Features of Slavic mythology briefly. Myths of the ancient Slavs

Unlike Greek mythology, which already from the 7th century BC became the object of literary processing and creative enrichment by priests, poets, writers and special mythographers, Slavic mythology, as the "life of the gods", remained undescribed.

What we know about Slavic mythology is mainly richest world lower spirits and magic that surrounded the Slav. This world of spirits and magic underlay the worldview of the Slavs from ancient times to the end of the Vedic period (the end of the Vedic period was marked by the Christianization of Rus'). Russian medieval writers - chroniclers and church preachers - followed the traditions of the ancient Christian church fathers, who scourged and ridiculed Vedicism, but did not describe it as it was around and in reality. The ancient Russian authors did the same. They addressed the audience, which was full of Vedic thoughts, actions, constant witchcraft spells, which avoided church services and willingly participated in colorful festivities and popular Vedic games. Therefore, they did not so much describe as condemn.

In XV - XVII centuries Slavic historians have already overcome the neglect of their predecessors to the mythological ideas of their ancestors and began to collect written and ethnographic data about the ancient Vedic gods and the details of the cult of the Slavic peoples.

Unfortunately, in these Renaissance writings by various authors, whether it be the Pole Jan Dlugosh or the Russian author of the Gustyn Chronicle, main idea there was a comparison with such an international standard as Greco-Roman mythology. In essence, from the total amount of Slavic and foreign sources, we can reliably draw only a list of the names of Slavic gods and goddesses. Russian chronicles call the gods, whose cult was established by Prince Vladimir in 980, - these are Perun, Stribog, Dazhbog, Khors, Semargl and the goddess Makosh. In addition, Veles, Svarog, Rod and women in labor are mentioned. Ethnography already in the 17th century added several mythological characters such as Lada and Lelya.

Catholic missionaries in the West Slavic lands call the gods Svyatovit, Svarozhich, Yarovit, Virgo, Zhiva, Radogost and other gods. Since the actual Slavic texts and images of gods and spirits have not been preserved due to the fact that Christianization interrupted the Vedic tradition, the main source of information is medieval chronicles, teachings against Vedicism, chronicles, archaeological excavations, folklore and ethnographic collections. Information about the gods Western Slavs very scarce, for example, "History of Poland" by Jan Dlugosh (1415 - 1480), which gives a list of deities and their correspondences from Greek and Roman mythology: Perun - Zeus, Nyya - Pluto, Dzevana - Venus, Marzhana - Ceres, Share - Fortune, etc.

The Czech and Slovak data on the gods are considered by many scholars to be in need of critical scrutiny. Little is known about the mythology of the southern Slavs. Early falling into the sphere of influence of Byzantium and other powerful civilizations of the Mediterranean, having adopted Christianity before other Slavs, they largely lost information about the former composition of their pantheon. The most fully preserved mythology Eastern Slavs. Early information we find about it in the "Tale of Bygone Years" (XII century), which reports that Prince Vladimir the Holy (? - 1015) sought to create a national Vedic pantheon. However, his adoption of Christianity in 988 led to the destruction of the idols of the so-called Vladimir pantheon (they were solemnly thrown into the Dnieper), as well as the prohibition of Vedicism and its rites. The old gods began to be identified with Christian saints: Perun turned into Saint Ilya, Veles - into Saint Blaise, Yaril - into Saint George. However, the mythological representations of our ancestors continue to live in folk traditions, holidays, beliefs and rituals, as well as in songs, fairy tales, incantations and signs. ancient mythological characters like goblin, mermaids, mermen, brownies and devils were vividly imprinted in speech, proverbs and sayings.

Developing, Slavic mythology went through three stages - spirits, deities of nature and gods-idols (idols). The Slavs revered the gods of life and death (Zhiva and Moran), fertility and the vegetable kingdom, heavenly bodies and fire, sky and war; not only the sun or water were personified, but also numerous house spirits, etc. - worship and admiration was expressed in the offering of bloodless sacrifices.

In the 19th century, Russian scientists began to study Russian myths, tales and legends, realizing their scientific value and the importance of preserving them for future generations. The key to a new understanding of Slavic mythology were the works of F. I. Buslaev, A. A. Potebnya, I. P. Sakharov, such works as the three-volume study by A. N. Afanasyev "Poetic views of the Slavs on nature", "Myths of Slavic paganism" and "A Brief Essay on Russian Mythology" by D. O. Shepping, "Deities of the Ancient Slavs" by A. S. Famintsyn and others.

The mythological school was the first to arise, which was based on the comparative historical method of study, the establishment of an organic connection of language, folk poetry And folk mythology, the principle of the collective nature of creativity. Fyodor Ivanovich Buslaev (1818-1897) is considered to be the founder of this school.
"IN ancient period language, - says Buslaev, - the word as an expression of legends and rituals, events and objects was understood in the closest connection with what it expresses: "a belief or an event was imprinted by the name, and a legend or a myth arose from the name." A special "epic ritual" in the repetition of ordinary expressions led to the fact that what was said once about any subject seemed so successful that it no longer needed further modification. Language thus became a "faithful instrument of tradition."

A method originally associated with comparing languages, establishing general forms words and their construction to the language of the Indo-European peoples, for the first time in the Russian spider was Buslaev transferred to folklore and used to study the mythological traditions of the Slavs.

"Poetic inspiration belonged to everyone, like a proverb, like a legal saying. The poet was whole nation. Individuals, however, were not poets, but singers or storytellers, they only knew how to tell or sing more accurately and more skillfully what everyone knew. The power of tradition reigned supreme over the epic singer, not allowing him to stand out from the team. Not knowing the laws of nature, neither physical nor moral, epic poetry presented both in an indivisible totality, expressed in numerous similes and metaphors. The heroic epic is only a further development of the primitive mythological legend. Theogonic epic is replaced by heroic at that stage of development epic poetry when legends about the affairs of people began to join the pure myth. At this time, the epic epic grows out of the myth, from which the fairy tale subsequently stood out. The people preserve their epic traditions not only in epics and fairy tales, but also in individual sayings, brief spells, proverbs, sayings, oaths, riddles, signs and superstitions.

These are the main provisions of Buslaev's mythological theory, which in the 60-70s of the 19th century gradually develops into a school of comparative mythology and the theory of borrowing.

The theory of comparative mythology was developed by Alexander Nikolaevich Afanasiev (1826-1871), Orest Fedorovich Miller (1833-1889) and Alexander Alexandrovich Kotlyarevsky (1837-1881). The focus of their attention was the problem of the origin of the myth in the very process of its creation. Most of the myths, according to this theory, go back to the ancient tribe of the Aryans. Standing out from this common great-tribe, the peoples spread its legends all over the world, therefore the legends of the "Pigeon Book" almost completely coincide with the songs of the Old Norse "Elder Edda" and the ancient myths of the Hindus.

The comparative method, according to Afanasiev, "provides the means to restore the original form of legends." Special meaning to understand Slavic mythology, they have epics (this term was introduced by I.P. Sakharov; before that, epic songs were called oldies). Russians heroic epics can be put on a par with heroic myths in other mythological systems, with the difference that epics are largely historical, telling about the events of the 11th-16th centuries. Heroes of epics - Ilya Muromets, Volga, Mikula Selyaninovich, Vasily Buslaev and others are perceived not only as individuals related to a certain historical era, but, above all, as defenders, ancestors, namely epic heroes. Hence their unity with nature and Magic power, their invincibility (there are practically no epics about the death of heroes or about the battles they played). Initially existing in the oral version, as the work of singer-storytellers, epics, of course, have undergone considerable changes. There is reason to believe that they once existed in a more mythologized form.

Slavic mythology is characteristic in that it is comprehensive and does not represent a separate area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe people's idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe world and the universe (like fantasy or religion), but is embodied even in everyday life - whether it be rites, rituals, cults or an agricultural calendar, preserved demonology (from brownies, witches and goblin to banniks and mermaids) or a forgotten identification (for example, the Vedic Perun with the Christian saint Ilya). Therefore, almost destroyed at the level of texts until the 11th century, it continues to live in images, symbolism, rituals and in the language itself.

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The foundations and therefore, along with many peculiar features, also have many similarities with the primitive religion of the Germans, Greeks, Lithuanians and Persians. The people are relatively young, early and quickly adopted Christianity, the Slavs did not have time to develop a completely finished mythological system. On the other hand, their mythological views were not fixed in such integral works as the poems of Homer and Hesiod or the "Edda" of the Scandinavians, but were preserved only in songs, fairy tales, riddles and other works of folk art that do not stand in a complementary relationship in terms of content, on which in addition often lies the obscuring and distorting stamp of later beliefs. The legends of the Slavs about the creation of the world and man, views on the meaning of their deities and the names of the latter means that they differ among different tribes. Coordinating and complementing these options, one can generally establish the following scheme of Slavic cosmogony and mythology.

Gamayun, a prophetic bird. Painting by V. Vasnetsov on the theme of Slavic myths. 1897

Gods of Slavic mythology

They are based on dualism, that is, the recognition by the Slavs of a good beginning in the person of Belbog and a subordinate to him, but still a harmful element - in the person of Chernobog. By the combined creative forces of both gods, the world arose from the boundless airspace or celestial ocean, in the midst of which there was a bright iriy(paradise) or Buyan Island, blessed home of the gods. Then a man was created by Belbog from clay, and Chernobog did not fail to make his unclean contribution to the nature of the new creation. Envying the power of Belbog, Chernobog tried to fight him, but was defeated and transferred his hatred to the first person (androgyne), who possessed titanic powers and lived in harmony with Belbog. In the absence of Belbog, he intoxicated a man “at the table of God” with the wine he invented and by this brought on him the wrath of Belbog, which had the result of the physical and moral grinding of the human race.

Shunning the evil inevitable in the world, Belbog (otherwise called Prabog or simply god, Belun, Svarog, Rod, Triglav, Diy) did not rule the world himself. With his wife Diva, the goddess of the earth, he reigned beyond the clouds, leaving the rule of the world and the possible struggle against evil to the four lower world rulers. Between them, the first place in Slavic mythology was occupied by Perun, the heavenly ruler, a powerful and angry black-haired god with a fiery mustache and beard, protecting and protecting people and waging a continuous fight with Chernobog with the help of a thunder hammer, a bow - a rainbow and arrows - lightning. The wife of Perun, Simargla, Zhiva or Siva, was the goddess of lightning, summer thunderstorms and fertility. He ruled over the water and air elements, according to the myths of the Slavs, Stribog, the father of the winds and the god of the sea, along with whom, among the people, the elemental sea deity stood in memory - the Waterman, an ugly and angry giant, with his frantic dance raising a disastrous storm on the sea.

