Category Archives: Ukrainians

Yāqūt on the Rus Religion

PublishedOctober 8, 2021 Post authortorino

Yāqūt Shihāb al-Dīn ibn-‘Abdullāh al-Rūmī al-Hamawī (1179–1229) was a Greek (al-Rumi) born in Constantinople captured by the Muslims, made a slave but then freed.

His most famous work is the “Dictionary of Countries” (Kitāb Mu’jam al-Buldān), compiled between 1224 and 1228. It is in that work that he briefly mentions the Rus religion – notably distinguishing the Rus from Suavs. It is that passage that made it into Meyer’s compendium and it is for that reason that we include it here:

“The Rus are one of the peoples who border the Suavs and the Turks. They have their own language and a religion (din) and a law based on religion which is different from everyone else’s… These days, as is well known, they belong to the Christian religion.”

Note that Yāqūt’s work contains other entries on Suavs themselves but not on their religion.

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October 8, 2021

Magdeburg Annals

PublishedMarch 23, 2021 Post authortorino

The German Annals of Magdeburg contain several mentions of paganism in the Suavic lands. The following comes from Meyer. The English is in substantial part from the Juan Antonio Álvarez-Pedrosa compilation (translators of the Latin texts include Julia Mendoza Tuñón and Sandra Romano Martín as well) with some exceptions and expanded by the addition of certain parts quoted by Meyer that Álvarez-Pedrosa’s book does not include. As usual, I also changed some of their English to better reflect (at least in my view) the text.

Entry under the year 938

“We do not consider it idle to dedicate a few words to the tradition of the ancients regarding the first founding of such a famous city, and where it go its name of Parthenopolis or Magdeburg. For that extremely powerful Caesar, called Julius as he was of the old line of Julus, son of Aeneas, once he had reached the category of dictator of Rome in the company of Crassus and Pompey, as he received all of Gaul as the third part of the Roman Empire, to subjugate through arms, when he arrived to the land of that people who had been entrusted to him, whether to rest more securely with his army, or whether to more easily dominate the tribes of the area, he founded several cities in suitable places for them, some of which he ordered tbe provided with wooden and earth walls, and most with a stone wall, so that, once the work was done, it would serve a multitude of people arriving en masse. Among these cities, and not the smallest, he founded this one in honor of Diana, as the pagans, in their absurd error, believed that she was the goddess of virginity; she was called parthena, from the word parthenu, which is how you say ‘virgin’ in Greek; and thus, from parthena, that is, Diana, he called the city Parthenopolis, that is, the city of the parthena. The Barbarian name is also recorded, because Magadeburg is how to say city of the virgin. Caesar himself also built within the city, according to the story, on the bank of the Elbe River, a temple, and inside an idol of Diana herself, where, having anointed many maidens to the practice of this religion, he arranged the sacred ceremonies for the goddess that posterity celebrated… Charlemagne… destroyed the altars of this idol and ordered that a chapel to protomartyr Saint Stephen be consecrated there.”*

[*note: The town of Magdeburg was also called Děvín in Czech (and Dziewin in Polish). This is generally assumed to be a late translation from 1700 of the German etymology of the city’s name, that is a city of women – from “Magd,” a young woman. Hence also the annalist’s reference to Parthenopolis – a city of maidens same etymology as that of the Parthenon – Παρθενώνας, Parthenónas – referring to “unmarried women’s apartments” being, most likely, a reference to Athena. A connection with the Parthians – their country being Parθava – is unlikely though given where the Greeks located the Amazons, possible. Other “Greek” names appear in Central Europe. For example, Partęczyny (Groß Partenschin). On the other hand, the annalist’s Diana reference brings to mind the Suavic Goddess Devana (also venerated apparently among the Sorbs) and provides an independent argument for an earlier dating of Děvín/Dziewin.]

Entry under the year 1147
(this describes the so-called Wendish Crusade)

“In the same year around the feast of SaintPeter’s, urged on by divine inspiration and Church authorities and reminded [of their duty?] by the many pious, a great host of Christians, taking with them the life-giving sign of the cross, went forth against the heathens who dwell in the north, in order either to bring them into Christianity’s fold or, with God’s help, to destroy them. In this fellowship there went Frederic the Archbishop of Magdeburg, Rudolf [the first] Bishop of Halberstadt, Werner [von Steußlingen Bishop of] Münster, Reinhard [Raynard of Querfurt the Bishop of] Merseburg, Wiggar [Bishop of] Brandenburg, Anselm [Bishop of] Havelberg, Henry [Zdík aka Jindřich Zdík, Bishop of] Moravia [Olomouc] and Wibald [of Stavelot aka Stablo] the abbot of Corvey; margrave Conrad [the Great], margrave Albert [the Bear], count palatine Frederick, count palatine Herman and many companions and sixty thousand armed fighters. In the meantime another group formed with Albert [the second] Archbishop of Bremen, Dietmar [the second] Bishop of Verden [an der Aller], Henry [III, the Lion] duke of Saxony, Conrad duke of Burgundy [?] [and] Hartwig, an esteemed leader with many companions and nobles and other armed men numbering forty thousand fighters. Also the King of Denmark [joined], with the bishops of his land and with the whole strength of his people; he collected a large number of ships and delivered an army consisting of about a hundred thousand soldiers. Also the brother of the duke of Poland came forth with twenty thousand fighting men. And his older brother [duke Bolesuav IV the Curly] also went forth against the barbarian Prussians and stayed there for a long time. The Ruthenians,* who, although they were not all Catholic, at least in name were Christians, by the unfathomable will of God, also joined the campaign against the Prussians with a large number of armed men.** All of them with a large apparatus of war and convoy and admirable devotion entered different places of the pagans’ land and the entire country trembled before them, and, traversing the country for almost three months, they destroyed everything, they set fire to the cities and towns, and they burned the temple along with the idols that were outside the city of Malchon*** together with the city itself.”

[*note: the Ukrainians/Rus]
[**note: This section appears to refer to the separate campaigns of Bolesuav IV the Curly (Kędzierzawy) against the Prussians which lasted from 1147 to 1166]
[***note: Malchow in Mecklenburg-Schwerin]

Entry under the year 1169

“In Syria, the Earth shook the foundations of Antioch and other cities, one of which a watery abyss attempted to swallow. Valdemar, king of the Danes, accompanied by the princes of the Lutici, went forth against the Rani, and burned their gods and, having taken much gold and silver from their famous temple, he imposed upon the Rani a semblance of Christianity, which in a short time, both because of his own greed, as well as the shortage of missionaries and apathy, ended. Daniel, the bishop of Prague died [in 1167 as per Prague Annals]; he was followed by Friedrich [Bedřich] from Magdeburg.”

Sub anno 938

“Sed antequam de hac fundatione plenius dicamus, non ociosum putamus, si de tam famose civitatis prima fundatione, et umde hoc nomen Parthenopolis sive Magadeburg suscepit, penes tradicionem veterum paucis perstringamus. Cesar igitur ille quondam potentissimus, ab Yulo Aeneae filio stirpis dirivatione cognominatus Iulius, dictatoris ordine cum Crasso et Pompeio sublimatus Romae, cum totam Galliam trinae divisionis Romano imperio armis subiugandam suscepisset, in has susceptae gentis partes veniens, tum ut eo tucius cum exercitu pausaret, tum ut circumpositas nationes facilius coerceret, plures competentibus in locis civitates condidit, quarum momnullas terrae lignique materia circumvallatas plerasque etiam murorum ambitu cinctas munire studuit, quantum opere festimato valuit inhianter accedens multitudo. lnter quas et hanc non infimam ad honorem Dianae condidit, quae quia apud gentiles dea virginitatis stulto errore credebatur, a parthenu , quod Grece virgo dicitur, ipsa parthena quoque vocabatur, sicque a parthena, id est Diana, Parthenopolim , id est parthenae urbem, appellavit. Quod etiam barbarum momen testatur, quia Magadeburg quasi virginis urbs dicitur. Fecit quoque idem Cesar intra urbem, ut fertur, iuxta ripam Albiae fluminis templum, immo ydolium eiusdem Dianae. ubi ad supplementum religionis pluribus virginibus dicatis, sacra deae statuit quae posteritas celebravit. Decursis post haec pluribus annis cum summae virtutis Karolus magnus sceptra regni gerens, ut suo in loco plenius digessimus, Saxoniam continuis bellorum procellis subactam ad fidem Christi convertisset, huius ydolii aras destruxit, et oratorium prothomartyris Stephani ibi dedicari fecit, et diocesi Halberstadensi ipsam civitatem subiecit.”

Sub anno 1147

“Eodem anno circa festum sancti Petri, divina inspiratione et apostolice auctoritatis exortatione et multorum religiosorum ammonitione, magna christiane militiae multitudo contra paganos versus aquilonem habitantes assumpto signo vivifice crucis exiverat, ut eos aut christiane religioni subderet, aut Deo auxiliante omnino deleret. Ubi in una societate convenerant Fridericus archiepiscopus Magadaburgensis, Rotholfus Halverstadensis episcopus, Wernherus Monasteriensis, Reinhaldus Mersburgensis, Wickerus Brandeburgensis, Anshelmus Havelbergensis, Heinricus Moraviensis episcopi et Wibolt Corbegensis abbas, Conradus marchio, Adalbertus marchio, Fridericus palatinus comes, Hermannus palatinus comes cum multis comitibus et armatis bellatoribus sexaginta milibus. Interim in alia societate se in unum collegerant Albero Bremensis archiepiscopus, Thietmarus Fardensis episcopus, Heinricus dux Saxonie, Conradus dux Burgundie, Hartwigus princeps prenobilis cum multis comitibus et nobilibus et ceteris armatis numero quadraginta milibus pugnatorum. Rex eciam Dacie cum episcopis terre illius et cum universo robore gentis sue, maxima multitudine classium collecta, circiter centum milibus exercitum paraverat. Item frater ducis Poloniae cum viginti milibus armatorum exiverat. Cuius etiam frater maior cum infinito exercitu adversus Pruscos crudelissimos barbaros venit, et diutius ibi moratus est. Contra quos etiam Rutheni, licet minus catholici tamen christiani nominis karacterem habentes, inestimabili Dei nutu cum maximis armatorum copiis exiverunt. Hi equidem omnes cum maximo apparatu et commeatu et mirabili devotione in diversis partibus terram paganorum ingressi sunt, et tota terra a facie eorum contremuit, et fere per tres menses peragrando omnia vastaverunt, civitates et oppida igni succenderunt, fanum eciam cum idolis quod erat ante civitatem Malchon, cum ipsa civitate.”

