with the element of fire: kupala (bonfire), bathing suit (fire in the field), bathing (fire in the night), kupavka (burning buttercup, which has a bright pink color), vitriol (fern with fiery red flowers).
The pagan ritual of fire worship was performed on the day summer solstice, dividing the year into two parts, which corresponded to the ancient agricultural calendar. This day was the longest of the year - the sun was reaching its peak of activity. People knew that after the day of Ivan Kupala it “turns to winter”, the days shorten and the nights lengthen. They saw off the sun at sunset and greeted it at dawn, and at night they burned bonfires and worshiped water.
The main point of the celebration was the lighting of ritual bonfires. They were laid out mainly on the banks of rivers and other bodies of water, as well as on hills. The honor of lighting the Kupala bonfire belonged to the elders of the community or the most dexterous and strong young people. Fire for it was obtained in the most ancient way - by rubbing wooden planks, which is why it was called living. All preliminary actions indicated that the ritual was involved in the rites of the fire cult.
Some Slavic tribes burned an effigy of the mythological character Mara (Kupala) outside the outskirts on a ritual bonfire, after which they jumped over the bonfire and sang songs. Other peoples placed a tree (spruce, pine) or a pole in the center of the fire, on which they hung everything that came to hand, but there were always wreaths of ears of grain and flowers. Such trees were called “kupalo”. In the Pskov province it was forbidden to make a fire on the ground, so they raised a decorated wheel on a pole or tree and then set it on fire. It symbolized the sun. Sometimes the burning wheel was lowered from hills and other heights. Fire was perceived as a bright and generous sun and warmth, which was supposed to increase the harvest.
Young people gathered around the Kupala fire, sang, danced in circles, set up swings, and assembled a common table. The most important moment of the ritual is jumping over the fire. They did this in pairs and alone. It was believed that by jumping over the fire, a person gains good health and good luck, and the height of the jumps corresponds to the level of productivity. A girl and a boy, having jumped over the fire without opening their hands, could soon become newlyweds and find happiness in marriage. In addition, the Kupala fire was endowed with cleansing properties, so sick old people and children were carried through it, their linen was burned, and livestock was driven away. The ashes from the ritual fire were symbolically scattered in all directions to protect crops from evil forces and increase productivity. The next morning the sun was greeted by the whole world.
Rituals with water were an obligatory component of this holiday. The effigy of Mary was taken to a river or reservoir amid songs and dances and drowned. The central place in the festival was given to washing with water. It was carried out in any form: mass immersion in a body of water, washing, dousing, bathing procedures. All residents without exception took part in this action. Those who refused were considered to be involved in witchcraft. As a rule, they entered the water without clothes. The people believed that bathing in Kupala bestows health. After meeting the sun, women and girls performed a ritual of washing with dew. They collected it with a tablecloth, squeezed it into a vessel, and then used it for washing. Kupala dew made the skin smooth and velvety, and drove away ailments, including eye diseases. Under the morning dew, housewives set out bowls for kneading dough and empty milk jugs so that the bread would rise high and the milk and sour cream would be thicker. The youth amused themselves by “playing water,” pouring it on everyone they met day and night. It is assumed that this custom was a way of causing rain.
Rituals against evil spirits were also performed on Ivan Kupala. Since this night was the shortest of the year, it was at this time that the boundaries between our world and evil forces disappeared, and sorcerers, witches and the undead harmed people, crops, and livestock. Peasants often guarded their fields on the night of Kupala and lit Kupala bonfires. In the villages, an aspen stake was placed in front of the farmyard, crosses were drawn on the gates, the harrow was turned over, and armfuls of stinging nettles were scattered. No one slept on the night of Kupala in order to prevent the harmful actions of evil spirits in time.
On Midsummer's night, the highest flowering of nature was observed: the sun was shining brightly, the water in the reservoirs was warm, fruits were ripening, flowers were blooming. It was believed that plants, absorbing the energy of all the elements, now have powerful healing properties, so throughout Rus', medicinal herbs were collected and bath brooms were prepared on Ivan Kupala. Legends about the amazing properties of this or that plant were passed down from mouth to mouth. The legend of a fern that blooms only once a year was especially popular. The Slavs believed: whoever finds his flower that night will be able to easily discover treasures hidden in the ground. On the day of Ivan Kupala, rituals were performed to increase the yield of grain crops. Girls and boys went around all the houses in the village, singing special songs, which the people considered as a magical means to enhance the fertility of the earth.
Initially, the Kupala games were held in honor of the wedding of the god of the moon and fire, Semargl, and the Bathing Woman (solar wedding). The bathing of the sun in the waters was considered an act of the wedding ceremony, and the Bathing Lady called on Semargl, who guards evil, to love games in the Ra River, which were called Kupala.