Baba Yaga. Character of Slavic mythology. Painting by V. Vasnetsov, 1917

This was followed by the king of fire: Zhizhal Belarusians Svarozhich or Radagast Pomeranian, god of hospitality and keeper hearth, and the ruler of the underworld, Niy of the Poles, Sitivrat or Karachun of other Slavs, a gloomy winter deity, the husband of the goddess of death and the deadly winter cold, Morana. Below the named world lords stood in the Slavic myths the offspring of Perun: his son, the god of the sun Khors, Dazhdbog or Lado, the most revered deity of the Slavs, the husband of the sea princess Lada or Kupala, the goddess of spring, rain and fertility, and his brother Veles or Volos, the god of the month, the inspirer of singers, the "Veles grandchildren", and the patron of herds and wild animals. The host of the highest gods was closed by the sons of Horsa, Lel and Polel, the gods of lawful love and marriage; Chur, guardian of borders, patron of trade and all profits, and Yarilo, a priapic deity of sensual love and fertility.

Spirits and mythical creatures among the Slavs

In addition to these deities of a higher order, Slavic mythology knew many earthly, elemental spirits. All nature was represented in it as inhabited by supernatural beings. The forest was dominated by angry and quick-tempered, but honest and did not do unreasonable evil. goblin. In the waters lived water grandfathers and beautiful, but crafty seductresses - mermaids. Spirits lived in the mountains pitchfork, sometimes insidious and vicious, but who loved heroic prowess and patronized brave warriors. Women in labor, goddesses of fate, who predicted their fate to newborns, were hiding in a mountain cave, etc.

Mermaids emerge from the water before Trinity. Painting by K. Makovsky, 1879

Temples and priests among the Slavs

The Slavs shared the beliefs of other Aryan tribes in the immortality of the soul, the afterlife retribution for good and evil deeds, and the end of the world, but the legends about this merged so early and closely with Christian ideas that it is very difficult to isolate purely pagan elements from this amalgam. greatest development Slavic mythology reached the Pomeranian Slavs, who, according to the medieval German annalists, had luxurious temples, precious idols and a more powerful priestly estate. Regarding the cult, other Slavs did not retain specific indications, but the widespread existence of temples and priests cannot be doubted and is directly attested for the main cities of Rus' in the times preceding the adoption of Christianity.

Zbruch idol. Monument of Slavic paganism, dating from about the 10th century

Literature about Slavic mythology

F. Buslaev, "Essays on Folk Poetry and Art"

Afanasiev,"Poetic views of the Slavs on nature"

Averikiev, "Mythical antiquity" ("Dawn", 1870.)

Batyr, monograph about Perun

"Belarusian songs" Bessonova

Kvashnin-Samarin, "Essays on Slavic mythology"

3. Slavic mythology, its features.

1. The essence of Slavic mythology

Slavic mythology is a set of mythological ideas of the ancient Slavs (Proto-Slavs) of the time of their unity (until the end of the first millennium AD). Slavic mythology and religion were formed over a long period in the process of separating the ancient Slavs from the Indo-European community of peoples in II-I millennium BC and in interaction with mythology and religion neighboring nations. Actually Slavic mythological texts have not been preserved: the religious and mythological integrity of "paganism" was destroyed during the Christianization of the Slavs. It is only possible to reconstruct the main elements of Slavic mythology on the basis of secondary written, folklore and material sources.

Actually Slavic mythological texts have not been preserved: the religious and mythological integrity of "paganism" was destroyed during the Christianization of the Slavs. It is only possible to reconstruct the main elements of Slavic mythology on the basis of secondary written, folklore and material sources. Before the adoption of Christianity, almost all East Slavic mythology was within the framework of a phenomenon called "Old Russian paganism, so we can draw information about it from ancient Russian written sources." However, it should be noted that, firstly, the religion of the ruling elite and the common people always differ significantly, and, secondly, the sources, as a rule, consider characters of the upper level, pagan deities, and the characters of lower mythology usually remain on the sidelines. .

Scientists reconstruct Slavic mythology according to various sources. First, there are written sources. Texts by Byzantine authors of the 6th-10th centuries: Procopius of Caesarea, Theophylact Simokatta, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Leo the Deacon and others. Western European authors of the 9th-13th centuries: Bavarian Geographer, Titmar of Merseburg, Helmold. A special place is occupied by the Tale of Igor's Campaign, which reflects a significant layer of pagan myths mentioned by the heir and bearer of pagan culture - an anonymous songwriter. All these texts do not contain any coherent expositions of mythology or individual myths.

Secondly, written sources of the XV-XVII centuries and folklore sources of the XVIII-XX centuries, which are less close to paganism, but contain a number of information from earlier sources that have not come down to us, as well as detailed records of legends, fairy tales, epics, conspiracies, bylichki and anecdotes, proverbs and sayings, according to which it is possible to reconstruct ancient myths. Among folklore stories, epics about Svyatogor, Potyk, Volga (Volkh), Mikul are usually attributed to paganism; fairy tales about Kashchei the Immortal, the Serpent Gorynych, Baba Yaga, Alyonushka and Ivanushka.

Archaeological sources are more reliable, but less informative: data from excavations of places of worship, finds of idols, ritual objects, jewelry, pagan symbols, inscriptions mentioning pagan gods or pagans, remnants of sacrifices and ritual actions. No less important are the data of linguistics, comparative religion and the study of mythological subjects from other peoples.

Slavic mythology and religion were formed over a long period in the process of separating the ancient Slavs from the Indo-European community of peoples in the II-I millennium BC and in interaction with the mythology and religion of neighboring peoples. Therefore, naturally, in Slavic mythology there is a significant Indo-European layer. For example, these are the images of the god of thunder and the fighting squad (Perun), the god of the other world (Veles), elements of the images of the twin deity (Yarilo and Yarilikha) and the deity of Heaven-Father (Stribog). Also Indo-European in essence are such images as Mother-Cheese-Earth (Mokosh), the solar deity (Dazhbog), and some others. In the first millennium BC. e. and in the first half of the 1st millennium, the religion of the Slavs was significantly influenced by the Celts and the steppe Iranian-speaking population (Scythians, Sarmatians and Alans). Some researchers suggest Celtic-Slavic parallels between the deities Dagda and Dazhbog, as well as Macha and Makosh. The Eastern Slavs had deities of presumably Iranian origin in their pantheon - Khors, Semargl, etc.

The beliefs of the Slavs and the Balts were very close. This applies to the names of such deities as Perun (Perkunas) and, possibly, Veles (Velnyas). There is a similarity between the mythologies of the Slavs and the Thracians. There is also a lot in common with German-Scandinavian mythology: the motif of the world tree, the cult of dragons, and so on. In the same period, with the division of the Proto-Slavic community, the tribal beliefs of the Slavs began to form, which had significant regional differences. In particular, the mythology of the Western Slavs was significantly different from all others.

2. The universe of the ancient Slavs

A lot of data about the universe of the ancient Slavs can be given by the so-called "Zbruch idol", which because of this is sometimes even called the "encyclopedia of Slavic paganism." This tetrahedral stone statue is oriented to the cardinal points. Each side is divided into three levels - apparently, heavenly, earthly and underground. At the heavenly level, "deities are depicted, on the earthly level - people (two men and two women, like deities), and in the underground - some kind of chthonic creature holding the earth on itself" .

In a universal way, synthesizing all the relationships described above, the Slavs (and many other peoples) have the world tree. This function in Slavic folklore texts is usually played by Vyriy, the tree of paradise, birch, sycamore, oak, pine, mountain ash, apple tree. Different animals are confined to the three main parts of the world tree: birds (falcon, nightingale, birds of a mythological nature, Divas, etc.), as well as the sun and moon, are confined to the branches and top; to the trunk - bees, to the roots - chthonic animals (snakes, beavers, etc.). With the help of the world tree, the triple vertical structure of the world is modeled - three kingdoms: heaven, earth and the underworld, a quaternary horizontal structure (north, west, south, east, cf. the corresponding four winds), life and death (green, flowering tree and dry tree, tree in calendar rituals), etc.

Fragmentary information about the attitude of the ancient Slavs can be obtained from ancient Russian literature. In particular, the Teachings of Vladimir Monomakh speaks of Irey, a distant southern country where birds fly away for the winter. With the help of ethnographic materials, we can find out that Irey was later identified with paradise in the people's memory. It also says: “On the Sea-Ocean, on the island of Buyan, there is an oak Karkolist, on that oak sits a falcon, under that oak a snake ...” Thus, the Slavs imagined the Universe: in the center of the World Ocean there is an island (Buyan), on which, in the Center of the World, there is a stone (Alatyr) or the World Tree grows (usually oak). On this tree, as can be seen from the plot, a bird sits, and under the tree there is a snake. Such a picture is very similar to the German-Scandinavian one and to that presented in The Tale of Igor's Campaign.

The earliest information about the deities of ancient Russian paganism can be given to us by the materials of the treaties between Rus' and the Byzantines concluded after the campaigns in 945 and 971. The conclusion of these treaties is described in the ancient Russian chronicles, and there we are primarily interested in the oaths that the Russians took. The joint mention of Perun and Volos in this oath gave rise to numerous speculations - some compare Perun with weapons and war, and Volos with gold and trade, someone associates Perun with the ruling elite (or Varangians-Rus), and Volos with simple people (Slavs and even Finns), others generally oppose Volos to Perun. Otherwise, the data of this oath do not give anything new, with the exception of the passage about gold, which has already been discussed above, in the section “The Universe of the Ancient Slavs”.

3. Cults of deities

3.1. Hierarchy of characters in Slavic mythology

According to the functions of mythological characters, according to the nature of their ties with the collective, according to the degree of individualized incarnation, according to the peculiarities of their temporal characteristics and according to the degree of their relevance for a person within Slavic mythology, several levels can be distinguished.

The highest level is characterized by "the most generalized type of functions of the gods (ritual-legal, military, economic-natural), their connection with the official cult (up to the early state pantheons)" . Two Proto-Slavic deities belonged to the highest level of Slavic mythology, whose names are authentically reconstructed as *Rerun (Perun) and * Veles (Veles), as well as associated with them female character, whose Proto-Slavic name remains unclear. These deities embody military and economic-natural functions. They are interconnected as participants in a thunderstorm myth: the god of thunderstorm Perun, who lives in the sky, on top of a mountain, pursues his serpentine enemy, who lives below, on earth. The reason for their strife is the abduction by Veles of cattle, people, and in some cases, the wife of the Thunderer. The persecuted Veles hides successively under a tree, a stone, turns into a man, a horse, a cow.

Knowledge of the full composition of the Proto-Slavic gods of the highest level is very limited, although there is reason to believe that they already constituted a pantheon. In addition to the named gods, it could include those deities whose names are known in at least two different Slavic traditions. Such are the ancient Russian Svarog (in relation to fire - Svarozhich, that is, the son of Svarog). Another example is the ancient Russian Dazhbog.

A lower level could include deities associated with economic cycles and seasonal rites, as well as gods who embodied the integrity of closed small groups: Rod, Chur among the Eastern Slavs, etc. It is possible that most of the female deities who reveal close ties with the collective (Mokosh and others), sometimes less anthropomorphic than the gods of the highest level.