Sub anno 1169

“lm Syria Antiochia et aliae civitates terre motu a fundamentis concussae sunt, quarum una terre hiatu absorpta stagnantis abyssi faciem pretendit. Waldomarus rex Danorum, adiumctis sibi Liuticiorum principibus ad Rugianos profectus, deos eorum succidit, et multo auro et argemto de precipuo fano ipsorum ablato, umbram eis christianitatis impressit, que im brevi tam ipsius avaricia quam doctorum penuria et desidia abolita est. Daniel Pragensis Boemie episcopus obiit, cui subrogatur Fridericus, assumptus de choro Magdeburgensi.”

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March 23, 2021

Poloni

PublishedJanuary 10, 2021 Post authortorino

It has become fashionable for certain elitist circles to try to denigrate Polish nationalism by pointing out that the idea of the “Polish nation” was for years restricted to the upper classes. The transparent intent is to take the air out of the nationalist balloon that had pumped up the rather overly pleased egos of some nationalists hailing from the plebeian classes – whether “worker” of “farmer” (though the former, if you look back a couple of generations, almost always leads to the latter). (An analogous mechanism is at work where similar elites throw various Jesus quotes at self-professed Christians with the putative aim of exposing hypocrisy and teaching Christians how to be better Christians but, where one suspects, the more immediately satisfying goal is that of deflating – by means of a “burn” – some bloated evangelical egos).

There is no doubt that Poland, for many years, was quite an inequitable place. On the one hand, the gentry was much larger than the Western European aristocracy and benefitted from privileges not accorded its western counterpart. On the other hand, the serf class existed in what became increasingly a slave-like system of land management.

Yet, is the above-cited claim correct? Were these serfs really not Poles in the full sense of the word? This writer would beg to differ.

One could point to the fact that, whatever the definition of the “nation” was in the 16-18th centuries, if we look back further in time we see that matters were initially different. Thus, for example, we could note that the peasant enjoyed more freedoms under the Piasts than under the Jagiellons and elective kings and more still under the earlier Piasts.

But aside from substance, there are other, symbolic, indications that the serfs were in fact seen as part of the nation no less than the non-landed Americans were seen as American by the U.S.’ Founding Fathers. The mistake here is to regard the right to vote as determinative of whether someone belongs to the Nation. That kind of an approach would redefine Nation to mean no more than the upper class (or caste).

For one thing, we have the foundation stories of the Poles (and the Czechs) which take great care to speak of the founders of the first dynasty such as Piast (and Premysl) as tillers, farmers. Even in the PVL’s take on the history of Kievan Rus, the indigenous Kievan Polans’ leaders – Kyi, Shchek, Khoryv and their sister Lybid – appear to have had no great claim of an aristocratic heritage.

But there is another reason to think that Poles – in the sense of a Nation – were, well, just Poles. When the sermon speaks of Nos, enim Poloni, tres deos habemus, scilicet Lada, Nya, Iassa – we note that these “Poloni” that the writer is referring to were not the writer’s own social niveau. They could not have been because the royal, priestly, warrior, bureaucrat and, likely also townsperson, classes, must have been, by the 15th century, mostly Christianized.

The people that the writer is referring to as the “Poloni” were the peasants with whose serious Christianization the Church was becoming concerned first in the 14th/15th century. And, indeed, the reports of the Polish Gods – Yassa, Lado and others (incidentally, Deos – not Deas – whether that interpretation was right is another matter) – come from the countryside. What is surprising about this is that – even in the 19th century – Polish ethnographers were recording the Names – Jasień and Łado – in peasant songs. In other words, even half a millennium later, the Church, in substance, failed to persuade the masses of the attractiveness of the “original sin” / “repentance” theology.

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January 10, 2021

The Discovery of the Vandal Military-Industrial Complex’ Slush Fund Stash

PublishedJuly 8, 2020 Post authortorino

Earlier this year, archeologists announced the discovery (in 2019 near the village of Cichobórz by Lublin) of a treasure containing about 1753 “pieces” (or about 2.2 pounds worth of Roman denarii) from the 1st to 2nd century A.D. The assumption is that this treasure trove was hidden around the end of the 2nd or at the beginning of the 3rd century.

Now, the above is not disputed but then comes the following statement from local archeologist and Gothomaniac Kokowski:

“Shock, incredulity, happiness and elation; but in the back of my head [the word] ‘finally!’ My whole theory about the first battle for Hrubieszów Valley [between Vandals and Goths] has been given another strong argument. The retreating or rather fleeing Vandals were in such dire straits that they were hiding their valuables. Immediately after, there was a battle at Przewodowo; they buried Vandal warriors at Podlodów, Swaryczów and Tuczapy… It appears that its precisely here that the Vandals lost the [material] means for further warfare!”

Of course, no one can blame an archeologist for getting so excited. The find is remarkable and no doubt interesting and important for the history of the region. We cana hope that the local museums can use it to give us all a sharper glimpse of the area in pre-historic times.

But, as they say, “BUT…”.

And the ‘but’ here is rather large. In fact, there are two ‘but’s.

The first objection is that the find consists of less than 2,000 denarii. The pay of a legionary in at the end of the first century reached about 300 denarii annually. It was about 400 at the time of Septimius Severus (whose coins were found at the site and whose reign, therefore, provides a possible earliest dating for the treasure) at the beginning of the 3rd century. And it was 600 denarii at the time of Caracalla who followed Severus. (Of course, because of the debasement of silver coins in the later Roman army the real pay had not improved that much). If these events were happening at the beginning of the 3rd century, even assuming that local warriors’ pay would have been far less than a Roman legionary’s (obviously it also varied among units and based on rank), it is still hard to see how this treasure could have paid for more than a few people at most. No doubt the money was worth a lot to some local tribesman, maybe even a chieftain, but to suggest that anybody’s war machine would have been impacted by the loss of even a few thousand coins is, well, silly.

There is, as readers of this site, well know, a much bigger objection to Kokowski’s characterization. There is namely no reason to believe that there were ever any such tribe as “Vandals” in Poland (with the possible – though not probable – exception of the south western portions of the country). One might even go to say that there is no reason to believe that there was such a thing as Vandals at the beginning of the 3rd century. For either of those reasons, there is, it follows, then also no evidence that Vandals and Goths fought anywhere in the region where these finds were made (and this even assuming there were “Goths in that location – also a quiet unproven hypothesis!).

Of course, Kokowski already went on the record parroting Wolfram’s and other earlier confabulators’ dreams of a “Lugian/Legian” – Vandal connection (in Wandale – Lugiowie – kultura przeworska) so his position is, if anything, consistent. For a discussion of the background of some (and, let’s be honest, possible motivations) of the authorities on which Kokowski principally relied on (for example, Mr. Martin Jahn), see this post. In any event, there is no reason to connect the Przeworsk culture to any hypothetical Vandals.

In other words, this is all made up wishful thinking to prove an existing and highly doubtful pet theory.

(And to be clear, I have no problem with Vandals or, for that matter Goths, in Poland. History is what it is but the burden of proof should be on the person positing such a claim and, so far, the burden has not even begun to be met).

Regarding “Vandals” in Poland see this series:

For a more recent work on the Vandals, you check out Roland Steinachers book of the same name. Incidentally, Steinacher says the following there about the Vandals:

“Altogether, it is difficult to believe that a single people may be responsible for such a widespread and culturally variant archeological culture. A hard to pin down more precisely mixture of proto-Suavic, Germanic-speaking and Celtic peoples may have shared a common material culture… If one could in fact establish a connection between Pliny’s and Tacitus’ Vandili* and the Przeworsk culture, if these people could be connected to those which a few centuries later appeared on the Danube and the Rhein and finally conquered Carthage, then the Vandals would have a long pre-history. Such connections, however, cannot be established.”

* As mentioned already here, Tacitus does not mention the Vandals as a tribe still in existence in his time (about 98 A.D.) and Pliny’s manuscripts are inconsistent with some mentioning Vindili and even Vandalici and Vandilici – a name that is suspiciously close to Vindilici of Vindebona.

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July 8, 2020

The Gods of the Kievan Synopsis or Gustynian Chronicle

PublishedJune 2, 2020 Post authortorino

The  Kievan Synopsis aka Gustynian Chronicle was a work of Innocent Giesel published in 1674.

“Innozenz” Giesel was himself an interesting character. His work had a decidedly anti-Polish-Lithuanian and pro-Orthodox take with even a touch of Muscovite bias. The fact that Giesel was actually a German born in Königsberg, Prussia and decamped to Kiev (and converted to Orthodox Christianity) suggests that he may well have been a paid Prussian agent of influence seeking to destabilize the Commonwealth’s eastern flank at a time when Prussia was in the process of reasserting itself. In any event, he did have the following to say in that work as regards Kievan Gods. Note that some of this is from the Primary Chronicle/PVL but some of it is clearly “new” such as the interpretation of Lado (not Lada) as a Suavic Pluto:

“Here we will tell something of the Russian/Ruthenian Gods. Not because they are worth remembering but to demonstrate what blindness the devil brought upon the people and that he brought them to such foolishness that not only did they not recognize the true God but were so far removed from Him, that they worshipped as God bad and lifeless objects and elements.”

“First of all, Perkunos, that is Perun was recognized by them as the oldest God; it was Him that they made into an image similar to that of a man; he held a precious stone in the hand that shone like a fire and to him, as a god, they made sacrifices to so that an undying fire, made from oaken wood, burned unremittingly; when it chanced that as a result of the negligence of a priestly servant, this fire went out, the priest was killed without any investigation and without mercy.”