The ancient Slavs associated the magnificent blossoming of nature with youth, beauty and love, so on Kupala night young people were especially active. Emotional excitement and excess vitality forced them to commit unthinkable, reckless pranks, which usually people of the older generation turned a blind eye to. It was believed that if a person towards whom one or another playful action was directed showed anger and dispersed young people, then he was in the power of evil spirits and was a sorcerer.
The main archaic feature of the pagan night of Kupala was the removal of all prohibitions on relationships between men and women. Christianity sharply condemned the revelry of carnal feelings that violently manifested itself during this night. However, this action was perceived by the pagans as a ritual aimed at the fertility of the earth and nature in general.
The night of Ivan Kupala is the brightest and most beloved holiday of the Eastern Slavs, the main features of which were preserved among the people until the middle of the 20th century, despite the prohibitions and persecution of believers by the Church and the state.
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List of lords of the water element
Any settlement of ancient people was near a water source: river banks, lakes, springs, springs. Different tribes and settlements worshiped their water god depending on their geolocation.
Which Slavic gods of water are known to the modern world:
Vodan, Vodyanoy, Vodyanik;
Sytivrat (Sitivrat);
Eurynome in ancient times was considered the goddess of underground waters;
Sea lizard.
Dana (Danu);
Kostroma;
Niy (in the west Niptoun);
Perun, the lord of the thunderstorm, was revered as the giver of rain;
Pereplut - God is especially revered by sailors;
Each deity or spirit has its own character and worship occurs in different ways. Let's try to figure out what dates the lords of the water element are celebrated on.
On what dates are the water holidays among the Slavs?
Vodokres – modern traditions as a heritage of the ancient world.
There are many holidays dedicated to water, directly or indirectly. The brightest day dedicated to the healing power of life-giving moisture is celebrated to this day only under a different name. Everyone knows baptism; this holiday came from the Slavic religion and has been preserved to this day.
- M Scarlet Vodokres from January 6 to 7.
- January 19 Big Vodokres- Vodosvet, on this day the water in all sources acquired the most correct structure and by plunging into it one could obtain health and purification. People swam in the ice hole and doused themselves with water, and on this day they also wished each other mental and physical health until the next water light.
- 3
April is the day of honoring the watermanor the water field, it was believed that on this day the water one awakens. people And cajoled the owner of the rivers so that he would look And killed the mermaids and they did no harm. The fishermen also honored the waterman so that the fishing would be successful, there would be enough fish to feed the family and no accidents would happen on the water.
On April 3, ice drifts and rivers flood, carrying moisture to the surrounding areas.
The offerings included pancakes, milk, and eggs, which the Slavs threw directly into the water.
They especially honored the grandfather of the water miller, cajoled him in every possible way and asked him to make the mill wheel spin well. They brought various baked goods and grain as gifts.
- April 16-22 is the time of the first Rusalia.At this time, the girls carried various gifts to the rivers and wondered about the future, about their betrothed.
- From May 26 to 2 Rusal week began in Juneor green mermaids(June 1st Whit Monday). On this date, our great-grandfathers invited the spirits of deceased ancestors to visit. Birch logs were placed in the corners of the home, symbolizing a strong connection within the clan.It was during the second mermaid week that eggs were painted and beaten with them.On the day of the spirits, the mermaids who became drowned were also activated.
All week long, the mermaids brought demands to the river banks: clothes and towels embroidered with their own hands, and they also gave treats. To prevent the spirit from entering the human body, amulets with overpowering grass were used. Celebrations were held, girls danced in circles along the banks of the rivers.
The time of the mermaid week is a time of honoring water. It was believed that the greatest Magic force The water element is observed all week. People used the power of water for healing, love spells, and learned the future through various fortune telling. In the days of the Rusalia, water is a powerful conductor between the worlds (Pravya, Reality and Navy); the girls used this power for their own purposes.
- On June 19-22, Kupalo was celebrated, where, in addition to honoring the sun, there were rituals dedicated to water.On this day the reunion of fire and water was celebrated.
- On October 4, we saw off Vodyany for hibernation (until April 3). Thank you for a successful fishing trip. It was believed that on this day the Merman and the mermaids began to prepare for bed.On this day they thanked the aquatic environment for the harvest. Offerings often included baked duck, honey and pancakes.
June 23 Agrafena Bathing suit. On this holiday, the swimming season opened. People heated the bathhouse and plunged into open reservoirs in order to restore energy and health. Offerings included embroidered shirts (and other Slavic clothing), and silver items with protective symbols were also offered.
August 2 is the day of the thunder god - Perun. As a sacrifice they brought bread, kvass, and wine to the god’s temple or to an oak grove. On this day, the Slavs called for the rain necessary for a good harvest and made amulets for their relatives and loved ones.
In addition to certain dates, offerings to the gods and water spirits were made at will or necessity, for example, by sailors before a long voyage and upon return, by fishermen when going fishing they asked for a blessing and upon return they thanked for a good catch.
We've sorted out the holidays a little, now it's time to get acquainted with the lords of the water element.
