Leszek Kolankiewicz in his groundbreaking work Dziady resuscitated the Polish Pantheon. His ambitious book also tried to tackle the mention of the Goddess (or God?) by the name of Boda. That mention appears to occur only once in the 1538 (?) book Powieść rzeczy istej (see here) as part of a list of three idols: Lada, Boda, Leli:

Kolankiewicz thought that Boda appears in another work – Wacław Potocki’s 1697 translation of John Barclay’s “Argenis” (Argenida). Specifically, he mentions the following line:

O Palladzie ni dudu, ni słówka o Bodzie…

which roughly translates to:

Of Pallas [Athena] no mention, no word of Boda…

This would appear to put Boda on par with Pallas Athena (translated as Pallada into Polish in this case).

The problem with this interpretation is visible if we actually look at the same passage in print (on the left below):

All proper names in this Argenis translation are italicized. Pallas is italicized. But Boda is not. What is more, Boda, in the dative Bodze, appears at least twice more in the book (see on the rights side above), in each case without any italics.

In fact, a cursory review of Polish works suggests that Bodze was another manner of writing Boże, that is “God”. In other words, Potocki’s Bodze was referring to the Pallas Athene – the Pallada – mentioned immediately prior.

Although the Powieść rzeczy istej definitely lists Boda as among Lada and Leli, it is thus possible that the scribe or printer simply mistook the worshippers’ cries of Lado or Lada Boże.

A much more interesting question, however, is why Boda, or perhaps, Bod would even be used as the word for God in Polish and what that says about:

• the derivation of the Suavic Bóg from Bhagga
• the source of the Suavic word for “freedom: > swoboda
  
• the connection between the Germanic Boden and the Suavic concept of Mother Earth

Thus, we have labodzić or lebodzić meaning “to complain” (to God) from the complaint la Boga! presumably (and also labieda or biadać meaning “to despair” possibly the source also of bieda meaning “poverty” – from “poor Boda” meaning “poor Boden” or soil leading to a poor harvest?)

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It’s really great to see some of the calligraphy from medieval manuscripts that anyone can nowadays pull up and enjoy  :-). This is from Cambridge’s Corpus Christi College collection.

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The  Chronicle of Bernold, a monk of Saint Blaise orBlasien abbey, aka Bernold of Constance (11th century) does not have many mentions of Suavs and it is a rather late chronicle for purposes of this site but the few mentions it has are interesting. Here are those mentions in the translation by Ian Stuart Robinson from his “The Swabian Chronicles.” The abbey itself was in the Black Forest. The notes come from that editor.

1067

“Saxony was afflicted by civil strife. The Normans wished to make a hostile advance on Rome. Bishop Burchard of Halberstadt courageously wrought destruction* among the people of the Liutizi…”

* This expedition of Burchard II (1066-1085) took place in 1068.

1069

“…King Henry brought destruction to the people of the Liutizi…”

1077

“The duke of the Poles crowned himself king.* A very great quantity of snow covered the whole kingdom from 31 October of the previous year until 26 March of the present year… King Rudolf, however, celebrated Easter with the greatest splendour in Augsburg with the legates of the apostolic see… After Easter the king held a great assembly with the princes of the kingdom in  Esslingen. When this was over, he went with an extremely small body of men to lay siege to a certain fortress. But behold! His rival Henry unexpectedly arrived with a very great host of Bohemians and Bavarians, whose services he was suddenly able to purchase with church property. The king would most willingly ave encountered them, even with the few men whom he had with him at that time, if his princes had not judged it more prudent to defer the encounter to another time. Henry, therefore, took the opportunity to lay waste all the surrounding lands with unceasing plundering and with fire and sword and also to hold men captive like cattle. For his supporters from Bohemia preyed on men more willingly than on cattle so that they might inhumanely prostitute them to satisfy their lust and afterwards even more inhumanely sell them to be eaten by wild men…”

* Bolesuav II the Bold, duke of Poland (1058-1076), king (1076-1083).

1087

“..A that time also Henry, although ill, led an expedition into Saxony with the Bohemians. But since Saint Peter protected his vassals he withdrew from there ingloriously and extremely hastily. For King Herman pursued him with so great a host of Saxons that eh could very easily have seized him, had he not escaped through the cunning of Count Ekbert…”

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Incidentally, while on the topic of Saint John’s Eve we can finally resolve the “mystery” of the etymological origin of Kupala. Why, in Ruthenia, is there an “Ivan Kupala” while in Western Suav countries there is Saint John’s Eve festivities? Well, Ivan is simply John so that takes care of itself. But what Kupala? The answer, as is often the case, is in Frazer. Though he did not know he was solving a mystery, in fact he did just that when he described a custom practiced in Prussia whereby “the farmers used to send out their servants, especially their maids, to gather Saint John’s wort on Midsummer’s Day (Saint John’s Day).”