“The second God Volos, the God of Cattle, was very highly revered by them.”

The third was Pozvizd [whom] the Poles called Pochvist; he was understood as the God of the “aers”, that is of air; others took him to be the God of the good and bad weather; yet others called him Whirlwind, and they prayed to this Pozvizd or Whirlwind as a god, prostrating themselves before him.”

“The fourth [was] Lado, that is Pluto, the subterranean God; they believed he was the God of marriage, of happiness, of comfort and of all welfare, much as the Greeks thought of Bacchus. To Him were made offerings by those who were planning to marry so that, with his aid, the wedlock should prove good and loving. This devil Lado is till now worshipped during baptisms and weddings in some regions, in that one sings certain songs and mentions his [Name] ‘Lado, Lado’ in these songs of theirs [while] clapping hands or clapping on the table”.

“The fifth was Kupalo, I believe, the God of abundance, like Ceres among the Greeks; and to Him the foolish brought their thanks for wealth at harvest time. The memory of this devil Kupalo is celebrated even now in certain regions by the foolish from the 23rd of June, the Eve of Saint John the Baptist till the end of harvest and longer in the following ways: in the evening simple people of both sexes together and they weave for themselves wreaths [made] out of edible herbs or roots and, having gilded themselves with these herbs, they light a fire. In other places, they place a green branch standing and holding each other’s hands they circle around this fire singing their songs in which Kupalo is mentioned; thereafter, they jump over the mentioned fire offering themselves to the above devil.”

“The sixth was Koljada; to honor Him there was a very horrible feast was celebrated on the 24th of December. And, even as the blessing of Christ’s birth has enlightened us and [even as] the idols have perished, the devil has preserved his [Koljada’s] memory among the foolish in this fashion: on Christmas Eve the simple people gather together and sing certain songs in which the birth of Christ is, it is true, mentioned but the devil Koljada is honored more [in such songs].”

“And these idols were ineffective for the foolish folk, for they could not rely on them and dared not to place all their hopes in them and it was not possible for anyone to confide in any of these. But they had even more idols and these are Chors, Dazbog, Stribog, Semargl, Mokos, and some brought offerings to the springs, the lakes and the flowers. Among these there was a certain God to whom they made offerings by drowning people; his memory is celebrated still in some regions: on Easter Sunday, when young people gather themselves, they toss a person into the water playing around and it sometimes happens that these Gods, that is devils, make it so that the person tossed into the water is hits itself on a beam or a stone and dies or drowns. But in other parts they do not throw people in water but rather only spray them with water, though [in doing so] they likewise are making offerings to the same devils.”

From Mansikka:

Note that the Pluto reference may have something to do with the name Ploutos – which was the name of the child of, guess who? Iasion and Demeter (as per Theogonyas by Hesiod):

“fine Plutus, who goes upon the whole earth and the broad back of the sea, and whoever meets him and comes into his hands, that man he makes rich, and he bestows much wealth upon him.” 

Thus, Lado may have been the Son of Jasień/Jasion and Marzanna, the God of agricultural wealth which comes from the Earth (Marzanna, Demeter). At the same time, He may have been a chthonic God at least during some parts of the year. When Jasień/Jasion came back every summer to mate with Marzanna, Lado would be returned to life. In fact, the presence of agricultural fertility rites among the Suavs may also be the solution to the riddle of the Suavic population explosion (if there was one, that is). Lada may have been a separate Goddess of Love and Order – Harmonia – coincidentally, Iasion’s sister at whose wedding Iasion and Demeter ploughed thrice ploughed the field, as the saying goes.

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June 2, 2020

Sarnicki’s Thoughts

PublishedJune 1, 2020 Post authortorino

Stanisław Sarnicki published his annals of the Poles and Lithuanians in 1587 under the elaborate, though typical for those times, name:

Stanislai Sarnicii Annales sive de origine et rebus gestis Polonorum et Lituanorum libri 8.

Sarnicki, mentioned a number of Polish and other Deities in a number of passages (all below). This passage was translated by Adam Naruszewicz* in volume 2 of his History of the Polish Nation:

“… this God of thunder was called Piorun from the old Poles as almost all our chroniclers testify. This Piorun was worshipped by the Ruthenians in the old days, and they even burned fires for him, as is attested by Herberstein and Guagnini who wrote of Moscovite matters. For they had an idol and a temple at Great Novgorod that the citizens of that city saw as greater than others. Of this Guagnini reports that this statue was worshipped by the Novgorodians with the greatest idolatry. He had the body of a man, a fiery stone in his hand and similar to a thunder: for Perun among the Poles and in Ruthenia means thunder. In his honor a fire was burned from oaken timbers by day and night without pause; and when it came to pass that by the negligence of those sworn to protect it, it failed, they forfeited their lives…”

* An interesting aspect of that is that Naruszewicz mentions Leibnitz noting that Prove is listed in the Szczecin manuscript of Helmold’s Chronicle as “Prone” and, hence, may simply be a reference to Piorun (as shown here from MGH):

This is nothing new and is mostly a regurgitation of information that Guagnini and others must have gotten from Nestor’s Primary Chronicle (PVL).  Nevertheless, it’s worth including it here and, as you will note, there are also references to other Deities as you can see here:

The poem at the back of that section is also interesting. It seems to come from or at least be very similar to that slightly different version by Stryjkowski which was published earlier:

“Christ, you have the blind-born Mieszko
Brought to light, brought Poland to Holy Baptism,
It is you Grom, Ladon, Marzanna,
Pogwizd, Ziewanna gave way to”

(Kryste tys Mieszka sleporodzonego
Oswiecil, Polskes przywiodl do krztu swego,
Tobie ustapil Grom, Ladon, Marzanna,
Pogwizd, Ziewanna)

Since Sarnicki relied on Guagnini who may have plagiarized Stryjkowski, this is not surprising. For more on that see here.

As discussed below, there is no evidence that anyone in Poland (as opposed to in Kiev/Novgorod or, possibly, among the Obotrites in Polabia) actually worshipped Piorun as the original name of a Deity. It seems rather that piorun was a “lightning fork” (and may have later become a nickname) of the primeval Jasion/Jasień (ash) Deity.

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June 1, 2020

Jaryło

PublishedApril 26, 2020 Post authortorino

Although information about Jaryło, under that name, comes from rather late sources – 18th and 19th centuries – the feasts of the East Suav Jarilo (Polish Jaryło though that specific name is not attested in Poland – rather we have Jasza or Jesza or Jasień) are easily recognizable in earlier recorded festivities. Perhaps the best Western source on the topic is Felix Haase and his Volksglaube und Brauchtum der Ostslawen. I’ve already previewed here – when discussing Svarozic – a passage from a Jaryło story told by Old Believers that Haase put in that book. Now let’s include more of Haase’s musings on the subject and the rest of the story. Also included are the cites of Haase’s to the Russian authors who actually collected the stories of these customs and beliefs.

Haase’s Jarilo Interpretation

“…Originally, there stood Jarilo in Kupalos place. While he is first mentioned first in the year 1763 in the instruction (poucene) of Saint Tichon Zadonskyi. He had suppressed the old celebration which he labeled idolatrous and devilish and declared it illegal. There had once been an old statue that people had called Jarilo and he [Tichon] had heard from old people that one had called this celebration igrisce (Polish igrzyska) [and] it began on Wednesday or Friday after the Green Holidays and ended on a Sunday. The name is probably derived from jar meaning spring or jaryi meaning bright, strong, tempestuous, young. And also the grains were called jarovyi or jare [compare this with the Polish jarzyny meaning “greens” as in “vegetables”]. In the Cernigov department one speaks of a Jariloviga. In Kostroma there is a Jarilovo pole (Jarilo’s field); in the department Orenburg, a Jarilo annual market [Jahrmarkt or jarmark with a double meaning]. In certain regions of Russia, there were two holidays involving Jarilo, at the end of April and on the last day of the year. Young people played the role of Jarilo. There is the Ivasko Jarilo, the Moscow marksman, known from a 1605 document and Ivasko Jarilo who lived in Astrakhan (mentioned in 1672).”

“In Voronez one celebrated the games of Jarilo till 1673 [lasting] from the last day before the Great Fast/Lent, before Peter’s Fast till the Monday of the Fast [?]. A man was adorned with flowers, ribbons and little bells, and on his head there was a flower decorated hat. His face was painted red and white and in his hand he held bells. Using the name Jarilo he went majestically through the city, followed by youth who laughed at him but also kept him fed with sweets. The feast ended with fistfights, drunkenness and frequently with killings.”

“In Kostroma, where the celebrations were held till 1771, an old man would toss a doll – featuring male genitals – into a grave. Drunk wailing women would accompany him and then the doll was buried. In governorate Tver the celebrations took place on the first day of the Apostles’ Feast on the River Lazur until the year 1805. The youth danced a blanza – a round dance in pairs of eight). In the governorate Penza and Simbirsk, they buried the gorjuna during the Green Holidays; and in Murom on the first Saturday after the Green Holidays. A straw doll was carried out of the village with singing and finally thrown into a river. The custom degenerated into a game: in such children’s games an old woman called Kostroma was declared dead and then suddenly she jumped up and frightened the children. In the governorates Ryazan and Tambov this celebration is called: the burying of the prince.  This is portrayed by a young boy who is wrapped in a towel and his sickness is wept over. When the prince has ‘died’ he is laid down in a cornfield and people sing their lamentations. In central Russia the holiday was celebrated with the first or last sheaf collected. In Vladimir on the Kljazma, in Suzdal, Penza, Simbirsk it was celebrated on the Green Holidays or on the eve of the Green Holidays as the funeral of Kostroma or Kostrobowka; in Murom it was celebrated on the first Sunday after the Green Holidays; at Nizniy Novogorod and Vjatka on Saint Peter’s Day [June 29 which in the Gregorian calendar of today is July 12]; in the governorates Novgorod and Kazan, prayers we held during the Green Holidays on collecting rye or summer cereals and there were dances to honor Jarilo. The fields and the livestock were sprinkled with holy water. In Nizniy Novogorod and Tver there it was common to hold a bridal show on this day and young people were permitted to kiss and hug.”