Agidel
Agidel is the Slavic goddess of water, bestowing health, strengthening the spirit and enhancing beauty. Holiday Slavic goddess Agidel is combined with Kupalo, it is for her that girls weave wreaths and set them afloat on the water. Young girls turned to the goddess, looking for a betrothed for themselves. The wreath predicted whether to get married in a given year or not. 
They honored Agidel as a life-giving force capable of washing away fatigue, taking away illness, strengthening health, and getting drunk on the road. In the understanding of our ancestors, this is a kind and bright goddess who brings grace and love. Thanks to rain, timely germination of seeds, a good harvest, and therefore prosperity are possible.
Attributes of the water goddess Agidel
Symbolism of the river girl:
a wreath woven from flowers and herbs that the maidens float down the river to Kupalo;
tree - broom;
white swan - bird;
flowers served as an offering, and the water was clean;
amulet Agidel
The ancient Slavs saw the goddess in the water and did not create any special amulets. The goddess has a chur, a beautiful maiden carved from wood, to whom young maidens turned asking for beauty and health. The sign of the patroness of the water element - “heavenly abysses” can be used as a talisman.
The power of the “heavenly abyss” sign:
will save you from various troubles and worries,
will avert failures;
Yes, it will protect thoughts from darkness.
In addition to its protective properties, the symbol of the goddess Agidel will help develop intuition, preserve spiritual purity and attract good luck to the house.
The Legend of Agidel
The granddaughter of the heavenly father Svarog sacrificed herself for the sake of life and prosperity on earth and turned into clean waters.
The legend tells how this happened. Hydra blocked the flow of the world with a black stone, stopped the movement of water, seas and oceans began to shallow, rivers dried up, springs began to bend. Don, the ruler of rivers and lakes, came to the heavenly father Svarog and told him his sadness about what had happened.
The gods turned to him for help and advice on how to cope with the disaster. The great goddess said that only Svarog’s granddaughter is capable of overcoming trouble, this granddaughter turned out to be Agidel, the daughter of Svarozhich.
The gods helped the mistress of the waters in whatever way they could, the goddess Makosh gave a magic amulet to help and said that he would tell him what to do. He gave me a magic bow and arrows. And the Goddess went to fight against the drought.
She came to the cave, saw the asp stone blocking the stream and shot an arrow from the bow Khors had given her, the stone split, turned into dust and life-giving water poured out. At that moment, the goddess heard Mokosha’s voice “run, lead the water with you” and fulfilled her destiny.
Agidel ran out of the cave, and the waters immediately rushed behind her, the goddess understood everything, said goodbye to the gods, turned around and led the life-giving streams after the red sun. The goddess ran for a long time through the forests, mountains, and meadows. Where her foot stepped, a spring formed. Then she soared up, turning into a bird. 
So the goddess sacrificed her life to save others. And people wrote legends and epics to the goddess of water, and so the glory of sacrifice in the name of life has reached us.
Water
The merman was considered an evil spirit of water. According to Slavic legends, the waterman lived in lakes, rivers, wells and personified evil beginning and the danger of water elements. The image also speaks of the negative role of the merman: a naked, gray-haired old man with fish eyes and a tail, a long beard and a green mustache. The merman was often depicted with horns and large paws covered in mud.
The millers kept a black rooster or goat on their farm, in this way they protected their farm from the tricks of the water one.
How dangerous is the merman? They believed that he lured people into a river or well and enslaved them. The bruises and abrasions of the drowned were interpreted as marks from the paws of the merman, obtained at the time of drowning.
Millers in Rus' got along well with watermen, because the miller always settled near the water.
Ancient people believed that a person bathing after sunset, as well as at noon, could become a victim of the evil spirit of water. To appease the deity, black animals were sacrificed.
In Russian folklore, many scenes are described in which the hero falls into the clutches of a water deity and must complete 3 tasks or remain at the bottom as a slave.
There are legends where the origin of the merman is associated with the fall of an angel from heaven when they were expelled by God.
Danube god of rivers and patron of fishermen
Danube, the god of river water, patronized fishermen.
About the Slavic god of rivers - the Danube, it was not possible to find detailed information or any legends on the Internet, all that is there is reference Information. The Danube was considered the patron saint of rivers; the largest river is named after him. Fishermen turned to him, and they brought demands. Offerings included porridge, honey, nuts, and eggs. The God of Rivers did not refuse silver coins or other silver items.
Danube is known as the consort of the Water Goddess Dana, the father of mermaids and the half-brother (or named) for Svyatogor and Svyatibor.
Dana goddess of water and the mistress of spring thunderstorms
Dana was a bright goddess who bestows grace. Through the waters, people received healing of physical and mental ailments.