The bundle gathered was called the, note this, Kupole. Of course, this is completely understandable by any Suavic speaker. The servants were sent ku pole that is “to the fields” and that is precisely what the mysterious Kupala means. The various folks who were heading out “into the fields” for Saint John’s Day festivities were heading out for a Kupala. Note that Kolberg observes the dances around fires took place at an ugór that is an unused field. Thus, Kupala has nothing to do with “taking a bath” (that is kąpiel) or with water but rather is simply a shortening of the exact description of the activity in which these folks engaged in – heading towards the fields (so as to dance around fires).

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The German city of Nuremberg (Nürnberg) lies on the river Pegnitz. It is first mentioned in 1050 as Norenberc. It appears as Nuorenberc in 1112 and as Nurinberch in 1142. The etymology is uncertain (not of berg just of Nurem, of course). Interestingly, a Norican (for obvious reasons) and Slavic etymology has been thought of. For example, Friedrich Wilhelm Barthold certainly thought this a possibility:

The Slavic version would come from nora meaning a “hole”. Were there Slavs that far south? Well, there are some mentions of Slavs north of Nuremberg and there are some towns with
-winden suffixes in the area.

Gasthaus zum Wenden in Wendelstein just east of Nuremberg

But there is a more interesting possibility. According to Nestor, Slavs were “Noricans”. If so, the Slavic and Norican etymology would be the same thing. What of the Neuri (Νευροί) of Herodotus’ fame, then?

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Here are some interesting names of towns found in the northeast of France. Some of those I already wrote about. Others are new:

• Barlin
• Moskou
• Ostreville
• Servins
• Sclassin
• Saisinne (Belgium)
• Gedinne
• Wellin
• Baerzin
• Sorbais
• Crupilly
• Gribelle
• Masta
• Wavrin
• Wavre (Belgium)
• Peronnes
• Peronne
• Ostreville
• Lessive
• Viesly
• Surice
• Vron
• Verchin
• Sachin
• Lugy

Of course, there are many others elsewhere in France:

• Beslon (in the North)
• Belz (this in the West)
• Ustaritz (Southwest)
• Biarritz (same)
• Baby (by Paris)
• Bubry (Bretagne)

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The Lithuanian Goddess Aušrinė was first mentioned under the name Ausca by Jan Łasicki in “Concerning the gods of Samagitians, and other Sarmatians and false Christians” or De diis Samagitarum caeterorumque Sarmatarum et falsorum Christianorum. That book was written at the end of the 16th century but first published in 1615. Łasicki says:

Ausca, dea est radiorum solis vel occumbentis, vel supra horizontem ascendentis.

According to whoever put this on Wikipedia (haven’t checked), there is a myth about Aušrinė (which was analyzed by the Lithuanian scholar Algirdas Julien Greimas in detail and) which:

“tells a story of Joseph who becomes fascinated with Aušrinė appearing in the sky and goes on a quest to find the ‘second sun.’ After much adventure, he learns that it was not the second sun, but a maiden, who lives on an island in the sea and has the same hair as the Sun. With advice from the Northern Wind, Joseph reaches the island, avoids a guardian bull, and becomes the maiden’s servant caring for her cattle. In the tale, Aušrinė appeared in three forms: as a star in the sky, as a maiden on land, and as a mare in the sea. After a few years, Joseph puts a single hair of the maiden into an empty nutshell and throws it into the sea. A ray from the sea becomes reflected into the sky as the biggest star. Greimas concludes that this tale is a double origin myth: the story describes the origin of Tarnaitis and the ascent of Aušrinė herself into the sky.”

What’s fascinating about this is that this, if true, is either the same story as that, or, at the very least is very similar to the story, of Jason and the Golden Fleece. For more on the idea of Baltic-Greek connections, you can see “The Baltic Origins of Homer’s Epic Tales.” Though some of its ideas are a bit wacky, others are interesting if you’re willing to go for the ride!

Finally, note too the Tacitan connection where in Germania we are told:

“They even believe that the female sex has a certain sanctity and prescience, and they do not despise their counsels, or make light of their answers. In [the emperor] Vespasian’s days we saw Veleda, long regarded by many as a divinity. In former times, too, they venerated Aurinia, and many other women, but not with servile flatteries, or with sham deification.”

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This is an interesting description (mostly based on Maciej of Miechow but with an addition as to current practices) by a priest (rector of the Holy Trinity Church in Vilnius), Marcin Tworzydło, from his “A Closer Look on the Reflection on Christian Services in Poland” or Okulary na zwierciadło nabożeństwa chrześciańskiego w Polszcze.  (He actually used the word “glasses” or “looking glass” but a “closer look” translates better).