The elements of the next level are characterized by the greatest abstraction of functions, which sometimes allows us to consider them as a personification of the members of the main oppositions; for example, Share, Likho, Truth, Falsehood, Death, or the corresponding specialized functions, such as Judgment. With the designation of share, good luck, happiness, the common Slavic god was probably also associated. The word "god" was included in the names of various deities - Dazhbog, Chernobog, etc. Many of these characters appear in fairy tales in accordance with the time of the fairy tale and even with specific life situations (for example, Woe-Misfortune).

The heroes of the mythological epic are associated with the beginning of the mythologized historical tradition. They are known only from individual Slavic traditions: such are the genealogical heroes Kyi, Shchek, Khoriv among the Eastern Slavs. More ancient origins are guessed in the characters acting as opponents of these heroes, for example, in monsters of a serpentine nature, the late versions of which can be considered the Nightingale the Robber, Rarog-Rarashek. Fairy-tale characters are, apparently, "participants in the ritual in their mythologized guise and leaders of those classes of creatures that themselves belong to the lowest level: such are the baba-yaga, koshchei, miracle-yudo, the forest king, the water king, the sea king" .

The lower mythology includes different classes of non-individualized (often non-anthropomorphic) evil, spirits, animals associated with the entire mythological space from home to forest, swamp, etc. , kikimors, small vessels among the Western Slavs; from animals - a bear, a wolf.

The dualistic principle of opposing favorable and unfavorable for the collective was sometimes realized in mythological characters endowed with positive or negative functions, or in personified members of oppositions. These are: happiness (share) - misfortune (non-share). There is a significant difference between male and female mythological characters in terms of functions, significance and quantity: the small number of female characters in the pantheon, relationships such as Divas - divas, Genus - women in labor, Judgment - judges. The role of the feminine in magic and witchcraft is especially significant.

In contrasting the land - the sea, the sea is of particular importance - the location of numerous negative, mostly female, characters; the home of death, disease, where they are sent in conspiracies. Its incarnations are the sea, ocean-sea, the sea king and his twelve daughters, twelve fevers, etc. The positive aspect is embodied in the motifs of the arrival of spring and the sun from behind the sea. Another one is superimposed on the indicated opposition: dry - wet (later - Ilya Dry and Wet, Nikola Dry and Wet, a combination of these signs in Perun, the god of lightning - fire and rain). The opposition between fire and moisture is embodied in the motives of the confrontation of these elements and in such characters as the Fire Serpent (in Russian epics about Volkh Vseslavievich, in fairy tales and conspiracies, in the Serbian epic about the Fire Wolf Serpent), Fire Bird (fabulous firebird). The mythological incarnations of the opposition day - night are night-lights, midnight-nights and noons, Dawns - morning, noon, evening, midnight. Sventovit's horse is white during the day and splashed with mud at night. A special role in Slavic mythology was played by the images of an old witch such as a Baba Yaga and a bald old man, grandfather, etc. The opposition between old and young is associated with the opposition of ancestors - descendants and rituals of commemoration of ancestors, "grandfathers", as well as the opposition of elder - younger.

One should be very careful when comparing epic characters with mythological images. However, two main actors"Epics" - Ilya Muromets and Dobrynya Nikitich were repeatedly compared with pagan gods - Perun and Dazhdbog, respectively. The very name of Muromets is symptomatic - Ilya. The prophet Elijah, as already mentioned, replaced Perun in the popular mind. Dobrynya is usually considered a late incarnation of Dazhdbog. This is confirmed by some similarity of names, and serpent feat.

3.2. The process of studying the characters of Slavic mythology

Russian Slavs only under the influence of the Varangians came to the idea of ​​depicting their gods in idols. The first idols were placed by Vladimir, Prince of Kyiv, on the hill to Perun, Khors, Dazhdbog, and in Novgorod, Dobrynya - to Perun over the Volkhov. Under Vladimir, for the first time, temples appear in Rus', probably built by him.

One of the most important sources on Slavic, more precisely, Old Russian pagan mythology, is a chronicle story about the so-called “pagan reform” of Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, when he installed idols of six most important deities in Kiev: “And Vladimir began to reign in Kiev alone, and put the idols on hill, outside the terem courtyard: a wooden Perun with a silver head and a golden mustache, Khors (and) Dazhbog, Stribog, Simargl and Mokosh. Perun, as you can see, is in the first place in the list, he starts the list of gods, so it is quite logical to consider him the main and most important of the deities (at least for the prince and squad). The names Khors and Dazhbog are next to each other in the list, and in some versions of the annals they are not separated, like other deities, by the union "and". Therefore, it is quite logical to assume some similarity, connection (or even identity) between these deities, since both of them are solar, associated with the sun. Stribog and Simargl, apparently, were not as significant as Perun and Khors with Dazhbog, since they are mentioned after them. Mokosh, apparently, is a female deity, and therefore closes the list. Of the six deities on the list, two have undoubted Iranian roots - Khors and Simargl. This is explained by the fact that the pantheon was installed in Kyiv, and the Sarmatian and Alanian tribes that dissolved in them had a great influence on the Eastern Slavs of South Rus'.

"The Tale of Igor's Campaign" is the most unique monument of the ancient Russian epic tradition. It contains a lot of mythological data, although it was created already in the XII-XIII centuries. This is explained by the so-called "Revival of paganism" - a phenomenon of a pan-European scale, which also took place in Rus'. The reasons for it were that paganism had already almost disappeared and no longer posed a threat to Christianity, so they stopped being “afraid” of it. On the contrary, it began to play a completely different role in culture - aesthetic, archaizing, national-ideological. The "Word" refers, as a rule, to the "grandchildren" of various deities - artistic phrases-metaphors for a synonymous replacement or epithet.

The narrator Boyan in the "Word" is called the grandson of the god Veles. Based on this passage, Veles is considered the ancient Russian pagan patron of poetry and singer-storytellers. The winds in the "Word" are called the grandchildren of Stribog. Based on this passage, Stribog is considered the god-lord of the winds.

The Russian people, from the prince to the farmer, are called the grandchildren of Dazhbog in the Lay. Based on these two passages, we can say that Dazhbog was generally a rather significant deity in Ancient Rus', which personified the well-being, peace and unity of the Russian land. In the excerpts, the word “sun” is replaced by the name Khors, on the basis of which we can say that Khors was the personified sun in ancient Russian paganism.

In addition, in the "Word" there is an epic image of Prince Vseslav, endowed with various supernatural abilities. This is a rather "archaic mythological image of a shaman-warrior, characteristic of the transition period from the primitive communal system to military democracy." The image of Prince Vseslav is related to the image of the epic Volkh Vseslavevich or Volga.

A fragment of the Ipatiev Chronicle, which is an insert from the Slavic translation of the "Chronicle" by the Byzantine historian John Malala, is remarkable primarily for its mythological plots, or rather, the plot about Svarog and Dazhbog. The Slavic translator thus translated the names of Hephaestus and Helios, respectively, so we can judge some connection with fire and, possibly, the blacksmithing of Svarog, and the solar character of Dazhbog. The plot of the mythological insertion from the Chronicle into the chronicle itself, unfortunately, cannot tell us anything about Slavic mythology.

3.3. Serving the cult of the ancient Slavs

The sacred places of the pagans could be various natural objects. The pagans came to special stones with "footprints", went to sacred groves, made sacrifices from the labors of their hands to rivers and lakes, threw gifts to the bottom of wells, stuck objects into tree trunks, ascended to the tops of hills and mountains, barrows and barrow complexes were ancestral temples, on which idols sometimes stood.

The simplest form of a specially organized cult place among the Slavs is cult sites with idols and sacrificial pits. Such places were supposedly called "trebishcha", on which they "made trebs", that is, they performed what was necessary to glorify the gods. Sacrificial pits were located on the outskirts of the villages and did not have fences. Sometimes several idols-drops were arranged in a geometric order on the cult sites: the main idol stood in the center or behind, and the secondary idols stood around or in front. The attributes of idols were their name, sacred number (indicated by other objects or signs), color and various things: a hat, a helmet, a sword, a club, an ax, a shield, a spear, a horn, a ball, a stick, a ring, a cross - the oldest symbol of fire, "horom arrow", bowls. Sometimes the attribute is "individual objects that are associated with a specific idol: oak, hill, fire, horse, ants, dogs, bear". In the temples, there is a division of the altar, on which the treb is brought, and which could be paved with stone, and the sacrificial fire, which was located aside, behind the fence, and where various kinds of gifts were also burned.

In the last period of pre-Christian paganism, temple buildings and large complexes arose. Significant settlements with ditches, ramparts and tyn are being erected around the temple. Inside the settlement, there remains an unbuilt sepulchre, where mass ceremonies are held, gifts are left, and a fire burns. In addition, long houses are erected for holidays and family gatherings.

Upon the adoption of Christianity, the popular consciousness of the Slavs mixed the new faith with the old, partly merged their gods with Christian saints, partly reduced them to the position of "demons", partly remained faithful to their tribal gods.

Slavic mythology is characterized by the fact that it is comprehensive and does not represent a separate area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe people's idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthe world and the universe (like fantasy or religion), but is embodied even in everyday life - whether it be rituals, rituals, cults or an agricultural calendar, preserved demonology (from brownies, witches and goblin to banniks and mermaids) or a forgotten identification (for example, the pagan Perun with the Christian saint Ilya). Therefore, almost destroyed at the level of texts until the 11th century, it continues to live in images, symbolism, rituals and in the language itself.

Izvestia chronicles, finds of archaeologists, records allow literally bit by bit to recreate a complex and original religious system Eastern Slavs.

The ideas of the pagan Slavs about the earthly dispensation were very complex and confused. Slavic scholars write that it seemed to them like a large egg, in the mythology of some neighboring and kindred peoples this egg was laid by a "space bird". The Slavs, on the other hand, preserved echoes of the legends about the Great Mother-parent of the Earth and Sky, the foremother of Gods and people. Her name was Zhiva, or Zhivana. But not much is known about her, because, judging by the legend, she retired after the birth of the Earth and Sky.

In the middle of the Slavic Universe, like a yolk, the Earth itself is located. The upper part of the Yolk is our living world, the world of people. The lower "underneath" side is the Lower World, World of the Dead, Night Country. When there is day, we have night. To get there, one must cross the Ocean-Sea that surrounded the Earth. Or dig a well through and through, and the stone will fall into this well for twelve days and nights. Surprisingly, but, coincidence or not, the ancient Slavs had an idea about the shape of the Earth and the change of day and night.

Around the Earth, like egg yolks and shells, there are nine heavens (nine - three times three - a sacred number among various peoples). That is why we still say not only "heaven" but also "heaven". Each of the nine heavens of Slavic mythology has its own purpose: one for the Sun and stars, another for the Month, one more for clouds and winds. Our ancestors considered the seventh in a row to be the "firmament", the transparent bottom of the heavenly Ocean. There are stored reserves of living water, an inexhaustible source of rain. Let's remember how they say about a heavy downpour: "the abyss of heaven opened up." After all, the “abyss” is the sea abyss, the expanse of water. We still remember a lot, but we don’t know where this memory comes from and what it refers to.