The name of the Slavic goddess of water is associated with fresh springs. It was believed that the Goddess heals the soul and body through water; her name translates as Water - Mother. People who revered her left dishes at sources of fresh water so that tired travelers could drink the life-giving moisture.In addition to the healing power of Dana water, it has vitality; spilling onto the ground with spring thunderstorms, such water promotes seed germination.
The patroness of life-giving moisture was especially revered on January 6th. The day of the week is Friday. Decorating trees with multi-colored ribbons around a source with healing properties is considered a tribute.
According to some sources, Dana was the wife of Dazhdbog, according to others, the Danube.
Kostroma patroness of lovers
The whole life of Kostroma is connected with water...
Kostroma was considered the embodiment of water, feminine energy and beauty.Kostroma was revered as the goddess of fertility, solar warmth, summer and love. She was born together with her brother Kupala on the day of the summer solstice. Father - Semargl, who is the guardian of the solar disk and the lord of fire. Mother - goddess of the summer night Bathing suit. According to an ancient legend, it was on their birth that Perun gave a fern flower as a powerful amulet endowed with the power of protection from all evil. Later, Perunov's color was presented to people as a symbol of love and protection from the evil eye, damage and slander.
Niy god of the seas and oceans. Patron of shipping
The god of the seas and oceans Niy was especially revered among the peoples of Ukraine; it was believed that he was the patron of the Ant family, the ancestors of the Ukrainians and Little Russians.
The image of Niya is transferred to modern Neptune (Poseidon). He was depicted with a trident and a shell in his hands. With the help of the trident, the Ocean God could cause or pacify a storm, influence the current or change the weather.
The shell was a modern walkie-talkie through which Niy could call upon the dolphins, killer whales and whales that made up his army.
It is believed that Niy did not live directly in the sea; there was a water palace there, which he visited only occasionally. Niy spent most of his time in the heavenly palace.
Perun
He is the lord of thunderstorms and belongs to the water element. However, he was more revered as the patron of warriors and princes.
Pereplut
The god of the Eastern Slavs, Pereplut, relates to the water element and fertility. Mention of him is found in several sources, for example in the Word of St. Gregory. However, detailed information has not been preserved.
Mermaids
Mermaids belonged to the evil spirits of water capable of destroying a person. According to Slavic legends, they had a bewitching singing that men could not resist. With the help of a magic song, they lured the unwary traveler and took away his life energy. Drowned girls, as well as children and girls cursed by their relatives and who had not received forgiveness, became mermaids.
Nowadays you can often find descriptions of mermaids in the form of beautiful maidens with a fish tail. In ancient times, the mermaid belonged to evil spirits and the image was far from beautiful. Most often, mermaids appeared in the form of a wrinkled, unkempt old woman with rotten teeth and ugly hands. More often, instead of hands, hooks are depicted with which mermaids captured travelers.
Mermaid is just one of the names, in different nationalities they were called by their own:
In addition, in various sources, russians are called Loskotukhs. Dead bodies. Mavkami, Navkami.
IN ancient faith mermaids were considered evil spirits, harmful and dangerous.
Citygate god of blessed rain
Cityvrat was born by Perun and belongs to the deity of the water element, namely the rain necessary for a good harvest.
Farmers worshiped Cityvrat. The attributes of the lord of the blessed rain were a squirrel, a bumblebee and a magpie.
Guardian of waters and patron of agriculture - Lizard
The lizard was the son of Kashchei and one of the drowned girls became his wife. According to surviving legends, the lizard belonged to a deity associated with the kingdom of Navi; they feared him and made sacrifices.The exact meaning of this deity has not been preserved; all that is known is that he was worshiped even after the adoption of Christianity.
Conclusion
Water occupied a special place in the life of pagans. Having enormous power, she could heal from illness, give strength in moments of extreme fatigue, and quench thirst. Without water there could be no talk of a good harvest. In dry years, people performed various rituals to call for rain. In each of them there was an appeal to a specific god of water; the Slavs addressed different patrons of this element.
A single written source about the Slavic deities of water has not survived. Information is reconstructed from legends, myths, tales, epics, fairy tales and other sources of folklore that have survived to our times.
There are many patrons of the water element, each has certain functions and differs in character.
IN Ancient Rus', in those days when Christianity had not yet been adopted, the Slavs idolized otherworldly incorporeal creatures. The pagan gods of ancient Rus', according to the ideas of the ancients, are endowed with supernatural abilities to influence all things. They are responsible for all the fundamental principles of human existence, control both the fate of the people themselves and everything that surrounds them.
Each deity performs a specific, utilitarian function. The history of ancient times stores many dozens of names, of which we now know only a part. This part has survived to this day thanks to pagan rituals and rituals passed down from generation to generation, which over time became the basis of the customs of the Slavic family.
At the hierarchical top stands the supreme god, under him are the gods of the environment of existence of all living things, then are the gods of human destinies and the everyday life of people, at the bottom of the pyramid are the elements and forces of darkness.