This was published in 1594 and was itself a response to a pamphlet written by a Protestant from the Czech Unity of the Brethren (a Hussite movement that turned Protestant) Simon Theophilus Turnowski:

“…For you are so blind that you cannot tell apart painting and an idol. But have you seen that the ancient Poles should ever have burned down any depiction of Christ the Lord or the Virgin Mary or any other saints? Where have you read of that? Which chronicle tells of this? I do know that they had burned down their Gods and idols: Jessa, Lada, Pochwisciel [Pochwist], Lel Polel and other devils whom, having been pagans, they earlier worshipped as Gods. It was these that Miesco ordered to be burned, drowned and destroyed ordering at the pain of death to only worship the one God in the Holy Trinity. And as a remembrance of this, there was this custom in Poland that each year at the Laetare Sunday, children, having put together such an idol, would then drown it in the river singing Lada, Leli, Leli and then quickly rush home – a custom that they sometimes still preserve. But that they should ever burn a Christian image, that has not been seen…”

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This grant issued by Bolesław IV the Curly on April 11, 1165 in the city of Płock [puotsk] in favor of the Church of Saint John the Evangelist in Mogilno is interesting mostly for the list of Polish place and individual names it features. Rather than translating the whole thing, I’ve highlighted those names below. I’ve ignored obviously non-Slavic names such as: Stepan, Michal, Iohan or Valter.  The text comes from Bielowski’s Great Poland Diplomatic Codex (document number 3).

One other thing: it is possible that the Bolesław was Bolesław II the Bold (or Generous), in which case the document would have to be dated to 1065.

“In nomine sancte et individue Trinitatis amen. Animadvertat hoc testimonium veritas omnis ecclesia religionis, quod ego Boleslaus exempla fidelium sequtus, quatenus cum defecero recipi merear in thabernaculis iustorum, contuli de omnibus ad me pertinentibus ecclesie Mogilnensi sancti Iohannis Ewangeliste transitus omnes per Vyslam de Camen usque ad mare, transitus Navchre in Wyzna et in Macow, et per totam Mazowiam nonum forum, nonum denarium, nonum porcum, nonum poledrum, nonum piscem sum largitus; quod ne quis ulterius irritum faciat, auctoritate omnipotentis Dei sit prohibitus. Et hec sunt nomina castrorum: Grudenczch, Zacroczin, Syrozch cum medio theloneo per fluvium Bug; Ripin, Scechin, Seprch, Nowum Radcez, Oszelzch, Zyremdzco, Cechonow, Stolpsco, Grebezco, Nasylsco, Wyszegrod, Ploczch, Dobrzin, Wlodislaw, Przypusth, Plonzch; in Llonzin decem marcas, in Sbuczimir septem marcas, in Sarnow duas marcas et dimidiam, in Rospir septem marcas. Hec sunt nomina villarum quas contulimus cum omni libertate et iure supradicte ecclesie sancti Iohannis Ewangeliste in Mogilna: Czirwyenzch, Crzechnow, Bolino, Welerych, Tossowo, (2 litt. delet.) .. romnow, Golumbino, ecclesiam sancti Llaurencii in Ploczch. Item in Byelsco ecclesiam sancti Iohannis Babtiste cum ipsa villa prenotata, foro, tabernis, targowe, et cum omni libertate. Ecclesiam sancti Iohannis in Wladislaw. In Culmine nonum forum cum thabernario. Clestitarw, Czechre, Dalachowo, Opathowo, Woyuczino, Ffaleczino, Maczewo, Llubessowo cum medio lacu, Radzencze cum fluvio ex utraque rippa, Czarnothil per medium, Olsze, Bystrzicza, Zabno, Chelpsco, Sedno, Wyeczanowa, Llezno, Sceglino, Domanino, Subino, Bogdanowo, Sczibersco, Czycharowo; ecclesiam sancti Iacobi in Mogilna quam fundavit Sbyluth miles, addens eidem ecclesie hereditatem Bogussino cum consensu amicorum suorum. Item aliam ecclesiam in honore sancti Clementis miles magnus Dobrogostius, addens eidem ecclesie hereditatem Padnyewo cum consensu amicorum suorum, edificavit. Item Paulus et Zemwa fratres dederunt duas villas, Llizecz et Rypin. Item Odolan dedit Socolowo. Item Andreas Gocunowo. Item ego Boleslaus addiciens predictis notum esse volo concambium villarum quod feci cum Mogilnensi abbate Mengosio: villam enim Raniglow all ipso accepi et homini meo Nanzlav petenti contuli; pro qua villam Krzithe cum medio lacu et fluvio per medium, eidem abbati et ecclesie Mogilnensi tradidi. Sed quia hec recompensacio sufficiens esse non videbatur, sortem Curani cum eodem Curano et filiis suis addidi et in nomine virtutis Ihesu Christi confirmavi. Item hec sunt nomina servorum ascripticiorum quos eidem contuli ecclesie cum omni iure: Wigan cum tota consanguinitate sua, Radecz, Sulentha cum cognacione sua, Zavisch, Radith cum cognacione sua, Wolis, Zabor, Radeg, Zandan, Doman, Damamir, Syla, Nesul, Sulim cum fratre suo, Neszda cum cognacione sua, Malsa cum fratribus, Godes cum fratre suo, Calik, Sulimir, Milon, Wesan cum filiis, Poznomir, Czychon, Belen, Sulen cum fratre suo, Cyrneg, Sciza, Zelistrig, Targossa, Gromiss, Zdema cum fratre suo, Pozar, Golandin, Gudes, Gonen, Riben cum fratre, Unimir, Zabos, Radosth, Zemir, Zyra, Vitosch cum fratre suo, Rucanca, Stepan, Sulimir, Wyscan, Domasul cum fratribus suis, Nedamir cum filiis suis, Sdan cum filiis, Przibislav cum filiis suis, Bogdan, Michal, Stanecz cum fratre suo, Rados. Item homicidia tam inter duos ascripticios quam inter duos liberos, vel ex una parte liberi ex alia parte ascripticii villarum supradicte domus, per totum eidem ecclesie cedant. Ne ergo hec nostra liberalis et salubris donacio, ad honorem omnipotentis Dei et sancti Iohannis Ewangeliste ex intimo affectu collata, aliqua temeritate infringatur, sed ut a me et a meis posteris inviolabiliter observetur, presentem litteram precepi mei sigilli munimine et subscripcione testium confirmari. Actum et datum anno Incarnacionis dominice millesimo sexagesimo quinto, tercio Idus Aprilis in Ploczk, presentibus: venerabili patre Allexandro Plocensis ecclesie episcopo, principe milicie Weszborio, Iohanne cancellario, procuratore Troyano; Wysna, Iohanne canonico Plocensis ecclesie, Valtero eiusdem ecclesie canonico et aliis quam pluribus fide dignis et honestis.”