The Slavs believed that you can get to any sky by climbing the World Tree, which connects the Lower World, the Earth and all nine heavens. According to the ancient Slavs, the World Tree looks like a huge sprawling oak tree. However, the seeds of all trees and grasses ripen on this oak. This tree was a very important element of ancient Slavic mythology - it connected all three levels of the world, extended its branches to the four cardinal points and, with its state of “state”, symbolized the mood of people and Gods in various rites: a green tree meant prosperity and good share, and the dried one symbolized despondency and was used in rituals where evil Gods participated.

And where the top of the World Tree rises above the seventh heaven, there is an island in the "abyss of heaven". This island was called "iry" or "viry". Some scientists believe that the present word "paradise", so firmly connected in our life with Christianity, comes from him. Iriy was also called Buyan Island. This island is known to us from numerous fairy tales. And on that island live the progenitors of all birds and animals: the "senior wolf", "senior deer", etc.

The Slavs believed that migratory birds fly to the heavenly island in autumn. The souls of the animals hunted by the hunters also ascend there, and they answer to the “elders” - they tell how people treated them.
Accordingly, the hunter had to thank the beast, which allowed him to take his skin and meat, and in no case mock him. Then the “elders” will soon release the beast back to Earth, allow it to be born again so that fish and game do not end up. If a person is guilty, there will be no trouble ... (As we can see, the pagans by no means considered themselves the “kings” of nature, who were allowed to rob it as they pleased. They lived in nature and together with nature and understood that every living being had no less right for life than a person.)

Levels of Slavic mythology

Slavic mythology had three levels: the highest, the middle and the lowest.

On highest level there were Gods, whose "functions" were most important for the Slavs and who participated in the most common legends and myths. These are Svarog (Stribog, Sky), Earth, Svarozhichi (children of Svarog and Earth - Perun, Dazhdbog and Fire).

The middle level could include deities associated with economic cycles and seasonal rituals, as well as gods who embodied the integrity of closed small groups: Rod, Chur among the Eastern Slavs, etc. It is possible that most of the female deities, who show close ties with the collective, belonged to this level, sometimes less likened to a person than the gods of the highest level.

At the lowest level were various highly specialized beings, less human-like than the Gods of the highest level. These included brownies, goblin, mermaids, ghouls, banniks (baenniks), etc.

The common Slavic word “God” was probably associated with the designation of share, luck, happiness: one can compare the words “rich” (having a god, a share) and “wretched” (the opposite meaning), in the Ukrainian language - negod, neboga - unfortunate, beggar. The word "God" was included in the names of various deities - Dazhdbog, Chernobog and others. Slavic data and evidence of other most ancient Indo-European mythologies allow us to see in these names a reflection of the ancient layer of mythological ideas of the Proto-Slavs.

For clarity, you can draw a diagram of the levels of the Gods of the Slavs:

The Supreme Gods of the Slavs

Mother Earth and Father Sky

The ancient Slavs considered the Earth and the Sky to be two living beings, moreover, a married couple, whose love gave birth to all life. The God of Heaven, the Father of all things, is called Svarog. This name goes back to an ancient word meaning "sky", as well as "something shining, shining". Scientists note that another name for Heaven was Stribog, translated into modern language as “Father-God”. The legend tells that once Svarog gave people blacksmith tongs, taught them how to smelt copper and iron, and before, according to the ideas of the Slavs, this is very similar to modern ideas- reigned on earth stone Age, people used clubs and stones. In addition, Svarog established the very first laws, in particular, he ordered every man to have only one wife, and a woman - one husband. In the Tale of Igor's Campaign, a famous monument of literature created at the end of the 12th century, among the richest pagan symbols one can find the allegorical name of the winds: "Stribog's grandchildren." This means that the winds were considered the grandchildren of Heaven.

We still call the Earth Mother, and this is difficult to dispute. Only far from always people treat her as it should be for respectful children.

The pagans treated her with greatest love, and all legends say that the Earth paid them the same. In one of the epics, the hero is warned not to fight with such and such a hero, because he is invincible - “Mother Earth loves him” ...

On the tenth of May, the "name day of the Earth" was celebrated: on this day it was impossible to disturb it - to plow, dig up. The earth was the witness of solemn oaths; at the same time, they touched it with the palm of their hand, sometimes they took out a piece of turf and laid it on their heads, mystically making a lie impossible. It was believed that the Earth would not carry a liar.

Some scientists believe that the Goddess of the Earth was called Makosh (however, others, no less authoritative, argue fiercely with them.) You can try to pick up the word by composition. "Ma-" means mother, mother. What does "cat" mean?

Let us recall the words “Purse”, where wealth is stored, “KoShara”, where living wealth is driven - sheep. "KOSH" is the name of the leader of the Cossacks, "KOSH" was also called lot, fate, happiness. And also a box, a large basket where they put the harvest - earthly fruits, and it was he who made up wealth, fate and happiness. ancient man. So it turns out: the Earth - Makosh - the Universal Mother, the Mistress of Life, the Giver of the Harvest.

Dazhdbog Svarozhich

The ancient Slavs considered the Sun, Lightning and Fire - two heavenly Flames and one earthly - siblings, the sons of Heaven and Earth. The God of the Sun is called Dazhdbog (or, in another pronunciation, Dazhbog). His name does not come from the word "rain", as is sometimes mistakenly thought. "Dazhdbog" means - "giving God", "giver of all blessings." The Slavs believed that Dazhdbog rides across the sky on a wonderful chariot harnessed by four white, golden-maned horses with golden wings. And the sunlight comes from the fire shield that Dazhdbog carries with him. At night, Dazhdbog crosses the lower sky from west to east, shining on the Lower World.

Twice a day (morning and evening) he crosses the Ocean on a boat drawn by waterfowl - geese, ducks, swans. Therefore, our ancestors attributed special power to amulets (this word comes from the verb "protect", "protect" and means an amulet, a talisman) in the form of a duck with a horse's head. They believed that the God of the Sun would help them, wherever he was - in the Daytime World or in the Night, and even on the way from one to another. In the Tale of Igor's Campaign, Russian people are called "Dazhbozh's grandchildren" - the grandchildren of the Sun. Although it tells about the events that took place almost two hundred years after the official adoption of Christianity. This shows that the influence of paganism persisted for a very long time even under the conditions of Christianity, and some elements of paganism were deeply embedded in Russian Orthodoxy.

Morning and Evening Dawns were considered sister and brother, and morning dawn was the Sun's wife. Every year, during the great feast of the summer solstice (now known as Midsummer's Day), their marriage was solemnly celebrated.

The Slavs considered the Sun to be an all-seeing eye, which strictly looks after the morality of people, for the fair observance of laws. Not without reason, at all times, criminals have been waiting for nightfall, hiding from justice - not only earthly, but also heavenly, and the eclipse in the same "Word and Igor's Campaign" is taken as a terrible sign. And the sacred sign of the Sun from time immemorial has been ... the Cross! It is easy to see if you squint at the Sun. Isn't that why the Christian cross, so similar to the ancient pagan symbol, took root so well in Rus'? Sometimes the Solar Cross was circled, and sometimes it was drawn rolling like the wheel of a solar chariot. Such a rolling cross is called a swastika. She was turned in one direction or another, depending on what kind of Sun they wanted to portray - “daytime” or “nightly”. By the way, not only in Slavic legends sorcerers, casting their spells, walk "salting" (that is, along the Sun) or "anti-salting", depending on whether their magic will be good or evil.

Unfortunately, the swastika was used in fascist symbolism and is now disgusted by most people as a fascist sign. However, in ancient times it was highly revered and was distributed from India to Ireland. It is also often found on ancient Russian jewelry found by archaeologists. It can even be seen in the ornaments and patterns on clothes in the Ryazan local history museum. As for the "fascist sign", it is easy to make sure that it depicts precisely the "night" Sun rolling along the inner side of the lower sky. Thus, the real object of "worship" of the fascist mystics is not the Sun, but rather its absence - the darkness of the night.

The interpretation of the swastika in the Buddhist tradition is interesting. It is called "manji" and is considered a symbol of perfection. The vertical line indicates the relationship between Heaven and Earth, the horizontal line indicates the struggle of the eternal opposites of Yin and Yang, the essence of which we will not consider here. As for the transverse strokes, if they are directed to the left, then, from the Buddhist point of view, this personifies movement, softness, compassion, goodness; to the right - firmness, constancy, intelligence and strength. Thus, the two varieties of manji complement each other: love and compassion are helpless without strength and firmness, and soulless intelligence and strength without mercy lead only to the multiplication of evil. In general, "good should be with fists", but it is Good.

Perun Svarozhich

Perun is the Slavic God of Thunder, the God of thunder and lightning. The Slavs imagined him as a middle-aged angry husband with a reddish-gold swirling beard. We note right away that a red beard is an indispensable feature of the God of Thunder among various peoples. In particular, Scandinavians, neighbors and relatives of the Slavs in the Indo-European family of peoples considered their Thunderer (Thor) to be red-bearded. The hair of the God of Thunder was likened to a thundercloud. Scandinavian legends note that the angry Thor "shaked his hair." What color Thor's hair was is not definitely said, but the Slavic Perun's hair is really like a thundercloud - black and silver. No wonder the statue of Perun, which once stood in Kyiv, is described in the annals as follows: "The head is silver, the mustache is golden." The Slavs saw their God rushing among the clouds on horseback or in a chariot drawn by winged stallions, white and black. By the way, the magpie was one of the birds dedicated to Perun, precisely because of its black and white coloration.

The name of Perun is very ancient. Translated into modern language, it means "He who hits hard", "Striking". Some scholars see the connection of the name of the God of Thunder with words such as "first" and "right." As for the “first”, Perun was indeed the most important God in the pagan pantheon of Kievan Rus and, probably, the eldest son of Svarog. The convergence of his name with the “rightist” is not without meaning: our ancestors considered Perun the founder moral law and the very first defender of Truth.

Perun's rushing chariot thunders desperately over the uneven clouds - that's where the thunder comes from, that's why it "rolls" through the heavens. However, there were different opinions on this matter. They also said that thunder and lightning are an echo and a reflection of the blows with which Perun rewards the Serpent Veles, who seeks to rob the Gods and people - to steal the Sun, cattle, earthly and heavenly waters. And in remote antiquity, it was believed that in fact thunder is a “cry of love” at the celebration of the wedding of Heaven and Earth: it’s well known how well everything grows after a thunderstorm ... According to some sources, Perun’s lightning was of two kinds: purple-blue, “ dead, smashing to death, and golden, living, creating, awakening earthly fertility and new life.