Table of pagan gods of ancient Rus':
| No. | Deity name | Purpose |
| 1 | GENUS | Supreme god of heaven and earth |
| 2 | HORSE | Sun God |
| 3 | YARILO | God of the spring sun. Son of Veles |
| 4 | DAZHDBOG | God of fertility and sunshine |
| 5 | SVAROG | Master of the Universe. God of the sky |
| 6 | PERUN | God of lightning and thunder |
| 7 | STRIBOG | God of the Wind |
| 8 | VELES | God of fertility (cattle) |
| 9 | LADA | The female embodiment of Rod |
| 10 | CHERNOBOG | Lord of the forces of darkness |
| 11 | MOKOSH | Goddess of the earth, harvest and female destiny |
| 12 | PARASKEVA-FRIDAY | Mistress of revelry |
| 13 | MORAINE | Goddess of evil, disease and death |
Ancient Slavic god Rod
This is the supreme god who rules over all things in the Universe, including all other gods. He heads the pinnacle of the pagan pantheon of gods. He is the creator and ancestor. He is omnipotent and influences the entire cycle of life. It exists everywhere and has no beginning or end. This description fully corresponds to the concept of God of all modern religions.
The genus governs life and death, abundance and poverty. No one has ever seen him, yet he sees everyone. The root of his name is sewn into human speech - into the words with which people interpret (voice) their dominant spiritual and material values in the material world. Birth, relatives, homeland, spring, harvest - Rod is present in all this.
Hierarchy of pagan gods of Rus'
Under the leadership of the Family, all Slavic deities and other spiritual entities are distributed according to levels corresponding to their impact on the everyday affairs of people.
The top level is occupied by deities who manage global and national affairs: wars and ethnic conflicts, weather disasters, fertility and famine, fertility and mortality.
At the middle level there are deities responsible for local affairs. These are the patrons of agriculture, crafts, fishing and hunting, and family concerns. People liken their face to their own.
The stylobate of the base of the pantheon is assigned to spiritual entities whose physical appearance is unlike that of a human. These are kikimoras, ghouls, goblins, brownies, ghouls, mermaids and many others like them.
The Slavic hierarchical pyramid ends here, unlike the ancient Egyptian one, where there also existed afterworld with its own governing deities and laws, or, for example, where the basis is a numerous pantheon of gods.
Slavic gods by importance and power
God of the Slavs Horse and his incarnations
Khors is the son of Rod and the brother of Veles. This is the sun god in Ancient Rus'. Horse's face is like a sunny day - yellow, radiant, dazzlingly bright. He has 4 incarnations:
- Kolyada
- Yarilo
- Dazhdbog
- Svarog.
Each hypostasis operates in a specific season of the year, and people expect help from each divine incarnation, which is associated with the corresponding rituals and ceremonies.
We still follow the traditions of the ancient Slavs: we tell fortunes on Christmastide, fry pancakes on Maslenitsa, burn bonfires on Ivan Kupala and weave wreaths.
1. God of the Slavs Kolyada
Kolyada begins the annual cycle and reigns from the winter solstice to the spring equinox (December 22 – March 21). In December, people greet the young Sun and praise Kolyada with ritual songs; festivities last until January 7. It's Christmastide.
By this time, the owners are slaughtering livestock, opening pickles, and taking supplies to fairs. Throughout Christmas time, people organize gatherings, rich feasts, tell fortunes, have fun, get married and have weddings. In general, doing nothing becomes completely legal. Kolyada treats with its mercy all benefactors who show mercy and generosity to the poor.
2. God of the Slavs Yarilo
He is Yarovit, Ruevit, Yar - the solar god of young age with the face of a barefoot young man on a white horse. Wherever he looks, shoots will sprout; wherever he passes, the grass will sprout. On his head is a crown of ears of grain, in his left hand he holds a bow and arrows, in his right hand are the reins. Its time is from the spring equinox to the summer solstice (March 22 – June 21). People's supplies at home are depleted and there is a lot of work to do. When the sun turned back, the tension in the labors subsided, the time of Dazhdbog had come.
3. God of the Slavs Dazhdbog
He is also Kupala or Kupaila - the solar god with the face of a mature man. Its time is from the summer solstice to autumn equinox(June 22 – September 23). The reunion celebration is postponed on July 6-7 due to work commitments. On this mysterious night, people burn Yarila (or rather, a scarecrow) on a large bonfire and jump over it, girls throw wreaths of woven flowers down the river. Everyone is looking for the blooming fern of desires. There is also a lot of work during this season: mowing, harvesting fruit, repairing the house, preparing the sleigh.
4. God of the Slavs Svarog
The tired Sun sinks lower and lower towards the horizon. In its slanting rays, the tall, strong old man Svarog (aka Svetovid), whitened with gray hair, takes up the baton of power. He looks north, clutching a heavy sword in his hand, with which he slays the forces of darkness. He is the husband of the Earth, the father of Dazhdbog and all other gods of natural phenomena. His time from September 23 to December 21 is a period of satiety, peace and prosperity. People are not sad about anything, they organize fairs and have weddings.