“From the fact that the holidays were celebrations on different days and in different ways, one can deduct that the meaning of the holiday had changed. In the governorates Penza and Simbirsk a girl was chosen to play the part of Kostroma. The other girls bowed before her, placed her on a plank, tossed her singing into a river and washed her. Then all jumped into the water and bathed. Then one went back to the village and concluded the day with games and dances. In the region of Murom the Kostroma was portrayed using a straw puppet; people danced around her, threw her in water and lamented her death.”

“The Jarilo week held a special potency for love spells. The following spell was especially used: ‘I,   God’s servant, stand up and go into the clean sea. There come towards me fire, polynja? [these days this means something like a watery polana, that is a clearing, amongst ice (as opposed to trees)] and a stormy wind. I bow down before them deeply and say: hail [Haase uses Heisa] fire and polynja.'”

“Since this spell was used precisely during the Jarilo week, we can infer from this that Jarilo was a God of Love. Yet this that this was a love spell can only be shown by connecting this data with other information. From the Old Believers we learn that: ‘the Jar goes by during the nights that are called chmelevyja.’ In certain areas Jarilo is called Ur Chmel’ and the chmelevicy nights are treated by village youth as the merriest. The Jar goes through the nights wearing a white silk fabric with gold and silver patterns, on His head a wreath with red poppies, in His hand ripe ears of corn of all different kinds of grains; where the God Jar steps on the chmel‘, there grains grow high unseeded. He touches with the golden ear a young man in his sleep and ignites his blood; Jar chmel’ touches the sleeping girl with the red flowers and sleep escapes her, resting becomes difficult and she dreams of her beloved.”

“Thus, here we have the proof that Jarilo stood for Eros. Other customs also remind us of this. As already mentioned, there was the custom of putting a puppet in a grave, a man with his member which was often portrayed as a giant phallus. The accompanying women sang during this procession ‘obscene’ songs. Allegedly, during these celebrations ‘male seed’ was released into a bucket [of water?] which was then drunk. And when we have already heard the complaints of the Christian preachers about the shameless practices that were connected with the festivities, these may refer precisely to the Jarilo celebrations. Jarilo is here without a doubt portrayed as a God of love and fertility.  But that is still not the original [function of his]. Jarilo is not originally simply the God who gives people love and fertility, he is the Sun God who celebrates his wedding with Mother Earth, embraces her with love and through this embrace creates fertility for the Earth, even produces man therefrom. We have proof of this here from an old tradition of the Old Believers by whom the old customs have been preserved more purely since they did not concern themselves with the prohibitions that came from church and government places, and since they retained the old customs and ideas consciously in opposition [to the established religious and state order].

A legend of the Old Believers tells of how Jarilo loved the wet Mother Earth:

“Mother Earth lay in cold and darkness. And the always young, always happy Jar of the light spoke so: ‘let us look at the wet Mother Earth, [to see] whether she is pretty, whether appeals to us.’ And the flaming look of the light Jar in one moment cut through the unending layers of darkness which lay over the sleeping Earth. And there where Jarilo’s glance filled the darkness, there the red Sun began to shine. And the hot waves of Jarilo’s light poured out by means of the Sun. The wet Mother Earth awoke from sleep and in her youthful beauty she stretched herself out like a bride on the marriage bed. Eagerly she drank the golden rays of the invigorating light and from this light there spilled out hot life and the bliss of craving into her limbs. And the Sun rays conveyed the sweet words of the God of Love, of the ever young God Jarilo: ‘Oh you wet Mother Earth! Love me, the God of light, as my beloved I shall decorate you with blue seas, with yellow sand, with green grass, with red and blue flowers. By my you shall give birth to an unending number of dear children.'”

“And Mother Earth liked the speech of the God Jarilo, she loved the happy God and thanks to his hot kisses she became pretty and decorated herself with grasses and flowers, with dark woods and blue seas, with light blue rivers and silver lakes. She drank the hot kisses and from her bosom there flew birds, from the caves there there ran out forest and field animals, and in the streams and seas there swam fish, in the air there whirred about the little flies and mosquitoes… and lived, all loved, all sang praise hymns to the father Jarilo and to the wet Mother Earth.”

“And once again there sounded from the light Sun the love words of Jarilo’s: ‘oh, hey you wet Mother Earth! I have adorned you with beauty, you have given birth to many dear children. love me some more and you will give birth to your love children. Mother Earth liked these words. Eagerly did she drink the life-giving rays and she gave birth to Man… and as he rose from the Earth’s bosom, the God Jarilo hit him on the head with his golden leash, his lightning. And from this blow, there arose reason inside of Man… And the God Jarilo greeted his dear Earthborn son with heavenly thunder, with rays of lightning; and these thunder rumbles shook all living things on the Earth… little birds fled into the heavens and wild animals hid in the holes, only Man raised his head towards the sky and answered the speech of the thunder God with eternal words. And as they heard this word and saw their king and ruler, so bowed before him all the trees, all flowers, all grasses, all animals, all birds, all of living creation and they became his servants.”

“And Mother Earth exulted in luck and happiness. She felt that Jarilo’s lover was no mere fortune and that there was no limit to it. But after short time, the Sun began to lower itself, the long days became shorter, the cold winds were blowing, the singers, the little birds fell silent, the wild animals howled and there shuttered from the cold the kong and the ruler of the entire living and inanimate Creation… And the countenance of Mother Earth changed and from grief and worry she washed her face with bitter tears… and so cried Mother Earth: ‘o wind, o wind, why do you blow so ice cold on me? You, eye of Jarilo, you light Sun, why do you not warm me and shine on me as before? Does the God Jarilo not love me anymore? Shall I lose my beauty? Shall my babes go into the ground? Shall I again lie in darkness and cold? Why have I then gotten to know the light? Why have I experienced life and love? Why have I gotten to know the bright rays, the hot kisses of the God Jarilo?’ Jarilo was silent. ‘I do not cry for me,’ complained Mother Earth shuddering from the cold, ‘my heart mourns my dear children.’ Then spoke Jarilo: ‘Cry not, mourn not, wet Mother Earth, I left you not for long. Had I not left you then you would have burned down under my kisses. To protect you and our children, I lessen the warmth and light for a while. The leaves will fall from the trees. The flowers and grasses will wilt. You will dress yourself in a snow garment. You will sleep till my return… And when the time comes, I will send you a messenger, the happy spring and right after spring, I will come myself.'”

“But Mother Erath cried further. ‘Don’t you feel sorry for me Jarilo? Do not the cries of your children reach you? Have mercy at least on your love child, who answered your thunder speech with eternal words. It is naked and weak, it will shortly perish if you take away heat and light from us.’ And the God Jarilo struck a stone with lightning, his flaming blitz hit the trees. And he said to Mother Earth: ‘Now I have brought fire to the stones and the trees. I myself am in this fire. With his mind will Man figure out how to take light and fire from wood and stones. This fire is my gift for my love son. For the entire living Creation will this gift be a fright and terror. Only for him alone will be of service.’ And so the God Jarilo left the Earth. Terrible winds blew, dark clouds covered Jarilo’s eye, the red Sun [and] white snow felt and enveloped Mother Earth like a pall. All froze, all fell asleep, only Man slept [but] did not slumber. He had the great gift of Father Jarilo and with it light and warmth.”

“Here Jarilo is clearly referred to as a Sun God, who brings love and fertility by means of his domain over fire, which causes nature to grow and bloom and gives magical powers to plants which [in turn] benefit people. For this reason is the fern to be explained as the mysterious fire plant, which only flowers on the day of Kupalo; out of this we have explanations for the fire worship associated with Kupalo-Jarilo, for the jumping through fire, for the wheel as symbol of the Sun wheel. The water in the sea and the lake and the streams owes its existence only to Jarilo; it is a element given to the moist Mother Earth that increases fertility. The constantly repeated expression ‘moist Mother Earth’ indicates a natural connection of the Earth with water so as to preserve fertility. We find the above description the idea of the dying of the Sun and of Nature. And so are explained the customs of burying of the originally majestic, possessing the full strength of youth, Jarilo, of that fertility God and love God, [customs] that morphed into obscene pleasures and mocking games, when people had forgotten the original meaning of the festivities. Now it becomes clear why the man who stood in for Jarilo in Voronez was all made up in white and red. Red is the color of the glowing Sun and of the fire. When girls playing the role of Jarilo were bathed or buried by the river, it may still have been the memory of Mother Earth as Jarilo’s beloved.”

Lathander may be the gaming world’s version of Yarilo – at least in concept

Interestingly, Man is the son of Yarilo but can be analogized here also to the fruit of the land, the bounty, the harvest, that is to say, the birth/rebirth has a human but also agricultural aspect. This is further described below when the same cognates/concepts appear in connection with agriculture and growth – ultimately, “wealth” we ought to remember is what is associated with Plutus, the wealth of the soil and the son of Iasion and Demeter. As discussed below, it seems that Iasion/Jasień/Jasion/Jason (?) and Yarilo are the same Deities.