It has long been noticed how clean and fresh the air is after a thunderstorm. The pagan Slavs found an explanation for this as well. The thing is, they said, that the evil spirit scatters in fear before the wrath of Perun, hides in holes and does not dare to appear outside for a long time.

Perun, to a large extent "responsible" for fertility, has a special relationship with bread. There is a legend about how a certain woman went to the field to work on the holiday of Perun (July 20), which, according to custom, was impossible to do. Angry Perun initially restrained his anger. But when the child, left on the boundary, soiled the diapers and the mother wiped it with a bunch of ears of bread (according to another version, a piece of baked bread was defiled), a whirlwind rose and carried the entire crop into a cloud. Some of it still managed to grind back, but the “hundred-eared” (hundred ears on each stalk) bread was never again ...

The legend about the origin of pearls is also connected with the thunder of heaven. The Slavs believed that it was born from the reflection of lightning captured in the eyes of a pearl mollusk at the moment when it frightenedly slams the shell doors at the sight of a thunderstorm ...

Perun's weapons were originally stones, later on - stone axes, and finally - a golden ax: the Gods "progressed" along with people.

The ax - the weapon of the Thunderer - has been credited with miraculous power since ancient times. With an ax they hit a bench on which someone died: it was believed that in this way Death would be “cut down” and expelled. The ax was thrown crosswise over the cattle so that it would not get sick and multiply well.

With an ax they drew a Solar Cross over the sick person, calling for help from two brothers-Gods at once. And on the blades of axes, symbolic images of the Sun and Thunder were often knocked out. Such an ax, planted in the door jamb, was an insurmountable obstacle for evil evil spirits, seeking to penetrate into human habitation. Do not count the customs and beliefs associated with the ax.
Even the well-known "chicken god", a pebble with a hole in the middle, which caring owners are now trying to hang in the chicken coop, is nothing more than a memory of an ancient stone ax, one of the symbols of the pagan God of Thunder...

Another symbol of Perun is the so-called thunder sign, which looks like a wheel with six spokes. Scientists believe that ancient people used the shape of a snowflake here, because the sanctuaries of Perun were arranged as close as possible to the clouds and the Sky - on the most elevated places where snow first appears. This sign can still be seen on the huts of the old building. It was cut both for beauty and for purely "practical" reasons - as a lightning rod ...

When the Slavs had princes and fighting squads, Perun began to be considered the patron saint of warriors. Therefore, some researchers are now writing that Perun is an exclusively “retinue-princely” God, not at all popular among the common people. It was hardly true! After all, a thunderstorm is not only a heavenly battle, it is also necessary for a plowman who is waiting for the harvest. And the main feat of Perun was precisely that he returned fertility to the Earth, returned the Sun and rain.

An animal was dedicated to Perun - a wild tour, a huge, powerful forest bull. Unfortunately, in the wild, the last tour was killed back in 1627, and only tamed descendants of the tours survived to this day - domestic bulls and cows. The tour was much more aggressive than the most vicious domestic bull. Predatory animals were powerless against him, and among people hunting for a tour was considered a feat.

People believed that Perun, walking around the world, willingly takes the form of a forest bull. And on July 20 (on the holiday of Perun), the tours allegedly ran out of the forest themselves and allowed themselves to be stabbed for a holy feast. Later, when people angered the Gods with something, the tours stopped appearing, and sacrificial bulls were specially fattened in the villages. This tradition was strictly observed in many places in the last century. Only now a pagan feast was arranged near the church, and the Christian priest consecrated it.

Perun also had his own tree - oak, there was also a favorite flower, which in Bulgaria is still called "perunika". It has six lilac-blue petals (thunder sign), overgrown with golden hairs (lightning). It blooms in spring when the first thunderstorms rumble. This iris flower is Greek for "rainbow".

The sanctuaries of Perun were arranged under open sky. They were flower-shaped; in those sanctuaries that have been excavated by archaeologists, there are usually eight "petals", but in ancient times, according to scientists, there were six.
"Petals" were pits in which unquenchable sacred fires burned. In the middle was a sculptural image of God. It is sometimes said that the ancient Slavs believed in idols. But this is like saying that Christians believe in icons. An altar was placed in front of the image of God, usually in the form of a stone ring. Offerings were put there, sacrificial blood was shed: most often - animal, and if the people were threatened with serious misfortune - then human. Life at all times was considered a sacred gift of the Gods: human sacrifice was an extraordinary, exceptional act. And we must also take into account that, according to the plots of some films and works of art, the person appointed as a victim did not necessarily burst into bitter tears and tried to escape. Victims were also voluntary: a person went to the Gods to tell them about the needs of his people, ask for help, avert trouble - as we would now put it, “covered the embrasure”, i.e., performed a revered feat ...

After the adoption of Christianity, Perun was not forgotten. Only a few customs that have survived to this day are mentioned here; in fact there are a great many of them. When the Orthodox Church forbade praying to the former Gods, and the sanctuaries were destroyed with the same unnecessary cruelty with which churches were destroyed almost a thousand years later by militant atheists. However, scientists say that Christianity not only "smashed" paganism, but also tried to get along peacefully with it, subordinating its hierarchy of values. It is no coincidence that particularly acute conflicts still occurred rarely, because over time a kind of symbiosis arose. In particular, having been baptized, yesterday's pagans continued to honor the old Gods, only under new names. So Perun "transferred" many of his qualities to Ilya the Prophet, one of the most revered Christian saints. Another "heir" of the God of Thunder is St. George, the serpent fighter, who even today we see on the coat of arms of Moscow.

Fire Svarozhich

The third brother of the Sun and Lightning, the third son of Heaven and Earth was Fire. Until now, we are talking about the "fire of the native hearth" - although most of the houses do not have hearths, but gas or electric stoves. In ancient times, Fire was truly the center of that world in which the whole life of a person passed, and even after death, a funeral pyre often awaited his body. In the deepest antiquity, Fire drove away darkness, cold and predatory animals. Later - he gathered around himself several generations of the family - big family, symbolizing its inseparable community.

During the meal, Fire was treated to the first and best piece. Any wanderer, a complete stranger, became "his own", as soon as he warmed himself by the hearth. He was protected like his own. The impure force did not dare to approach the Fire, but the Fire was able to purify anything defiled. The fire was a witness to the oaths, and this is where the custom of jumping in pairs over the fires came from: it was believed that if a guy and a girl could fly over the flame without unhooking their hands, then their love was destined for a long life.

What was the name of the God of Fire? Some scholars believe that the Western Slavs, who lived along the southern coast of the Baltic Sea, called it Radogost (Radigost). These researchers have serious evidence, and their equally reputable rivals have refutations, so the final word has not yet been said. , the name of the God of Fire was so holy (after all, this God did not live somewhere in the seventh heaven, but directly among people) that they tried to say it out loud less often, replaced it with allegories. And over time, it was simply forgotten ... It happened in the same way as the real name of the bear was forgotten: people tried to call strong and dangerous animals allegorically (in relation to the bear - "clubfoot", "brown"). So the word "bear" means "in charge of honey" - "loving honey." Its real name, apparently, has been lost forever.

On the other hand, a great many signs and beliefs connected with Fire have not been forgotten. In the presence of Fire, it was considered unthinkable to swear: “I would tell you ... but you can’t: bake in a hut!”

The Russian matchmaker, who came to woo the bride, would certainly stretch out her hands to the stove, warming her palms, no matter what time of the year it happened: thereby she called Fire into her allies, enlisted his support. The newlywed young husband solemnly circled three times around the hearth. And if, at the time of the birth of a child, the Fire suddenly died out, then they saw this as a sure sign of the birth of a future villain. And finally, why they break a plate in front of the newlyweds (“For good luck”), and before that they broke a pot that had just been in the Fire: “How many pieces, so many sons!”. Now most often do not remember the meaning of this action.

A special sacred power was attributed to Fire, obtained in the most primitive way - by friction. Why, then, did everything ancient enjoy such honor, and even today does it still use it? The fact is that all the most ancient customs, tricks and tricks, as it was believed, the forefathers and foremothers of living people learned directly from the Gods. Let's remember the blacksmith's tongs and the plow that "fell from heaven", or the "first" laws! Accordingly, all subsequent technical and social progress was partly a distortion of the great-grandfather "divine" wisdom, above which, according to ancient people, nothing could be.

So, the Fire obtained by friction was considered “clean”, not in contact with any filth. The onset of a new year was celebrated every time by lighting such a Fire. At the same time, it was believed that all the sins of the past remain in the past year along with the extinct old Fire: thus, every year the world is given a chance to be reborn, become kinder and better. We note in passing that the beginning of the new year in Rus' was repeatedly postponed, it was celebrated either in March or in September, but scientists still recognize the New Year, celebrated on the days of the winter solstice, on December 22-23, as one of the oldest.

The pagan Slavs associated the emergence of people with Fire. According to some legends, the Gods created a Man and a Woman from two sticks, between which Fire flared up - the very first flame of love ... According to another of the legends, Perun and Fire competed in accuracy, and at the moment when the flame and lightning hit one point. unexpectedly for the gods themselves, the first people appeared.

And this is not all that can be said about Fire. Vivid examples modern traditions who came to us of their deep antiquity are a great many. Where, for example, did our "cheesecake" come from? Its from ancient word"vatra", that is, "hearth".

Other gods of the ancient Slavs

Rod and Rozhanitsi

It has already been said that the light irey was considered by the ancient Slavs to be the source of all life, the ancestral home of plants, birds and animals. There were gods too
"responsible" for the prosperity and offspring of all living things in nature, as well as for the multiplication of the human race, for marriage and love between people. These are Rod and Rozhanitsy, mentioned in ancient Russian literature.

Scientists have long argued about how important the role the Slavs assigned to God named Rod. Some argue that this is a small "family" Deity like Brownie. Others, on the contrary, consider Rod one of the most important, supreme Gods who took part in the creation of the Universe: according to the beliefs of the ancient Slavs, it is he who sends the souls of people from heaven to Earth when children are born. In addition, researchers suggest paying attention to how much important words comes from the root "genus", consonant name this God: KIND, HARVEST, HOMELAND, NATURE.

The Goddesses of Rozhanitsy are usually spoken of in plural. In ancient manuscripts, they are briefly spoken about, only bread, honey and “cheese” (earlier this word denoted cottage cheese), which were sacrificed to them, are mentioned. However, the manuscripts were compiled by Orthodox figures, so it is difficult to find detailed and accurate descriptions in them. However, modern scientists, having processed a large archaeological, ethnographic, linguistic material, referring to information relating to neighboring peoples, came to the conclusion that there were two Rozhanitsa: Mother and Daughter.

The Slavs associated the Mother in Childbirth with the period of summer fertility, when it ripens, grows heavier, and the harvest is poured. The ancient Slavs gave her the name Lada, and perhaps no less words and concepts are associated with it than with Rod. All of them are related to the establishment of order: "Getting along", "setting up", etc.
At the same time, the order was conceived primarily as a family one: “LADA”, “LADO” - an affectionate appeal to a beloved spouse, husband or wife. "LADINS" - a wedding conspiracy. Bulgarian "LADuvane" - fortune-telling about suitors. But the scope

Lada is by no means limited to the house. Some researchers recognize Velikaya Lada as the mother of the twelve months into which the year is divided.