Perun god of thunder and lightning
This is the god of war. In his right hand, Perun holds a rainbow sword, in his left - lightning arrows. The clouds are his hair and beard, the thunder is his speech, the wind is his breath, the raindrops are the fertilizing seed. He is the son of Svarog (Svarozhich), and is also endowed with a formidable disposition. He patronizes brave warriors and gives them luck and strength to everyone who puts in the effort to do hard work.
Stribog god of the wind
He is the god above the gods of the elemental forces of nature (Whistling, Weather and others). Stribog is the lord of the wind, hurricanes and blizzards. He can be touchingly kind and furiously evil. When he angrily blows the horn, the elements arise; when he is kind, the leaves simply rustle, streams gurgle, the wind howls in the crevices of the trees. From these sounds of nature came music and songs, and with them musical instruments. They pray to Stribog for the storm to subside, and hunters ask him for help in pursuing the sensitive and timid animal.
Veles pagan god of wealth
This is the god of agriculture and cattle breeding. Veles is also called the god of wealth (aka Hair, Month). He commands the clouds. When he was young, he tended the heavenly sheep himself. In anger, Veles sends torrential rains to the earth. After reaping, people still leave him one collected sheaf. In his name they swear word of honor and fidelity.
Lada goddess of love and beauty
Goddess Lada is the patroness of the hearth. Her clothes are snow-white clouds, and the morning dew is tears. In the predawn haze she sees off the shadows of the departed other world. Lada is the earthly incarnation of Rod, the high priestess, the mother goddess, surrounded by a retinue of young servants. She is beautiful and smart, brave and dexterous, flexible with a vine, ringing flattering speech flows from her lips. Lada gives people advice on how to live, what they can do and what they can’t do. She condemns the guilty and exonerates those falsely accused. A long time ago, her temple stood on Ladoga, now her abode is the blue sky.
God of the Slavs Chernobog
Many ancient legends have been told about the evil spirits of the swamp, but not all of them have reached us. After all, they are protected by the powerful Chernobog - the ruler dark forces evil and whim, serious illnesses and bitter misfortunes. This is the god of darkness. His abode is terrible forest thickets, ponds covered with duckweed, deep pools and marshy swamps.
He holds a spear in his hand with malice and rules the night. The evil spirits subordinate to him are numerous: goblins who entangle forest paths, mermaids who drag people into pools, cunning banniki, malicious and insidious ghouls, capricious brownies.
God of the Slavs Mokosh
Mokosh (Makesha) is the goddess of trade, like the ancient Roman Mercury. In Old Slavonic, mokosh means “full wallet.” She uses the harvest prudently. Another of its purposes is to control fate. She is interested in spinning and weaving; With spun threads she weaves the destinies of people. Young housewives were afraid to leave an unfinished tow overnight, believing that Mokosha would ruin the yarn, and with it, fate. Northern Slavs consider Mokosha an unkind goddess.
God of the Slavs Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa
Paraskeva-Friday is Mokoshi’s concubine, who made Paraskeva a deity ruling over riotous youth, gambling, drinking bouts with vulgar songs and obscene dances, as well as dishonest trade. Therefore, Friday was a market day in Ancient Rus' for a long time. On this day, women were not allowed to work, because for disobedience Paraskeva could wrap the naughty girl in a cold toad. It poisoned the water in wells and underground springs. Today this goddess has no power and is practically forgotten.
God of the Slavs Morena
The goddess, ruler of evil, incurable diseases and death, is Maruja or Morena. She sends severe winters, stormy nights, epidemics and wars to the Earth. Her image is a scary woman with a dark, wrinkled face with deep-sunk small eyes, a sunken nose, a bony body and the same hands with long curved nails. Ailments serve her. She herself never leaves. They drive her away, but she appears again and again.
During its existence, Slavic paganism went through three stages of development. Each stage had its own deities and mythology changed. Each new stage of development left old traditions and added new ones to them.
Controversy over the pantheon of gods
In Russian history, one of the most controversial topics is the dispute about the Slavic gods. A lot of information has been accumulated about the pantheon of deities, and often some sources contradict others. Gods have many names. Thus, the god of water is called differently in different sources. Why are there so many discrepancies? The fact is that the mythology of the Eastern and Western Slavs was somewhat different. Plus, over time, the ideology of the ancient Russian peoples changed, and the chroniclers wrote down legends, rituals and traditions, each in their own way. Further, the writers each wrote their own history. And so scientists are trying to isolate truthful information from all this folk epic and literary sources. But even here their opinions differ.
The problem is that there are practically no ancient Russian literary monuments in which deities were described. Mostly Scandinavian cultural monuments and Viking chronicles have reached us. Thus, everything that we know about the religion and deities of the ancient Slavs was drawn from later sources of Christian times.