Some Cites for Jarilo

Note that the earliest mention of Iarilo appears to be from 1765 when the Russian Orthodox Church forbade the Iarilo holiday in Voronezh. In Kostroma (see above discussion by Haase) a straw effigy with an enormous phallus was being burned as late as 1771. Since actual mentions of Jarilo are somewhat difficult to find in primary sources here are some cites to secondary sources given by Haase:

  • Golubinsky, Yevgeny Yevsigneyevich (or Evgenij E. Golubinskij, Голубинский Е.) История Русской Церкви or Golubinskij, E. Istorija russkoi cerkvi I 1. 2 1902 II 1 1900; I 2; 2. 855
  • Sobolevsky, A. (or Sobolevskij): Velikorusskija narodnyja pesni 7 Bde 1985-1902; 267, 269
  • Zabylin, M. Russkij narod, ego obycai, obrjady, predanija, sueverija i poezija 1880; 83
  • Zabelin, I Istorija russkoi zizni s drevneiscich vremen 1879
  • Trudy 24, 1 (1883) Nr.10, 292
  • Zapiski: Zapiski russkogo geograf. obsc Etnografija I (1871) ff.; II 85, 87/88

Other cites relating to Jarilo:

  • Melnikov, The Complete Collection of Works (or Collected Works) Polnoe sobranie sochinenii (Полное собраніе сочиненій) by Pavel Ivanovich Melnikov (alias Andrey Pechersky, Russian: Па́вел Ива́нович Ме́льников (Андре́й Пече́рский); hence Melnikov-Pechersky) volume 4, pages 202-203.
  • Anickov, Evgenij Vasilevic, Vesennaja obrjadovaja pesnja na Zapade i u slavjan.
  • Shpilevskiy, Pavel Mikhailovich (Павал Шпілеўскі or Павел Михайлович Шпилевский or Paweł Szpilewski (1827-1861) was a Belarussian ethnographer who wrote a study of Belarussian folklore – Belarussian Folk Traditions (Белорусские народные предания). The first two volumes were written under a pseudonym – Pavel Drevlyanskiy (П. Древлянский). The first volume saw print in 1846 as part of the Supplements to the Journal of the Ministry of Education (Прибавления к Журналу Министерства народного просвещения). 
  • Pogodin, Mythologische Spuren in russischen Dorfnamen.
  • Kulisic, Petrovic & Pantelic, Srpski Mitoloski Recnik; 156-157.
  • Ivanov, V. V. & Toporov, V. N. Issledovanija v oblasti slavjanskih drevnostej, 1974; 215.

Other Related East Suavic Sources

Although Jarilo/Iarilo only appears in the above cited sources, similar names pop up in various other places.

  • In the Laurentian Codex, we have a mention in the Chronicle of Novgorod, under the year 1216 of a commander by the name of Yarun/Jarun/Iarun (compare with Peron/Perun; compare this pairing too with Jason/Paron or Iasion/Pareantus): “And Yarun had shut himself up in the town with a hundred men and beat them off. And Mstislav [Mstislavich the Daring] went and took Zubchev and they were on the Vozuga; and thither came Volodimir Rurikovitch with men of Smolensk. They were coming along the Volga, making war, and said to him: “Knyaz, go to Torzhok.” Mstislav and Volodimir said: “But Mstislav and Volodimir said: “Let us go to Pereyaslavl; we have a third friend.” And there was no news where Yaroslav was, whether at Torzhok or in Tver. And Yaroslav’s guards attacked Yarun behind Tver, and God helped Yarun and they killed many, others they captured, and others escaped to Tver.” [from the Mitchell/Forbes translation]. Jarun is also a neighborhood of Zagreb in Croatia as well as the ancient Greek name of the Iranian island of Hormuz (yes, from the Straight of Hormuz).

Note that though the above name as used in the Chronicle may not have overtly religious connotations, such connotations can be inferred from other sources described here. Indeed, Oskar Kolberg, in his ethnographic description of Chełm area (in eastern Poland, east of Lublin – it seems in Ukrainian villages) says that  “the oldest devil is called Jarynec and he lives on a tall mountain and from their he issues orders to his subordinates, the lesser devils who dwell in the hills and bogs.”Jarynec” is a diminutive form of Jarun/Yarun.

  • In the Chudov codex (16th century) we have the Saint Gregory’s Sermon, where it is said that the ancient pagans worshipped a Yadrey: “…and other pray to the God of the Household, to the Goddess Vela, to Yadrey…” [the below is from Mansikka’s Die Religion der Ostslawen]  

Incidentally, the “d” is not problematic here. Note that there are many similar words in Suavic languages that have approximately the same meaning and are cognates with the yar and yas forms:

  • jędrny (firm, youthful)
  • jądro (kernel)
  • Jędrzej (form of Andrew)

Incidentally, the nasal “ę“ is clearly cognate with the “en” form and hence jędrny is also cognate with jendry which is clearly cognate with Indra.

Likewise the consonants that follow the y sound are aplenty, again though, with similar meanings. Compare, for example, the above “a” and “e” with the “u” sound in: jurzyć się (to be lustful) or  jurność (virility). Check out Aleksandr Nikolaevich Afanasyev’s Поэтические воззрения славян на природу [typically, though awkwardly translated as “The Poetic Outlook on Nature by the Slavs”].

Musings on “Jar” the Green

What else can we say here? Well, apparently, Jarilovo appears four times as a village and there is also a Jarilovic near Great Novgorod. In the Laurentian Codex we hear of a Jarun (compare this form with Perun). 

We note that Shpilevsky portrays Jarilo as a man on a white horse or as a woman wearing a white cloak. Apparently, if he was a man, he would appear naked. His head was covered by a wreath of spring flowers and in his hands were cereal ears/spikes. Jarilo was shown as young, with light eyes and curly, blonde hair. Wherever he walked by the harvest would be good. Whoever he glances at, that person falls in love (though not necessarily with Jarilo!). In many folk songs, people would ask him for a hot summer and a great harvest. Haase weaves this into his theory as shown above.

The Belarussian description is interesting in that the Jarilo songs would be sang by groups of walking women, one of whom was sitting astride a horse that was tied to a pole. Obviously, the a horse tied to a pole cannot get far so how could these women be walking anywhere? A solution would present itself if the horse were walking around the pole, perhaps simulating the revolving Sun. The women apparently sang the following song:

Jarilo wandered / The world whole / Birthed rye in the field /
Sired people’s children / And wherever he took a step / There came rye aplenty /
And wherever he’s on the seeds / There a rye ear blossoms

We have this summary from Jerzy Strzelczyk‘s dictionary-like list entitled “Myths, Legends and Beliefs of Ancient Suavs” (Mity, podania i wierzenia dawnych Słowian):

And Max Vasmer says the following regarding the Suavic word jar:

Obviously the word is the same as the English year or German Jahr and refers to vegetation. As shown in the Vasmer dictionary above, jar also means a “canyon” but not just any canyon; instead, referring to a vegetation covered canyon that had been carved out by a stream.

A jar

In Polish the various yar/jar cognates also include jary – meaning “rushing” or “swift” as in “a rushing river” and jarki – meaning “fast moving”; (compare this with the English verb “to jerk”). Apparently, jarowanie may refer to preparing seeds or prepping a horse for a race.

Along the same line of reasoning, it is important to note also that there was a Thracian Divinity, that these days is commonly referred to as the Thracian Horseman. He was known simply as “hero”. Now, the Thracian language expert Dimiter Detschew speculated (in Die thrakischen Sprachreste, Vienna, 1957) that the Thracian for hero was *ierus or *iarus... (of course you have to be careful some of the stuff in CIL that he cites to support that proposition may actually say IFRU not IERU). This nicely ties into words such as horse or Horsa (Hengist and Horsa) or, for that matter, hero and Chors. For more on the Horseman see here and here.

If you want to get an even bigger kick out of this, note too that the related Dacian Riders were apparently derived from the Thracian Rider. Now, these Dacian horsemen are sometimes shown with a Goddess holding a fish. There is a stone sculpture of such a figure at Ślęża Mountain (see here).

There also a ridiculous number of agricultural connections. For example, you have the Polish (and other Suavic) jarzyny for “vegetables.” A young wheat is in some places called jarkisz and the hordium grain, jarzec.

Finally, an interesting piece of trivia is that in Hebrew the word for “green” is ya-rokh (יָרֹוק) which   (interestingly too, “white” is pronounced, lah-vahn). That rok means “year” in Polish/Czech (Ukrainian, rik and in Russian… god) seems a rather interesting coincidence (?). Of course, we could go further. Take the name Jerusalem – Yerushalayim. Though this is far from clear (and is claimed to be a later development), the ending -ayim indicates the dual form in Hebrew. Since the city has two hills some have suggested that the name may refers to those two hills (rather than a local god Shalem). If so the city name could mean something like “Green Hills”… (For that matter, the Greek ἱερός (hieros) means “holy”).

More Than a Sun Deity or Pure Lunacy?

As already mentioned here, ya-ra-ti (jarać) refers to “burning.”  We are a step away from the “Burning Bush”… BTW This is the same concept as the Russian yarkiy (яркий) meaning “flamboyant” or “bright.”

That Jarilo had solar connections Haase proved in sufficient detail above. The lunar connections of the deity are interesting as well, however. Let’s turn to that.

An interesting connection may be drawn from Egypt and the Levant. The Egyptian Moon was referred to as Yah which name later also came to signify a Moon Deity. Of course, we all know that Ra was the Egyptian Deity of the Sun. So, put together, what we already alluded to before, we mention again because the Y-r form of Jarilo or Yarilo practically invites drawing this connection.

Focusing on Moon Gods, with similar names to Jarilo we have the Moon Deity Yarikh in Canaan (mentioned in the Ebla texts before 2000 BC and another – Yarhibol – at Palmyra.

And then there are these Hittite texts (Johan de Roos translation/edition).

Of course, Osiris too was as much or perhaps more a Moon Deity as a Sun Divinity. The person who noted this earliest in modern times was James Frazer when he wrote the following:

“There are far more plausible grounds for identifying Osiris with the moon than with the sun:

1. He was said to have lived or reigned twenty-eight years; Plutarch, Isis et Osiris, cc. 13, 42. This might be taken as a mythical expression for a lunar month.

2. His body was rent into fourteen pieces (ib. cc. 18, 42). This might be interpreted of the moon on the wane, losing a piece of itself on each of the fourteen days which make up the second half of a lunation. It is expressly mentioned that Typhon found the body of Osiris at the full moon (ib. 8); thus the dismemberment of the god would begin with the waning of the moon.

3. In a hymn supposed to be addressed by Isis to Osiris, it is said that Thoth

“Placeth thy soul in the bark Ma-at,
In that name which is thine, of God Moon.”

And again,

“Thou who comest to us as a child each month,
We do not cease to contemplate thee,
Thine emanation heightens the brilliancy
Of the stars of Orion in the firmament,” etc.

Records of the Past, i. 121 sq.; Brugsch, Religion und Mythologie der alten Aegypter, p. 629 sq. Here then Osiris is identified with the moon in set terms. If in the same hymn he is said to “illuminate us like Ra” (the sun), this, as we have already seen, is no reason for identifying him with the sun, but quite the contrary.