The ancient Slavs had a Goddess named Lelya - the daughter of Lada, the youngest Rozhanitsa. Let's think about it: it's not for nothing that a baby's cradle is often called a "cradle", a gentle, caring attitude towards a child is conveyed by the word "cherish". The stork, allegedly bringing children, in Ukrainian - "leleka". The Slavs believed that it was Lelya who took care of the barely hatched shoots - the future harvest. Lelya-Vesna solemnly “called out” - they invited her to visit, they went out to meet her with gifts and treats.

The holiday of Rozhanitsa was celebrated in the spring - April 22-23. On this day, sacrifices were made with vegetable and dairy products, which were solemnly eaten at a sacred feast, and then bonfires were lit at night: a huge one, in honor of

Frets, and around it are twelve more smaller ones - according to the number of months of the year. According to tradition, it was a women's and girls' holiday, and men looked at it from afar.

Yarila

Often, unfortunately, Yarila is mistakenly considered the God of the Sun. The ancient Slavs had a different role for Yarila. What do we mean by the word "rage"? In the dictionaries of the Russian language you can find: “Fury; pure blind, elemental, often meaningless force. And many more related words, and they all talk about strong emotions that are beyond the control of reason. This side of love, which poets call "ebullient passion", was "under the jurisdiction" of the Slavic God Yarila. Even in the last century, in some places in Russia, the “Yarilki” holiday was celebrated, timed to coincide with April 27, to the very peak of the spring riot of nature.
It was believed that this love increases the harvest, which meant so much to ancient farmer. After all, as we remember, the pagans did not oppose themselves to nature and did not reject its laws.

Yarila was imagined as a young man, an ardent, loving groom. In some places, wanting to emphasize his youth and beauty, a girl was dressed up as "Yarila". They put her on a white horse, put on a wreath of wild flowers, gave ears of corn to her left hand, and to her right ... a symbol of death is an image human head. The horse with “Yarila” was led through the fields, saying: “Where with the foot, there is a shock of life, and where it looks, there the ear is blooming!”.

According to another version, Yarila appeared before people in the spring as a boy on a young stallion, in the summer as an adult man on a strong horse, and in the fall as an old man on an old horse. The ears symbolized life, and the image of the head, perhaps due to the fact that he, like the Egyptian Osiris, died and was reborn every year. Seeing off, the "funeral" of the bald, aged Yarila was also dedicated to the holiday. People knew: the winter would pass - and Yarila would return, rise.
Just like a grain buried in the ground is resurrected as a stalk, an ear, and as a result, a new grain. It is no coincidence that grain crops sown in spring (unlike winter crops) are called "spring crops"...

Serpent Veles

Scientists write that a fairy tale is a myth that has ceased to be sacred for those who tell and listen to it. This is a myth that is no longer widely believed. (By the way, in Ancient Rus', the word “fairy tale” meant a reliable story, moreover, more often written. And what we now call a fairy tale was then denoted by the word “fable.” From it came the modern “fable” and the expression “fabulous” - embellished, fantastic , legendary.

So, there are many fairy tales about the Serpent Gorynych, who kidnaps (or is given in tribute to) beautiful girls and with whom heroes and heroes fight - from the epic Dobrynya Nikitich to Ivanushka the Fool. But this is also an echo of an ancient pagan myth that has survived to this day.
The myth of the struggle of the Thunderer Perun with his eternal enemy - the monstrous Serpent. Similar legends exist among many peoples.

In Slavic pagan mythology, the "cattle god" Volos (or Veles) is known, which is clearly opposed to Perun. His connection with the "cattle" (that is, animal) kingdom follows already from his name: Hair - hairy - hairy - hairy. It is possible that the word "sorcerer" comes from the name of this God and from the custom of his priests to dress in fur-turned, "hairy" fur coats to imitate their Deity. Meanwhile, the name "Volos" just as definitely takes us to the world of snakes and worms. Anyone who has ever been in the countryside in the summer must have heard chilling stories about the “living hair” that is found in the river near the shore and can, after biting, be sucked under the skin. And there is also a belief that the hair is animal or human, especially from bad man, - dropped into water or entangled in an egg, comes to life and begins to do evil deeds. In general, hair was considered an important reservoir of vitality. And you will not end up in trouble if an unkind sorcerer picks up a cut and thrown hair ... This legend could have come from the legend of the forge Kie, who was able to forge the fate of a person with the help of hair.

In a word, many good reasons lead some scientists to identify Volos with the legendary Serpent - the enemy of the God of Thunder.
Let's listen to their story.

According to legend, the Serpent of Hair somehow combines furry and scales in its appearance, flies on membranous wings, knows how to exhale fire (although he himself is scared to death of fire, primarily lightning) and is very fond of scrambled eggs and milk. Therefore, another name for Volos is Smok or Tsmok, which means Susun. Here it is appropriate to recall Smaug - the evil dragon from the fairy tale story by J. R. R. Tolkien "The Hobbit". This name was chosen by the writer not by chance!

But if you carefully reread folk legends and fairy tales, it turns out that the Serpent in them is not so much evil as unreasonable and greedy. It is easy to see that the appearance of the Serpent is "composed" by the human imagination from parts taken from different animals. Perhaps it embodies the forces of primordial Chaos, the violent forces of disordered, wild, uninhabited nature, often hostile to ancient man, but in its essence not at all malicious? ..

The pagan Slavs worshiped both divine opponents - both Perun and the Serpent. Only the sanctuaries of Perun were arranged, as already mentioned, in high places, and the sanctuaries of Volos - in the lowlands. There are reasons to think that the tamed Volos, driven into the dungeon, became "responsible" for earthly fertility and wealth. He partly lost his monstrous appearance, became more like a man. No wonder that the last bunch of ears was left in the field "Hair on a beard." In addition, there is a connection

Volos-Veles with music and poetry, not without reason in the "Lay of Igor's Campaign" the singer Boyan is called "Veles's grandson" ...

In 1848, a stone idol was found in the Zbruch River, clearly reflecting the division of the pagan Universe into the World of Gods, the World of People and the Lower World. So, the Human World is supported from below by a kneeling mustachioed humanoid creature. He looks unhappy. On the ancient idol, of course, there are no explanatory inscriptions, but scientists believe that this is Veles, who settled in the depths of the Earth ...

Dark Gods

The life of an ancient man was not always easy. Difficulties forced to look for the culprits, they appeared in the form of evil gods. Among the Western Slavs, Chernobog was such an embodiment of evil: this name truly speaks for itself. It is known that his sculptures were black, with a silver mustache. Whether the Eastern Slavs (the ancestors of Belarusians, Ukrainians and Russians) believed in him or not, it is impossible to say for sure. Perhaps they believed, it is unlikely that they had less reasons for this than their Western counterparts.

But the evil Goddess named Morana (Morena, Marana) was definitely known both in the West and in the Slavic East. She is associated with darkness, frost and death. Indeed, her name is related to such words as “pestilence”, “gloom”, “haze”, “haze”, “fool”, “death” and many more equally unkind. From India to Iceland, mythical characters are known that cause all sorts of evil: the Buddhist Mara, who tempted the righteous hermits, the Scandinavian "mara" - an evil spirit that can torture the sleeping, "trample" him to death, Morrigan, the Goddess of the ancient Irish, associated with destruction and war; finally, the French word "nightmare". You can also remember Morgana, Morgause and Mordred from the epic about King Arthur and his knights.

Echoes of the legends about Moran can be traced in the epics about Dobrynya and "Marinka", which is trying in every possible way to destroy the hero, in particular, turns him into a tour - golden horns with her witchcraft. In the same epics, the unholy connection of "Marinka" with the Serpent is told. There are reasons to see the ancient Morana in the Bulgarian legend about the "evil woman" who "destroyed many people" and threw a dirty veil over silver month: since then, he has become covered with dark spots and, frightened, began to walk above the Earth much higher than before (by the way, astronomers write about secular changes in the orbit of the moon ...). Other legends tell how Morana, with evil henchmen, tries every morning to watch and destroy the Sun, but every time she retreats in horror before his radiant power and beauty. Finally, the straw effigy, which in our days is still burned in some places during the holiday of the ancient pagan Maslenitsa, at the time of the vernal equinox, undoubtedly belongs to Morana, the Goddess of death and cold. Every winter, she takes power for a short time, but she is not given to establish herself forever: the Sun, Life and Spring triumph again and again ...

Gods and lower level spirits

Among the many small deities, Dvorovoy (master of the court) should be noted, who was already a little less benevolent than Brownie; Ovinnik (the owner of the barn) is even less so, and Bannik, the spirit of the bathhouse, which stood on the very edge of the yard, or even beyond it, is simply dangerous. For this reason, believers considered the bath - a symbol of purity, it would seem - unclean. Sometimes he is represented as a tiny old man with a long, moldy beard. Fainting and accidents in the bath are attributed to his evil will. To pacify Bannik, the Slavs left in the bath clean water, a broom and food, otherwise the bannik could get angry and greatly harm a person, up to and including murder. Bannik's favorite pastime is to scald those who wash themselves with boiling water, to split stones in the stove and “shoot” them at people.

Behind the fence of the courtyard of an ancient Slav, a forest began. The forest gave ancient Slav construction material, game, mushrooms, berries, etc. But in addition to the benefits bestowed on man, wild forest always fraught with many deadly dangers. Leshy was the owner of the forest. Goblin literally means "forest". His appearance is changeable. He appeared either as a giant or as a dwarf. In different places, Lesh is told in different ways. However, most often he looks like a man, but the clothes on him are wrapped up “on the contrary” (sometimes, however, instead of clothes he wears only his own fur). Leshy's hair is long, gray-greenish, but on his face there are no eyelashes or eyebrows, and his eyes, like two emeralds, burn with green fire in the forest darkness. He could lead a person into a thicket, scare, beat, but he knew how to repay good with kindness.

When people began to clear forests and plow "burns" for bread, of course, new deities appeared - Poleviki. Generally since grain field associated with no less beliefs and signs than with housing. Sometimes people met in the field also the old man Belun - nondescript in appearance and utterly snotty. He asked a passerby to wipe his nose. And if a person did not disdain, he suddenly had a purse of silver in his hand. Perhaps in this way our ancestors wanted to express the simple idea that the Earth generously endows only those who are not afraid to get their hands dirty?