God of water from the epic
The epic about Sadko says that the god of the seas was Vodyanik, or otherwise the Pallet King. He was also called the King of the Sea and the Miracle of the Sea. However, historians believe that this king is not true, there was a god of water among the Slavs named Lizard, so he was reinterpreted in the epic about Sadko.
Also in ancient myths there is Pereplut, who was the patron of sailors and the master of watermen. And another name of the god of water is mentioned - Danube. He was considered the lord of rivers and fisheries, as well as the father of all mermaids, and the largest river was named in his honor. Danube, according to legend, was the son of Pereplut.
In addition to them, the son of Perun, one of the main gods, Sytivrat or Cityvrat, is also mentioned. Among the Western Slavs he was considered the god of rain and crops.
Lizard
God of water and seas, ruler of the Underwater Kingdom among the ancient Slavs. Little information has been preserved about him. It is known that his wife was a drowned girl, and his father was Koschey. The lizard was worshiped in lakes and swamps, and sacrifices were made to it. One of the chronicles says that he ate those who did not bring him gifts and did not worship.
They sacrificed young girls and black chickens to the sea god. Because of this, he was also associated with death and the underworld. Later appeared new rite sacrifices. For three days the horse was fed only bread, then they coated its head with honey, put two millstones on it and drowned it in the river.
The lizard was the guardian and protector of waters. According to some sources, this information is about a million years old. Among the Eastern Slavs, the god of water was transformed into the image of a crocodile and was at the same time considered the patron of agriculture and the eater of cattle.
According to chronicle sources, it can be judged that the cult of the Lizard existed even after the adoption of Christianity. Information about him survived until the 12th century, and many decorations and household utensils of the ancient Slavs with images of the Lizard were found. In this regard, it can be judged that this deity played a large role in their lives.
Slavic goddess of water
The lizard is one of the oldest in the Slavic pantheon. He is the god of sea water. But the goddess of fresh springs, Dana, also existed among the ancient Slavs. She was depicted as a young, fair-faced girl and was a bright goddess who gives life to everything on earth and heals travelers with her water. She was also worshiped and prayers offered. It was believed that water cleanses not only the body, but also the soul. So, according to legend, the gods bequeathed to people. The Slavic prayer to the god of water and other deities related to life-giving moisture has survived to this day. It was read to bless the water. The light-faced goddess was also mentioned in this prayer: “Dana-Voditsa, living spring.” The Dvina and Dnieper rivers were named in honor of the goddess. In addition, she was the embodiment of bodily beauty and was also revered as the goddess of light and the mistress of spring thunderstorms.
Lesser water deities
Everyone has known fairy tales and epics about mermen and mermaids since childhood. These fairy creatures also came out of ancient Slavic mythology. They were lower deities, but, nevertheless, their people respected and worshiped them.
The merman was a spirit of water and lived in rivers and other bodies of water, most of them in dark places and forests. He was portrayed as an old man in mud and a hat made of algae. He rode a catfish and ate crayfish. He took with him into the water those who swam after sunset. When he was angry, he scattered fish and destroyed mills. To appease him, they gave him geese and poured oil on his water. In winter, the merman slept under the ice, in the spring he woke up hungry and angry and broke the ice. The merman was the master of the mermaids and Ischetik, his assistant, who did menial work for him, for example, such as eroding banks and breaking dams.
Mermaids or Beregini were water maidens. Later they began to be considered the souls of drowned women. The mermaids scratched their hair with a magic comb, and water flowed from it, so they could flood even a hitherto dry place. But the river maidens did not go far from reservoirs, since their hair could dry out and then they would die. The mermaids could be tickled to death; the only way to escape from them was through wormwood, if you threw grass in their faces.
Another water deity whose holiday we celebrate to this day is Kupala or Kupala. God of dew, moisture and summer. On the night of the summer solstice, Kupala Day was celebrated in honor of the deity himself, the sun and fire. Hence the tradition of swimming in ponds and jumping over a fire on this day.
Amphibious people are mentioned quite often in Greek mythological legends, which became a huge source of inspiration for the sculptors of the Meissen manufactory in the Baroque era. In addition to the often depicted Roman Neptune or Greek Poseidon, there were a huge number of other diverse sea deities and creatures.
The Greeks claimed that a stream flows around the entire earth, rolling its waters in an eternal whirlpool. They called him gray-haired Ocean- a titan god, equal to Zeus himself in honor and glory. He lived far on the borders of the world. Oceanus and his Titanide wife Tethys had about three thousand oceanid nymphs. Nymphs of the water element also include naiads who are in charge of streams and springs, and limnades, living in stagnant lakes and swamps.
All the mythological inhabitants of the water element are dominated by the great and powerful brother of Zeus Poseidon (Neptune).