4. At the new moon of the month Phanemoth, being the beginning of spring, the Egyptians celebrated what they called “the entry of Osiris into the moon.” Plutarch, Is. et Os. 43.

5. The bull Apis, which was regarded as an image of the soul of Osiris (Is. et Os. cc. 20, 29), was born of a cow which was believed to have been impregnated by the moon (ib. 43).

6. Once a year, at the full moon, pigs were sacrificed simultaneously to the moon and Osiris. Herodotus, ii. 47; Plutarch, Is. et Os. 8. The relation of the pig to Osiris will be examined later on.

Without attempting to explain in detail why a god of vegetation, as I take Osiris to have been, should have been brought into such close connection with the moon, I may refer to the intimate relation which is vulgarly believed to subsist between the growth of vegetation and the phases of the moon .See e.g. Pliny, Nat. Hist. ii. 221, xvi. 190, xvii. 108, 215, xviii. 200, 228, 308, 314; Plutarch, Quaest. Conviv. iii. 10, 3; Aulus Gellius, xx. 8, 7; Macrobius, Saturn. vii. 16, 29 sq. Many examples are furnished by the ancient writers on agriculture, e.g. Cato, 37, 4; Varro, i. 37; Geoponica, i. 6.” 

Importantly, as seen above, Frazer saw Osiris not as the Sun and not just closer to being a lunar Deity but as the God of Vegetation. He goes on:

“In the course of our inquiry, it has, I trust, been made clear that there is another natural phenomenon to which the conception of death and resurrection is as applicable as to sunset and sunrise, and which, as a matter of fact has been conceived and represented in folk custom. This phenomenon is the annual growth and decay of vegetation. A strong reason for interpreting the death of Osiris as the decay of vegetation rather than as the sunset is to be found in the general (though not unanimous) voice of antiquity, which classed together the worship and myths of Osiris, Adonis, Attis, Dionysus, and Demeter, as religions of essentially the same type…” 

Now the connection of Jaryło to vegetation is obvious from the above and is further discussed below. In the meantime it remains to show the connection to the Moon.

Here we can be helped by one of the best webpages on Polish pre-Christian beliefs (unfortunately, thus far, only in Polish), appropriately named Polish Gods: Bogowie Polscy.* According to an essay on this page by Kazimierz Perkowski:

“The most direct and popular (other than biblical) in the pool of connotations that appears around the name Jaś are those connotations, we stress that come from rituals, connected with brightness and with a person that is widely respected and, we can say, luminescent. For Jaś as well as Jasień are the names given to the bright moon, the maker of storms and rain, a flying persona of a brave warrior, a wanderer, unmarried, a suitor, a groom as well as of a Polish folk name of a devil and a partner of the Goddess Marzanna, which we will write about more extensively in subsequent parts of this piece. Finally, we note that the name Jaś is not any diminutive [of John] but rather a folk name in and of itself. If that were not enough, in one of the traditional Christmas carols from the region of Greater Poland, the name Jaś appears in place of… Jesus and the other way around…”

*note: the site bogowiepolscy.net has been subsumed into something called Weneda which seems an inferior project; many of the essays and posts have been removed. 

It may also be relevant to note here that, aside from Dionysos or Osiris, another deity that may have something to do with the Thracian/Phrygian Sabazios (Ancient Greek: Σαβάζιος) whose name may be pronounced Savázios (Sovi?) or Sabadios (Boda?) who is also referred to as the Thracian Rider and who was also associated with Father Liber and with Dionysos. Not to mention that the Sabazios hand possesses obvious phallic connotations. Sabazios may also have given the name to sobótki, the fires lit by the Suavs in their celebrations of the arrival of summer. Of course Sabazios also has lunar connections (compare the sabattu or sabpattu which has been dated to 2,000 BC and means full day, that is full moon day; note too the similarities between pattu “day” with pater or father).

Jaś – the Master of the Moon’s Power

“In Coats of Arms, legends and old myths” [Herby, Legendy i dawne mity], one of the most important publication dealing with the topic of Polish mythology, its authors, the professors Marek Cetwiński and Marek Derwich observe that the primary Gods of the Western Suavs were most likely Gods with lunar connections. The most telling example here remains the Rugian Svantevit, which according to the sources, was a God on a white horse who constantly travelled at night (like the Moon) fighting the enemies of the Rugians. Attention can be drawn too to the most important attribute of Svantevit, the horn of plenty filled with mead, an object with an obvious lunar symbolism. And among many Polish family legends a main motif features the battle of a hero – aided by the light of the moon – with an enemy possessing chthonic attributes. At the same time, as noted by professor Aleksander Gieysztor, the persons of Svantevit, Jarovit, and Jarilo appear as thunder Gods, the hypostases of the God Piorun. So are all of these research positions presented here inconsistent and the thunder and lunar characteristics mutually exclusive? Absolutely not. The Moon as much as thunder deities were connected after all with rain and the sky water [Wodan] – and these ensured (or took away) fertility and prosperity. We could also point out the East Slavic report about a lunar (as per a common hypothesis) deity Chors, called in some notes “the thunder angel” as well as, most importantly for this essay, Polish folk beliefs. These last ones treat the lunar and thunder ideas interchangeably. Our Jaś appears connected with the Moon:

“Ponad lasejkiem czarna chmurejka,
ponad to chmurejko jasny miesiączejko.
Nie jest to miesiączek, Jasio wojowniczek,
wywojował sobie sto złotych jabłuszek.”

[A carol from the Lublin region, Słownik stereotypów i symboli ludowych, vol. I, part 3, 2012, p. 111]

“Jasna nieba, jasna słońca, jasień miesiąc
i jasne gwiazdy, i święta Trójca, i Matka Boża,
stań do pomocy, jak we dnie, tak i w nocy.”

[a charm asking help from a rose, Słownik stereotypów i symboli ludowych, vol. I, part 1, 1996, p. 171]

„A u miesiąca dwa rogi,
a u Jasieńka dwa braci”

[Słownik stereotypów i symboli ludowych, vol. I, part 1, 1996, p. 162]

“Jedzie Jasieńko do dziewki,
Jako miesiączek do Zorzy […]
Herny (pyszny) Jasieńku kozacze,
Gdzie się mi bierzesz przeciw nocy?”

[Wisła, vol. VII, part 4, 1893, p. 691]

“We see here a solid connection between the folk-preserved persona of Jaś and the Moon. I would warn, however, against assuming the first is the literal personification of a heavenly body. For the Moon [księżyc], frequently called miesiąc or miesiączek [today meaning a “month”], in old Polish folk beliefs was filled with a number of male and female characters. He is a kind of a transporter or a steed allowing travel to and from the netherworld. The Polsh name for the Earth’s natural satellite – księżyc – is curious. This name, as noted by professor Mikołaj Rudnicki, could have originally been connected with a Lechitic [West Suavic] lunar Deity, only later coming to mean the actual Moon. We should add that the Polish association of the Moon [with a male prince] are rather unique in the European context. Hans Biedermann in his “Symbols Lexicon” notes that the Moon is typically associated with female characteristics, just as “the names of the Moon in European languages are female, the exceptions being the German der Mond and the Polish Księżyc.” It is possible that the rural Jaś, described in tens of Polish songs as “serving the lord”, could have been that księżyc – the son of książę [the former is either a diminutive of the latter or the “son” of the latter – much as Svarozic – Svarog]. Another element connecting the image of Jaś with the Moon is the attribute of the golden crown… “

“Jedzie Jasiek z Torunia,
Złota na nim koruna;
Konie z góry stąpają,
Srebrem, złotem brząkają.”

[Wisła, vol. III, part 4, 1889, p. 750]

“Miesiącowi złota korona,
A mnie szczęście i fortona;
Miesiącowi cześć i chwała,
A mnie zdrowie!”

[Wisła, vol. XIV , part 4, 1900, p. 468]

“We will now move on to the mentioned interchangeability of the thunder and lunar portfolio. In Polish myths the Moon battles, similar to a thunder deity, with chthonic beings, and even uses for this purpose the typical weapon of a thunder god – the stone. In a number of variations of this tale, there is an attack that takes place during a full moon and it is against a villain, perhaps a thief in the fields, but most often a water spirit or drowned person (a memory of a chthonic deity) or against smaller female water divinities…”

“…In the syncretic folk traditionalism, the bright and warm season, originally connected with a  thunder deity who opens and closes vegetation, begins in the spring on Saint George’s day [April 23] and ends in the fall on Saint Martin’s day [November 11] (in the Catholic tradition) or Saint George’s day (in Orthodoxy). On Saint Martin’s day, the original manifestation day of the thunder deity – we find preserved to this day an important element of lunar symbolism: the famous Saint Martin croissants. Baked to this day in Greater Poland, they represent, it is believed a memory of a vicarious offering in place of the earlier ox sacrifice. The context is completed by a whole series of Polish riddles wherein the roar of an ox – an animal associated with the Moon (for example the folk bald ox) as well as the animal of the thunder divinity – is identified as a far off sound of thunder…”

“…If Jaś the suitor was perceived as the cause of a storm, was he also, in light of the above, connected to the Moon? Such beliefs have been preserved particularly in Eastern Poland, where in songs and tales, the Moon remains associated with the young groom, a single man. He marries or seduces the bride – the Sun, or rather the “solar sister” – the Zorza/Jutrzenka, the morning Venus (in old Polish tales Lela/Dziedzilela). This motif is visible in a number of wedding songs:

“Jedzie Jasieńko do dziewki,
Jako miesiączek do Zorzy”

[Wisła, vol. VII, part 4, 1893, p. 691]

„A gdzie słoneczko wschodzi,
Młody Jasieńko chodzi…”

[Lud, year 9, 1903, p. 226]

…In the above part of this essay, we took a look at a number of supernatural attributes in the folk image of Jaś. He turns out to be the ritualistic causer of the storm and bringer of rain, as well as the eternal wanderer and sky warrior. Simultaneously,  Jaś like the Moon “runs against the night” and illuminates its darkness. Finally, Jaś is a suitor seducing Jutrzenka-Zorza…”

[the authors cite another interesting tale:]

“Jasio chodzi po drobnej leszczynie,
Orzechy szczypie, w kieszonkę sypie
Nadobnej Marysi, swojej dziewczynie.”