The working day in the countryside always started early. But the midday heat is better to wait out. The ancient Slavs also had a mythical creature that strictly looked after that no one worked at noon. This is Noon. She was imagined as a girl in a long white shirt or, conversely, as a scary shaggy old woman. Poludnica (or Rzhanitsa) was afraid: for non-compliance with the custom, she could severely punish - now we call it sunstroke. Caught at noon a man on arable land, she sometimes forced to exhaustion to solve her riddles. But Noon was not only formidable.
She taught the man who became friends with her to dance to the envy of everyone. Living in a land rich in rivers and lakes, the ancient Slavs naturally developed a whole complex of religious worship of water. For example, the Slavs were sure that the most indestructible oaths are given near the water, they also tested it at the court with water, they wondered about the future with the help of water. Water was referred to as "you". After all, she could drown, destroy for nothing. She could demand sacrifices, wash away the village with a spring flood. That is why the Waterman, the mythical inhabitant of rivers, lakes and streams, often appears in legends as a creature hostile to man.

The central myth of the ancient Slavs

Now that we have met all the main Gods of the Slavs, we can convey the content of the fundamental legend of ancient Slavic mythology. This myth tells about the appearance of evil gods and the opposition of good gods to them.

Once the Sun-Dazhdbog and his brother Perun traveled together in the Underworld. And here from behind the edge of the Universe appeared a dark star without rays, with a long bloody tail. She wanted to slay the soundly sleeping Earth to death - her husband-Heaven came to the rescue: he blocked the Earth, took a cruel blow. But he was not able to completely avert the trouble. A tailed monster swept over the whole Earth, burning the forests with a terrible, hitherto unseen fire, and finally fell somewhere at the far edge.

... The God-Brothers almost drove the greyhound horses flying to the eastern edge of the Ocean. When the boat crossed it, drawn by white swans, and the winged stallions soared again, Dazhdbog did not dare to look down brightly and clearly for many days, as before. For a disfigured, dead streak stretched across the whole Earth, and there, in the black smoke, a frightened, incomprehensible Fire rushed about. And from the wounds of Heaven, water lashed the ground in streams, flooding the lowlands, destroying and washing away everything that had survived the fire ...

The young Gods did not hesitate long: they rushed to save their mother and father. Save your world before it's back to the shapeless lump it was before it was born. They bandaged the wounds of Heaven with white stripes of clouds, wet shrouds of fog. Soothe the fire. They lit a rainbow over the few surviving Humans, showed the way to salvation...

It was then that they saw mountains at the far edge of the Earth that were not there before, mountains that looked like monstrous clouds from afar. They are firmly fused into the body of the Earth. The Gods carefully headed for those mountains... It turned out that the mountains were made of iron. Hot, they had time to cool down, and the sharp peaks breathed black frost, saved somewhere inside, overgrown with snow and ice before our eyes. Never before had the young Gods seen such a thing... well, most of these mountains fell down, beyond the edge of the Underworld, lifeless from time immemorial, and only one ugly ridge defiled the face of the green Earth. The Gods saw: everything living backed away from the Iron Mountains, everything fled from the deadly cold - forests, rivers, grasses, flowers ...

They carefully circled the Iron Mountains, and in one deep abyss they found a way through the Earth, all the way to Netherworld. A thrown stone would fly there for twelve days and nights, but the sparkling chariots, of course, were faster. Soon the brothers were in the Underworld. And when Dazhdbog raised his fire shield, they saw two creatures desperately shielding themselves from the light, a man and a woman, who looked more like terrible dreams than people or gods...

It was then that Perun, for the very first time, wanted with a wave of the ax not to kindle life, but to exterminate it. But the man and woman fell to their knees and begged for mercy. And Perun lowered his hand with a raised ax. He has not yet learned to be merciless and strike when they kneel. Perun and Dazhdbog fed them and told them about the earthly and heavenly structure.

But a year later, frost began to fall from the side of the Iron Mountains, devastating the Earth, and the Svarozhich brothers strove to pass these places as soon as possible.

But then a lot of time passed, the Earth recovered from the blow, the wounds of Heaven healed, although a scar remained - the Milky Way, where, according to the beliefs of the Slavs, the souls of the dead flew away. Dazhdbog warned the Month not to approach the cold mountains when he was walking in the sky, because, although the gods of the Iron Mountains received the brothers affectionately, they still aroused distrust. The young Moon gave his word to Dazhdbog and kept it for a long time, but once he could not control his curiosity.
He sent the white bulls that drove his chariot to the Iron Mountains. A dirty veil rose from there and dragged the Moon into the cave. When the god brothers entered this cave, they saw the feast ended and realized that Morana had seduced the Moon, and immediately celebrated the wedding.

This time, the thunder of Perun sounded angrily, and his ax cut the Moon in half. The brothers took the dead Moon home, there morning Star Dennitsa, their sister, cured him with living and dead water. Since then, the Moon rarely appears full in the sky, and sometimes it completely disappears, and after Morana wrapped him in a veil, he was still able to wash the spots. People believed that the Moon is waning and hopes to be born again pure, but fate is ruthless.

The evil Morana and the lawless Chernobog were buried for a long time in the darkness of damp caves, not daring to lean out into the light. And Perun, who defiled his golden ax with blood, worked for a year in the workshop of the forge Kiya - atoned for sin. Murder was generally considered a terrible sin in Rus'. Even the warriors who returned from the campaign did not sit at the same table with their relatives for a long time and worked in the forges and in the field, atoning for their guilt. Since then, all evil spirits are afraid of iron, feeling the power of Perun, and if you upholster the door with iron or hang an iron horseshoe over it, then evil spirits will not dare to enter the house.

Meanwhile, Chernobog and Morana stole the snake's egg. Before that, snakes were not poisonous and lived with people in peace. They wrapped this egg with the hair of the woman who wiped the child with ears of bread and sucked out all life from it.

A snake hatched from the egg, which they called Volos, or Veles. He quickly grew up and became very strong. But he was not evil - just greedy and stupid. He flew around the earth, turned into whomever he wanted and committed various sins. But once Morana, with his help, took out an ice needle and made him an ice tooth, which could put the Svarozhichs to sleep.

Once they stole Perun's bride Lelya and Dazhdbog went to the Iron Mountains to check what was going on with Chernobog and Morana. But there, Veles hit him in the back with an ice tooth, and the Sun did not rise above the Earth at the appointed hour. Perun went after Dazhdbog, leaving the Fire to shine on people and warm them. But no matter how much Perun fought with Veles, he could not defeat him - Chernobog and Morana stood behind him, helping him. Perun's eyes and heart were torn out and put in ice chains.

For thirty-three years there was no Sun over the Earth, thunder did not rumble and Perun's lightning did not flash. But one day, the grown-up children of the blacksmith Kyi - brother and sister Svetozor and Zorya - came to the sanctuary of Perun, kindled a fire and
Dawnlight sacrificed his own blood. Then the earth opened up and an exhausted Perun climbed out of the crack. Kiy helped him recover from his wounds, find new horses and find an ax, which, after a fatal battle, was not given to Veles, but flew to the Earthly world.

Perun, gaining strength, with Kiy and the Kievichs came to the Iron Mountains and in a fierce duel defeated Veles, broke an ice tooth and imprisoned Chernobog and Morana in underground darkness. Despite all Morana's assurances that it was impossible to melt the icy grave of Dazhdbog and Lelya, Perun and Kiy managed to do this and resurrected the Gods.

Religious holidays

If the Slavs worshiped the phenomena of nature, then it is easy to guess on what occasions, at what time of the year they will celebrate their religious holidays, which are closely connected with nature and changes in it. The holiday of Kolyada, Ivan Kupala, Shrovetide were deeply revered by the people. At these festivities, the Slavs worshiped stone and wooden idols - the figures of the gods.

These idols were placed in the center of a round platform with a raised middle or, conversely, with a funnel-shaped depression in the center. The site was surrounded by one or two ditches and low ramparts. Sometimes inside the shaft was fenced with a palisade. An altar was placed next to the idol. The places where idols were worshiped were called "temples" (from the Old Slavonic "cap" - an image, an idol.), And those where sacrifices were made ("requirements") - "trebes". By our time, many pagan idols have already been found, but the most remarkable monument Slavic paganism is the four-headed Zbruch idol, found in the 19th century on the Zbruch River, a tributary of the Dniester. Conventionally, this idol is called Svyatovit. This is a tall four-sided pillar three meters high, on each side of which there are a series of images. Three horizontal tiers of images symbolize the division of the universe into heaven, earth and the underworld.
Above, on each side of the pillar, topped with one common cap, the figures of four deities are carved in full height- the goddess of fertility, Perun, a female deity with a ring in right hand and a male figure with a saber at his belt. In the middle tier, figures of men and women alternate - this is the Earth and a round dance of people holding hands. In the lower tier there are three figures of mustachioed men. These are the underground gods who support the Earth above them. The Slavs also had common wooden statues. Around 980, Prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich of Kiev set up huge idols of pagan deities in his capital. Among them, the wooden idol of Perun was especially luxuriously decorated: he had a silver head and a golden mustache. Wooden idols of the Eastern Slavs are pillars, in the upper part of which human heads were carved.

Sacrifices were made to these idols: animals, grain, various gifts, and sometimes human sacrifices. Near the image pagan gods there were divinations, ritual lots, which were performed by mysterious "wizards".

Magi, fortune-tellers, sorcerers, Bedouins, witches... Very little is known about the Slavic Magi, but Sergei Mikhailovich Solovyov in his work on the history of ancient Russia draws a close connection from the Slavic Magi to the Finnish Magi, explaining this by the close proximity of the two peoples; and notes that after the adoption of Christianity, the wise men mostly appear in the Finnish north and from there stir up the Slavic peoples.

Peoples about the world, expressed in religious beliefs, rituals and cults. It is closely connected with paganism and cannot be considered separately from it.

Slavic myths(summary and main characters) - the focus of this article. Consider the time of their occurrence, similarity with ancient legends and tales of other peoples, sources of study and the pantheon of deities.

The formation of Slavic mythology and its connection with the religious beliefs of other peoples

The myths of the peoples of the world (Slavic myths, ancient Greek and ancient Indian) have much in common. This suggests that they have a common beginning. Links their common origin from the Proto-Indo-European religion.

Slavic mythology was formed as a separate layer of the Indo-European religion over a long period - from the 2nd millennium BC. e.

The main features of Slavic paganism, reflected in mythology, are the cult of ancestors, belief in supernatural forces and lower spirits, and the spiritualization of nature.

Ancient Slavic myths are strikingly similar to the legends of the Baltic peoples, Indian, Greek and Scandinavian mythology. In all the myths of these ancient tribes, there was a god of thunder: the Slavic Perun, the Hittite Pirva and the Baltic Perkunas.

All these peoples have the main myth - this is the confrontation of the supreme deity with his main opponent, the Serpent. Similarities can also be seen in the belief in afterworld, which is separated from the world of the living by some kind of barrier: an abyss or a river.

Slavic myths and legends, like the legends of other Indo-European peoples, also tell about heroes fighting a snake.

Sources of information on the legends and myths of the Slavic peoples

Unlike Greek or Scandinavian mythology, the Slavs did not have their own Homer, who would take up the literary processing of ancient legends about the gods. Therefore, now we know very little about the process of formation of the mythology of the Slavic tribes.