Neptune
NEREUS
One of the most famous mythological characters of the water element was Nereus- “old man of the sea” with a human body and a fish tail, who lived in the Aegean Sea. He had a countless number of daughters, who later became known as Nereids. They were part of the procession of Poseidon and Amphitrite.
Hesiod wrote in Theogony:
“And from the Sea was born Nereus, the eldest of his sons, whose lips are truthful and not defiled by lies. And people nicknamed him the Old Man of the Sea, for he is true to his word, kind and fair, and his thoughts are pure."
PROTEUS
Another "old man of the sea" with a human body and a fish tail was Proteus, who lived on the island of Pharos near Alexandria (where the famous Alexandria Lighthouse was located), where he grazed herds of fish and seals that belonged to Amphitrite, the wife of Poseidon.
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Proteus
Both Nereus and Proteus could, like the sea, change their appearance, turning into various animals and monsters, and also knew how to predict the future. True, Proteus was reluctant to do this. To do this, he had to be caught and curbed. In addition, Proteus decided to predict the fate only of those who caught him in his true form. Some heroes managed to force Proteus to make a prophecy; in particular, Proteus explained to the Spartan king Menelaus what needed to be done to return from Egypt to Sparta.
TRITON
Poseidon's son's name was Triton. He combines in his appearance the features of a man, a horse and a fish. Instead of legs, he has either one fish tail or 2 dolphin tails.
Hesiod called him "the lord of the deep sea."
Tritons, sons of Triton and nymphs, had different appearances - men with a fish or dolphin tail or ichthyocentaurs - creatures with human arms, the front legs and chest of a horse and a fish tail. They, along with dolphins, accompanied Poseidon and Amphitrite.
Triton and his sons are always depicted in art holding a snail-shaped shell in their hands. With the help of the sound emitted from it, the Tritons caused formidable storms or calmed the raging elements of the sea.
Images of Tritons
GLAVK
Nautical Glaucus or Pontic Glaucus (from the ancient Greek Glaukos), was a sea deity-soothsayer and patron of sailors and fishermen. This is another amphibious man found in ancient Greek mythology.
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Bernard Piccard "Glaukos" 1731
According to legend, from birth Glaucus was an ordinary mortal fisherman. One day he ate some mysterious grass that the horses of Helios eat, and turned into a deity with the tail of a sea fish, acquiring immortality.
Glaucus taught the ancient Greek sun god Apollo to predict the future.
Glaucus appeared to the Argonauts through the prayer of Orpheus and accompanied their ship for several days, predicting the future for them. He informed the Argonauts that they should not look for Hercules. In addition, Glaucus prophesied to Menelaus, who was returning after the capture of Troy.
Glaucus is accompanied by the Nereids - the daughters of Nereus, with whom he shows the sailors the way. Glaucus could predict changes in the weather and the movement of schools of fish into the sea.
Glaucus and Scylla
Glaucus was in love with Scylla. But she felt disgusted with him when she saw him swimming in the sea. Then Glaucus came to the sorceress Circe, the daughter of the Sun, who could, with her spells and magical herbs, force men and women to yield to her will. Glaucus told her about his unrequited love for Scylla and asked for help. But Circe herself fell in love with Glaucus. His heart belonged to someone else, so he refused Circe. Angry, she cursed the place where Scylla was bathing. Scylla's hair turned into dogs, and she herself became a sea cliff. This place was the most dangerous place for seafarers.
Female images of sea creatures
Among female mythological sea images they call Tritonide- daughters of Poseidon and Amphitrite. They have a female upper body and a fish tail. They should not be confused with Sirens, which in addition to the tail had bird wings and sharp bird claws on their feet. Sirens had incredibly beautiful voices. With the help of their sweet songs they lured sailors and drowned them in the sea.
16th century engravings depicting the Sirens
HIPPOCAMPUS
Sea deities in Ancient Greece and Rome were often depicted on chariots drawn by hippocampi. This was the name given to silver-blue sea horses with fish-like tails and webbed feet instead of hooves. In particular, the hippocampi were harnessed to the chariot of the Greek god of the seas, Poseidon. Nereids also rode them. The hippocampus is considered the king of fish.
Hippocampus
A huge number of works at the Meissen manufactory in the Baroque style have images of sea deities and various sea mythological creatures. Themes related to the water element and various elements in general were very common in the art of the 17th-18th centuries.
Engravings Giovanni Andrea Maglioli 1580-1610
In the creation of porcelain compositions on mythological themes, there is a huge influence of Italian monumental and park French sculpture, first of all, as well as the influence of French painting and architecture, the art of ivory carving and jewelry practice, where antiquity and mythological characters became the main way of expressing various concepts, ideas and plans.
Figures of Sea Creatures from the Swan Service of the Meissen Manufactory
So, for example, among the numerous central decorative compositions included in the famous one, we can find a huge figure of the beautiful Marine Glaucus and the Nereids. They can be purchased from us in the Salon in Karlovy Vary or on the pages of our online store.