[Polish folk song]”

This obviously suggests a connection between Jaś and Marzanna, potentially the frozen Earth. Also note the nuts are again a motif connected with Jarilo/Iarilo in Rybakov’s listing of songs mentioned below. Some of the above is not necessarily entirely convincing but the essay does contain a number of interesting suggstisons/clues.

The author, of course, notes the similarity of Polish Jaś with the East Suavic Jarilo/Iarilo (particularly, in the attribute of the horn – cornucopia) so let’s bring this back to Iarilo.

Back To Jaryło/Jarilo/Iarilo

The first step is to recognize that Jarilo, as indicated by the above, is either the same Deity or a closely related Deity to the pagan Gods found among other Suavic tribes and Balts.

Take for example, this Ukrainian book, written much like Strzelczyk’s listings, includes entries for:

  •  Jarilo,
  • Jarowit, that is Gerovit and
  • Jasion/Jasień

Further, Jasza/Jaszer is the form promoted among others by Boris Rybakov who provides these creations:

So there sits, sits Yasha under a nut bush (there is that bush again):

Сиди-сиди, Яша, под ореховым кустом,
Грызи–грызи, Яша, орешки каленые, миломю дареные.
Чок–чок, пяточок, вставай Яша, дурачок,
Где твоя невеста, в чем она одета?
Как ее зовут? И откуда привезут?

In another version we have Yasha sitting on a golden chair: (this version from Perkowski is a little different than Rybakov’s above):

Сидит наш Яша
На золотом стуле,
Ладу, ладу, ладоньки,
На золотом стуле.
Щелкат наш Яшенька
Калены орешки…
Калены-калены,
Девушкам дарены…
Бабам посулены…

Roughly speaking the geographic attestation, therefore, is as follows:

  • Western Lechitic tribes (Veleti) – Gerovit (pronounce Yerovit or, if you will, Yarovit)
  • Eastern Lechitic tribes (Poles) – Jasień or Jasion (ash) or Jasza/Jesza (pronounce Yasien or Iasion orYasha/Yesha)
  • Belorussians – Jarilo (pronounce Yarilo)
  • Ilmen Suavs/North-Eastern Russians – Jasza or Jaszer (pronounce Yasha or Yasher)

Of course, one group of northern Suavs is not clearly reflected in the above list: the Ukrainians. And here we have another hint regarding the nature of this Divinity. Among the Kievan Polans, that is Ukrainians, the most obvious candidate for the portfolio of the Sun God and Moon God and, therefore, maybe also Vegetation God, is, it seems, Dadzbog Chors (though, it is also possible that Chors is the son of Jasień – certainly the Osiris-Horus similarities is of interest).

The God of Vegetation and Fertility, Life, Light and Motion

So Haase is not wrong that Jarilo was a Sun God. In fact, Haase was right that Jarilo is, in fact, more than that – in that he is also a God of Love (or at least lust!) and, therefore, vegetation. But beyond that Jarilo is a Lunar Deity. This is the hypothesis of the “one rider” – perhaps akin to the Latvian Ūsiņš. Most generally, perhaps, Yarilo is a God of Life, Virility and, ultimately, Motion.

It is, of course, possible to view this slightly differently. For example, looking to Lithuanian mythology, we can ask whether there were in fact two Deities: the Sky Twins or Ašvieniai. Perhaps their names were Yas and Yar? If you want to spin this out further, a connection can be drawn to the Vandalic Assi and Ambri though this is obviously a major leap.

And another thought, were these “twins” always both men or, to bring this back to “Mother Earth/Father Jarilo/Iarilo” or “Sun/Moon”, was one of the twins perhaps a woman?

Interestingly, also Mars (though seemingly not Ares) had an agricultural beginning before becoming a god of war. If so, the suggestion that Gerovit may have been the same as Mars may actually have been more accurate than the writer of the Life of Otto of Bamberg may have suspected.

To view some other posts on Jaryło you can take a look here as well as here and here.

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April 26, 2020

Further Tamga and the Like Spear/Lance Finds

PublishedMarch 1, 2020 Post authortorino

We’ve discussed spears with runes & signs here and more specifically here:

as well as here. Here are some other “tamga” spears. Tamgas are associated most typically with the Sarmatians. Yet, as we will see these spears are not found where the Jazyges resided and Ukraine, the are ruled by Sarmatians and later the Goths also does not generally yield tamga spear finds. Perhaps they could be associated with the Veneti Sarmatae. Some of these are from a 2012 article by Yatsenko & Dobrzanska. Others from Gustaf Kossina’s ever giving Die deutsche Vorgeschichte: Ein hervorragende nationale Wissenschaft or other Mannus-related publications such as Martin Jahn’s Die Bewaffnung der Germanen in der alteren Eisenzeit etwa von 700 v. Chr. bis 200 n. Chr. I also give citations in the text to various Polish articles announcing these finds (or analyzing them in depth). For more on this stuff is currently Bartosz Kontny if you can read Polish, of course.

Jankowo, Poland

This in the area of Mogilno is also the site of the discovery of the Jankowo “head” (for that discovery as well as its “viking” interpretation, you can see, for example, Der Kopf von Adolfinenhof Kreis Mogilno, eine Wikingische Holzplastik?)

Żurawiczki (Kamienica), Poland 

There are actually two finds here. The first is this:

And the second this:

The other side of this spear apparently was too worn out to provide anything of interest though we know it contains dots and a few concentric circles.

This was described in Włodzimierz Antoniewicz’s Żelazne oszczepy inkrustowane z Kamienicy, w pow. jarosławskim, „Przeglad Archeologiczny”, t. 1, s. 99–111 (1919) as well as other articles including in Andrzej Kokowski’s Problemy badania dziejów kultury przeworskiej in Kultura Przeworska, Lublin vol 1.

Zadowice, Poland

We can also see a similar “tree” symbol on an encrusted sword from Lachmirowice and Egge as discussed in Tadeusz Horbacz’s and Marek Olędzki’s Inkrustowane Miecze Rzymskie z Barbaricum i Obszarow Przylimesowych Imperium Romanum: Wybrane Zagadnienia in Acta Universatis Lodziensis, Folia Archaeologica, vol 17 (1992).

Grunówko, Poland

Another location where spears have been found is Grunówko. There are two specimen from Grunówko (near Wschowa by Leszno) though the silver encrustings apparently had melted in the ritual flames. The original publication here was Kurhan w Grunówku pod Lesznem by Romuald Erzepki from the Zapiski Archeologiczne Poznańskie, volume IV (1888). Here is the first:

And here is the other:

Września, Poland

Podlodów, Poland

The cover of Andrzej Kokowski’s Lubelszczyzna w młodszym okresie przedrzymskim i w okresie rzymskim features the following spear:

In order to identify it you can read Jan Gurba’s and Zygmunt Ślusarski’s 1966 article Bogato wyposażony grób z III wieku z Podlodowa w pow. tomaszowsko-lubelskim, „Przeglad Archeologiczny”, t. 17. This was discovered in the village of Podlodów by a local farmer – Jan Kukis in 1959.

You will soon discover that the spear actually looks like this:

Or rather like this:

Stryczowice by Ostrowiec, Poland

For more of this and others check out Andrzej Nadolski’s Kilka uwag o inkrustowanych grotach oszczepów z późnego okresu rzymskiego, Slavia Antiqua, t. 2 (1950) or Z problematyki badań nad wczesnośredniowiecznym uzbrojeniem polskim from “Z Otchłani Wieków: pismo poświęcone pradziejom Polski, Tom 21, Numer 5 (1952). More recently, see Jacek Andrzejowski’s Groty włóczni ze znakami symbolicznymi ze Stryczowic in „ZOW”, t. 61, nr 1–2.

Gać, Poland

For more on this you can check out an article by Anna Lasota, Cmentarzysko z okresu rzymskiego w Gaci w swietle nowych badan or Marcin Biborski’s Zdobiona broń z cmentarzyska ciałopalnego z okresu wpływów rzymskich z Gaci k. Przeworska in Materiały Archeologiczne, t. XXIII (1986).

Bodzanowo, Poland

The Bodzanowo of this spear lies about midway between Inowrocław and Włocławek.

Kopaniewo, Poland

This is from Jahn’s book where he says it comes from Koppenow, now Kopaniewo in Lębork County, Pomerania, Poland. Apparently, another example of this is from Neugut (near Sławno?).

Silesia, Poland 

On this one you cannot see any taigas but you can see the “moon” symbols.

The specific location of this find is uncertain. More on the topic in Rudolf Jamka’s Ozdoby oręża i narzędzi z podokresu późno-lateńskiego i okresu rzymskiego, odkrytych na Śląsku, “Polska Akademia Umiejętności – Prace Prehistoryczne”, nr 3. Quite a similar example comes from Hoppenrade, east Germany – see below for that.

Rogów Opolski, Poland

Here you have the same spear shown in two different ways.

Once again see the Rudolf Jamka article for more on these which also refers to articles by Raschke (from whom comes the version of the picture on the left) and Kurtz (same for the right side version). The tamga signs seem quite few and barely visible.

Sobótka, Łęczyca, central Poland

These pictures come from G Rycel’s’ article Cmentarzysko kultury przeworskiej w Sobótce (st. 1), woj. konińskie, Prace i Materiały Muzeum Archeologicznego i Etnograficznego w Łodzi. Seria Archeologiczna, nr 24 (1981). This Sobótka is between Warsaw and Poznan.

Here the “lunar” as well as “solar” (in the top picture) symbols are clearly visible.

Nadkole, Mazovia, Poland

Here is an interesting example of lunar and triangular (?) symbols from Mazovia.

For more information you can check out Jacek Andrzejowski’s “Nadkole 2. A Cemetery of the Przeworsk Culture in Eastern Poland.”

There are a few similar spears from outside of Poland. Such as this.