The sources of written knowledge are the texts of Byzantine, Arabic and Western European authors of the period of the 6th - 13th centuries, Scandinavian sagas, ancient Russian chronicles, apocrypha, teachings. In a special place is the "Word of Igor's Campaign", which contains a lot of information about Slavic mythology. Unfortunately, all these sources are only a retelling of the authors, and they do not mention the legends in their entirety.

Slavic myths and legends have been preserved in folklore sources: epics, fairy tales, legends, conspiracies, proverbs.

The most reliable sources on the mythology of the ancient Slavs are archaeological finds. These include idols of gods, cult and ritual places, inscriptions, signs and decorations.

Classification of Slavic mythology

Gods should be distinguished:

1) Eastern Slavs.

2) Western Slavic tribes.

There are also common Slavic gods.

The idea of ​​the world and the Universe of the ancient Slavs

Due to the lack of written sources, almost nothing is known about the beliefs and ideas about the world of the Slavic tribes. Fragile information can be gleaned from archaeological sources. The most obvious of them is the Zbruch idol, found in the Ternopil region of Ukraine in the middle of the 19th century. It is a four-sided limestone pillar divided into three tiers. The lower one contains images of the underworld and the deities inhabiting it. The middle one is dedicated to the world of people, and the upper tier depicts the supreme gods.

Information about how ancient Slavic tribes represented the world around them, can be found in ancient Russian literature, in particular, in the Tale of Igor's Campaign. Here, in some passages, a connection with the World Tree is clearly traced, myths about which exist among many Indo-European peoples.

On the basis of the listed sources, the following picture is obtained: the ancient Slavs believed that there was an island (possibly Buyan) in the center of the oceans. Here, in the very center of the world, either the sacred stone Alatyr lies, which has healing properties, or the World Tree grows (almost always in myths and legends it is an oak). The Gagana bird sits on its branches, and under it is the snake Garafen.

Myths of the peoples of the world: Slavic myths (the creation of the Earth, the appearance of man)

The creation of the world among the ancient Slavs was associated with such a god as Rod. He is the creator of everything in the world. He separated the obvious world in which people live (Yav) from the invisible world (Nav). Rod is considered the supreme deity of the Slavs, the patron of fertility, the creator of life.

Slavic myths (the creation of the Earth and the appearance of man) tell about the creation of all things: the creator god Rod, together with his sons Belbog and Chernobog, decided to create this world. First, Rod from the ocean of chaos created three hypostases of the world: Yav, Nav and Rule. Then the Sun appeared from the face of the supreme deity, the moon appeared from the chest, and the eyes became stars. After the creation of the world, Rod remained in Prav - the dwelling place of the gods, where he leads his children and distributes responsibilities between them.

pantheon of deities

Slavic gods (myths and legends about which have been preserved in very small numbers) are quite extensive. Unfortunately, due to the extremely scarce information, it is difficult to restore the functions of many Slavic deities. The mythology of the ancient Slavs was not known until they reached the borders of the Byzantine Empire. Thanks to the records of the historian Procopius of Caesarea, it was possible to find out some details of the religious beliefs of the Slavic peoples. The Laurentian Chronicle mentions gods from the Vladimir pantheon. Having ascended the throne, Prince Vladimir ordered to place idols of the six most important gods near his residence.

Perun

The god of thunder is considered one of the main deities of the Slavic tribes. He was the patron of the prince and his squad. Among other nations, it is known as Zeus, Thor, Perkunas. First mentioned in The Tale of Bygone Years. Even then, Perun headed the pantheon of Slavic gods. They sacrificed to him, slaughtering a bull, and oaths and agreements were secured in the name of God.

The god of thunder was associated with heights, so his idols were set on the hills. The sacred tree of Perun was the oak.

After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', some of the functions of Perun passed to Gregory the Victorious and Elijah the Prophet.

solar deities

The god of the sun in Slavic myths was in second place in importance after Perun. Horse, that's what they called him. The etymology of the name is still unclear. According to the most common theory, it comes from the Iranian languages. But this version is very vulnerable, since it is difficult to explain how this word became the name of one of the main Slavic deities. The Tale of Bygone Years mentions Khors as one of the gods of the Vladimir pantheon. There is information about him in other ancient Russian texts.

Khors, the god of the sun in Slavic myths, is often mentioned along with other deities related to the heavenly body. This is Dazhbog - one of the main Slavic gods, the personification of sunlight, and Yarilo.

Dazhbog was also a deity of fertility. The etymology of the name does not cause difficulty - "the god who gives welfare", such is his approximate translation. He played a double function in the mythology of the ancient Slavs. As the personification of sunlight and warmth, he gave fertility to the soil and at the same time was a source of royal power. Dazhbog is considered the son of Svarog, the blacksmith god.

Yarilo - a lot of ambiguities are connected with this character of Slavic mythology. Until now, it has not been precisely established whether it should be considered a deity, or whether it is a personification of one of the holidays of the ancient Slavs. Some researchers consider Yarilo a deity of spring light, warmth and fertility, others - a ritual character. He was represented as a young man on a white horse and in a snow-white robe. On her hair is a wreath of spring flowers. In the hands of the deity of spring light holds ears of cereal. Where he appears, there will certainly be a good harvest. Yarilo also engendered love in the heart of the one he looked at.

Researchers agree on one thing - this character of Slavic mythology cannot be called the god of the sun. Ostrovsky's play "The Snow Maiden" fundamentally misinterprets the image of Yarilo as a solar deity. In this case, Russian classical literature plays the role of harmful propaganda.

Mokosh (Makosh)

There are very few female deities in Slavic mythology. Of the main ones, only such as Mother - Cheese Earth and Mokosh can be named. The latter is mentioned among other idols installed by order of Prince Vladimir in Kyiv, which indicates the importance of this female deity.

Mokosh was the goddess of weaving and spinning. She was also revered as the patroness of crafts. Her name is associated with two words "wet" and "spinning". The day of Mokosh's week was Friday. On this day, it was strictly forbidden to engage in weaving and spinning. As a sacrifice, Mokosh was presented with yarn, throwing it into the well. The goddess was represented as a long-armed woman spinning at night in houses.

Some researchers suggest that Mokosh was the wife of Perun, so she was given an honorable place among the main Slavic gods. The name of this female deity is mentioned in many ancient texts.

After the adoption of Christianity in Rus', part of the features and functions of Mokosh passed to St. Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa.

Stribog

Mentioned in the Vladimir pantheon as one of the main gods, but its function is not entirely clear. Perhaps he was the god of the winds. In ancient texts, his name is often mentioned together with Dazhbog. It is not known whether there were holidays dedicated to Stribog, since there is very little information about this deity.

Volos (Veles)

Researchers tend to believe that these are still two different characters of myths. Volos is the patron saint of domestic animals and the god of prosperity. In addition, he is the god of wisdom, the patron of poets and storytellers. It is not for nothing that Boyan from The Tale of Igor's Campaign is called Veles' grandson in the poem. A few uncompressed stalks of cereals were left on the field as a gift to him. After acceptance Slavic peoples In Christianity, the functions of Volos were taken over by two saints: Nicholas the Wonderworker and Blasius.

As for Veles, this is one of the demons, the evil spirit that Perun fought.

Slavic mythical creatures - forest dwellers

Several characters were associated with the forest among the ancient Slavs. The main ones were water and goblin. With the advent of Christianity in Rus', they began to attribute exclusively negative features, making them demonic creatures.

Leshy is the owner of the forest. They also called him a forester and a forest spirit. He carefully guards the forest and its inhabitants. WITH a good man the relationship is neutral - the goblin does not touch him, and can even come to the rescue - take him out of the forest if he gets lost. Negative attitude towards bad people. Their forest master punishes: makes them stray and can tickle to death.

Before people, the goblin appears in different guises: human, vegetable, animal. The ancient Slavs had an ambivalent attitude towards him - the goblin was revered and feared at the same time. It was believed that shepherds and hunters needed to make a deal with him, otherwise the goblin could steal cattle or even a person.

Water - a spirit that lives in reservoirs. He was represented as an old man with a fish tail, beard and mustache. It can take the form of a fish, a bird, pretend to be a log or a drowned man. Especially dangerous during big holidays. Vodyanoy likes to settle in whirlpools, under mills and sluices, in polynyas. He has herds of fish. It is hostile to a person, always trying to drag under the water the one who came to swim at an inopportune time (noon, midnight and after sunset). The favorite fish of the merman is catfish, on which he rides like a horse.

There were other, lower beings, such as the forest spirit. In Slavic myths, he was called Auka. He never sleeps. He lives in a hut in the very thicket of the forest, where there is always a supply of melt water. A special expanse for Auka comes in winter, when the wood goblin falls asleep. The forest spirit is hostile to humans - it will try to lead a random traveler into a windbreak or make him circle until he gets tired.

Bereginya - this mythical female character has an unclear function. According to the most common version, this is a forest deity that protects trees and plants. But also the ancient Slavs considered the shores to be mermaids. Their sacred tree- This is a birch, which was very revered by the people.

Borovik is another forest spirit in Slavic mythology. Outwardly, it looks like a huge bear. It can be distinguished from a real animal by the absence of a tail. Under him are boletus mushrooms - the owners of mushrooms, similar to little old men.

Kikimora marsh is another colorful character in Slavic mythology. He does not like people, but he will not touch them as long as the travelers are quiet in the forest. If they are noisy and harm plants or animals, a kikimora can make them stray through the swamp. Very secretive, very rarely seen.

Bolotnik - a mistake would be to confuse it with a water one. The swamp among the ancient Slavs has always been considered a place where evil spirits live. The swamp was represented as a terrible creature. This is either an immobile eyeless fat man, covered with a layer of algae, silt, snails, or A tall man with long arms, overgrown with dirty gray hair. He cannot change his appearance. Represents a great danger to a person or animal caught in a swamp. He grabs the victim, stuck in the quagmire, by the legs and drags him to the bottom. There is only one way to destroy the swamp - by draining its swamp.

Slavic myths for children - briefly about the most interesting

Acquaintance with samples of ancient Russian literature, oral legends and myths is of great importance for the comprehensive development of children. Both adults and the smallest need to know about their past. Slavic myths (grade 5) will introduce schoolchildren to the pantheon of the main gods and the most famous legends. The reading book on literature includes an interesting retelling of A.N. Tolstoy about Kikimor, there is information about the main characters in the mythology of the ancient Slavs, and an idea is given of such a concept as a “temple”.

If desired, parents can introduce the child to the pantheon of Slavic gods and other mythological creatures at an earlier age. It is advisable to choose positive characters, and do not tell young children about such frightening creatures as navy, sinister, werewolves.

To get acquainted with the characters of Slavic mythology, you can recommend the book by Alexander Asov "Myths of the Slavs for children and their parents." It will be of interest to both the younger generation and the older. Svetlana Lavrova is another good author who wrote the book Slavic Tales.