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If you want to read something truly laughable, you should read “The History Files”, an amusing set of descriptions of various tribes in Europe.

Based on a review of this pseudo-history site, an inescapable conclusion is that a pair of retarded monkeys with a history fetish could have put together a more accurate and honest description of Europe’s past.

The reader should be already alerted by the fact that for a history of Poland, the only thing that is cited is a work by one M. Ross of Durham (!) from 1835:  A History of Poland from its Foundation…

The thing is put out by a one man shop out of Taunton in the UK.

Here are some pearls from the site:

“Poland occupies a large area of Central  Europe bordering the southern Baltic Sea. Its history is a long one, covering several Bronze Age and Iron Age cultures, the latter of which saw the settlement of Belgic groups [!] who became collectively known as the Venedi, settling along the east bank of the Vistula.”

Did you know that the Venedi were “Belgic”? (The source for this is unclear but I assume that it must be Strabo who thought the Veneti of Vannes to be a Belgic tribe and, perhaps, the Adriatic Veneti but 1) that should make you think about who the Belgae really were and 2) Strabo said nothing at all about the Vistula Veneti).  There are tons of “Venetic” names throughout Europe – all you have to do is look at Ptolemy.

Or this:

“the last two centuries BC Germanic settlement from Scandinavia formed minor (tribal) states on the southern Baltic coast and west bank of the Vistula. Of these, the Buri and Lugii occupied areas of southern Poland,”

Did you know that the Buri and Lugi were Germanic?  No? No problem, now you do.

But the most amusing thing is this:

“The Late Bronze Age Lusatian culture … covered all of modern Poland with extensions into modern Czechia [!] and Slovakia, north-western Ukraine, and areas of central eastern Germany and eastern Pomerania… the Lusatian evolved directly into the subsequent Pomeranian culture. The ethnic composition of the Lusatian people is questionable, but they would have pre-dated the arrival of Germanics into the region.”

Here is a hint:

• The Lusatians were the Veneti

So what happened?

• Pre-Lusatian > Lusatian = Venetic = Suevic > Slavs

That said, it is probably true that some people really did crawl out of the Pripet Marshes.  You can tell who they are by the fact that they think they are Slavs and since their ancestors did crawl out of the marsh, so, too, must have the Slavs.

Lesson learned:

when they arrived on Slavic doorstep, still dripping with Pripet’s marsh goo, the Suavs should have just given them the Saint Adalbert treatment.

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