Medow, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, east Germany
(Medowe or Miodowe)

Zihl, Switzerland

This Swiss example comes from Jahn’s book.

Недобоївці/Nedoboyivtsi/Nedoboivtsi, western Ukraine

Valle, Norway

Mos, Stenkyrka, Gotland, Sweden

This is an example from Sweden from an article “Runes and Romans in the North” by Lisbeth Imer (also her drawing).

With this exception, the Scandinavian versions of these spears or lances do not appear to be adorned by any of tamgas that are present on all the other spears shown here. Nevertheless, since some of them are quite cool and famous we show some below.

Hoppenrade, eastern Germany

This too comes from Jahn’s book.

Vimose, Funen, Denmark

This technically is not a spear but a sword scabbard but the left marking on this appears to be a tamga-like designation.

Ok so let’s map these tamga finds.

The makes clear that these tamga signs were not “Scandinavian” or “Nordic” in any common sense of the word. They are not found in central or west Germany or in France. On spears they appear primarily in Poland with a few examples also in the immediate surroundings. But the curious thing is that, outside of spear or lanceheads, they are found even earlier in the past – primarily in the Bosporan Kingdom but also in other places, including, again, in Poland. That is a topic for another time. In the meantime let’s look at some other spear finds that do not have tamga markings but do feature embroidery and runic symbols.

Of course there were many spears featuring various “patterns” that did not contain any tamga signs or runes or other characters such as these. In Poland you have examples such as these.

Prusiek, Poland
near Sanok

This comes from articles by Renata Madyda-Legutko, Judyta Rodzińska-Nowak and Joanna Zagórska-Telega. There apparently is also another Prusiek spear.

Or take a look at this.

Gródki, Poland
near Dzialdowo, Nidzica
(Grodtken near Soldau, Neidenburg)

For other decorated but not with tamga signs spears, check out the spear from Niemirow or Stara Rudowka.

And then there are quite a number of runic spears, mostly in Scandinavia or England such as these. They contain runes or other markings but not tamgas.

Wurmlingen, western Germany

The Wurmlingen speer certainly contains runes and other etchings but they do not appear to be similar to any known tamga signs. It is also much more recent, being dated apparently to the seventh century.

Vimose, Funen, Denmark

Back to Vimose again.

Øvre Stabu, Norway 

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March 1, 2020

Łada Placenames in Central & Eastern Europe

PublishedFebruary 1, 2020 Post authortorino

Just as the name Jasień is present in many town and river designations in Poland and vicinity so is Łada. Dlugosz spoke of a village named Łada and we’ve identified such a village already but there are more such place and water names. The following comes from various sources supplemented by the “Geographic Dictionary of the Polish Kingdom and Other Suavic Countries” (Słownik geograficzny Królestwa Polskiego i innych krajów słowiańskich).

Here is a list of some of those in and around Poland.

Villages

Łada – a village in the Lublin voivodeship. The river Łada runs through it. First mentioned in 1245 during the invasion of Ruthenian dukes of the “Lachic land” when Duke Wasilko raided the Łada and Dzwola areas. In the 14th century it was a royal village (that is it belonged to the crown). In 1377 it somehow came into the possession of Dmitri of Goraj (the royal treasurer) and then his nephews. The Lublin voivode  Mikołaj Firlej bought the village in 1508. In 1517 it was sold to Wiktoryn Sienieński who then donated it to the Gorka family. At the end of the 16th century it was bought by Jan Zamojski. The village suffered during the Napoleonic wars. It was partly repopulated by Uniates. In WWII most of Łada burnt down during a German air raid.

Łady – a village in the Mazovian voivodeship.

Ładawy – a village in the Łódź Voivodeship.

Ładowska-Wola – a village in the Mazovian voivodeship.

Ładzice – a village in Radomsko County, Łódź Voivodeship.

Ladzin (Ładzin) – a village in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship.

Ładzyń – a village in the Mazovian Voivodeship.

Ladorudz – a village in the Greater Poland Voivodeship.

Ładomierz – a former village near Wielun.

Lada – a village in Slovakia

Ladomirowa – a village in Slovakia.

Ladce – a village in Slovakia.

Ladygos (Ładogole) – a village near Vinius.

Ładyżyn – a village in Lithuania near Lazdijai.

Ładowszczyzna – formerly a private village near the town of Lida, Belarus.

Ladeniki (Ładzienniki) – a village in Belarus.

Ładonicha – a place in Дзісна region in Belarus.

Ladorozh (Ładoroże) – a village in Belarus on the Ukrainian border.

Malye Lyady (Lady) – ancient town and goods near Smilavichy in Belarus (part of former Červień or Chervyen (Чэрвень) fka Igumen (Ігумен) district.

Ladasna (Ladosno, Ładosno) – village in Belarus.

Ladyzhin – a town in Belarus.

Ładyżycze – a town in Belarus on the Braginka (Brahinka) river; today in the Chernobyl exclusion zone.

Lyady (Łady) – a village on the Belarussian – Russian border, east of Orsha (incidentally just West of the Russian Yasenets).

Lyadovichi (Ladowicze) – a village near Kobryn in Belarus.

Ladantsi (Ладанці, Ładańce) – Ukrainian village near Lviv.

Ladychyn (Лади́чин, Ładyczyn) – a village in Ukraine near Ternopil.

Ladyzhyn (Ладижин, Ładyżyn) – a town in Ukraine.

Ladyzhynka – a town in Ukraine.

Liadova/Lyadova – Ukrainian village on the border with Moldova on the river Liadova (presumably meaning “icy”).

Ladendorf – A village in Austria.

For a Liedena in Spain – rather curious next to Yesa – see here.

Rivers

Biala Łada  (White Łada) – starts northwards around the town of Chrzanów, heads south past the village Łada towards, then through Bilgoraj and merges with the Czarna Łada at Sol or so to form Łada.

Czarna Łada (Black Łada)- starts at Dabrowa/Gorecko Koscielne, then heads west towards Bilgoraj where it merges with the Biala Łada to form Łada.

Łada – the combined Łada has a short run west into the River Tanew.

Ladosnianka (Ładośnianka) – river near Lepel/Niemirava/Ladosno in Belarus.

Ladantsi (Ладанці, Ładańce) – Ukrainian stream near the village of Ladantsi. Flows into the Marushka river.

Liadova/Lyadova – river in Ukraine. Flows through village Liadova/Lyadova.

What about Germany? Well, there is the river:

Leda – the river Leda is in NW Germany and, of course, has an “e” not an “a” but its old name was shown with an “a” as in: fluuium Lade, flumen Lathe, Lathamuthon. The below etymology of Greule’s is rather improbable.

Other

Ladowa Niwa – a hill near Łukawiec (Лукавець, Lukavets’), Subcarpathian Voivodeship. Łukawiec itself was founded already in the 16th century.

Here is a map of the above.

Of course these are only some such names and there are many others such as several place names Łady near the Belarussian Dzisna (Дзісна), Ładycza, Ladzyny, Ladźwienie, Ladce, Ladniki, Ladna, Ladki, Ladendorf, Ladenberg, Ladeskul, Ladce & others. You could also look elsewhere such as at Ladenburg (remember Imple o Lada from the Rhine province).

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February 1, 2020

Marcin Błazowski’s Information

PublishedJanuary 5, 2020 Post authortorino

Another relatively late source for Polish Gods is a mention from the year 1611 by Marcin Błazowski (aka Błażewski or Błażowski). Błazowski was the translator of Marcin Kromer’s chronicle (written in Latin in the original) into Polish. While translating the passage about Polish Gods (which Kromer mostly got from Długosz), Błazowski decided to expand on Kromer’s brief description providing some additional information about Łado that he, it seems, felt comfortable supplementing Kromer on by reason of Błazowski having experienced some of the related celebrations in Ruthenia (around Sambor in Ukraine). He also gives more detail than Kromer on Pochwiściel.

Here are the relevant passages:

“Thus, the Poles and other Suav nations worshipped as Gods Jupiter personally, Mars, Pluto, Cerera, Venera, Diana: calling them: Jessa, Lada or Ladon, Nya, Marzana, Zezylia, Ziewonia. It is those that they understood as such; it was them that they offered altars, steeles, groves and priests to; it is to those that they made sacrifices to; killed cattle for; for their fame did they come together to annual holiday celebrations, feasting, dancing, clapping, singing and playing a variety of games. Of these idolatrous celebrations Dlugosz himself, having experienced them in his days some time after the Christian conversion, speaks of, saying that men and women, the old and the young would gather together in the fields for games and dances, precisely during our holidays; which gatherings they called stado [meaning “herd”] as if referencing a herd or a flock of some kind. From this, apparently, Ruthenia and Lithuania, the villagers especially, preserve the custom of dancing, clapping their hands and repeating Lado. Kromer does not discuss Ladon sufficiently, favoring pithy assessments, I guess; for this reason, having been born in this land, I provide a more complete description from Ruthenian texts and customs that I was able to get a hold of. For Ladon, the Ruthenian nations, took at times for such a God to whom they ascribed the rule over all fortune and important matters, making him the Lord of all good fortune; for this reason they called to him during the baptism of their children, during games, parties, weddings and all other matters of relevance. Much as the Catholics [would call upon] Hymen, the Greeks [upon] Iao or Bacchus and others. All of Ruthenia retaining this souvenir of paganism till this day, especially in wedding songs, they bring up the afore-mentioned Ladon: for either with their hands [hitting] against the table or with hand against hand [clapping], at each stanza of a song, they sing of him. Let us now return to Kromer…”

“…I would, however, say that Pochwiściel is a whistling wind or tempest, which whirls with great momentum and whatever it hits, it swirls it around; and even its name itself indicates this: for it it appears to be called Pochwiściel from the manner of its blowing (for it whistles as it blows)  or from the lifting of things it comes upon [chwytać – to grasp, grab, lift]. But I will leave this to the judgment of the reader. I think though that also Ruthenia and not just the Mazurs worshipped this Pochwiściel (if he is a wind) for this reason: even today in Ukrainian Ruthenia, whenever a this gale appears in front of their eyes, they bow their silver heads to it in various ways.“

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January 5, 2020