Slavic mythology
Origins and Historical Development
Slavic mythology is the mythological aspect of the polytheistic religion practiced by the Slavs before Christianisation. The religion possesses many common traits with other religions descended from the Proto-Indo-European pantheon.
The Slavs are usually defined as the people who speak languages of the Slavic group, regardless of other ethnic characteristics. They are classified into West, East, and South Slavs and are believed to have originated from an area along the southern edge of Eastern Europe, expanding in all directions by the 6th century CE.
Deities
Primary Deities
The primary deities of Slavic mythology are the many gods and goddesses, most of whom are known from the numerous inscriptions, but whose functions and myths have largely been lost.
Perun, the god of thunder and lightning, is a supreme deity in the pantheon and is often equated with the Hindu Indra and the Norse Thor. Veles, the god of earth, waters, and the underworld, is his eternal opponent. Other important deities include the fertility gods Dajbog and Mokosh, the sun god Dazhbog, the moon god Myesyats, and the dawn goddess Zorya.
Lesser Deities and Spirits
In addition to the major deities, Slavic mythology also includes a wide variety of lesser deities, spirits, and creatures. These include the household spirits like the Domovoi and Kikimora, the forest spirits like Leshy, the water spirits like Rusalka, and the death spirits like Morana.
Cosmology
Slavic cosmology is marked by the concept of a three-tiered universe. The upper world is the domain of celestial deities, the middle world is the home of humans and nature, and the underworld is the realm of the dead and chthonic deities.
Practices and Rituals
Slavic religion had a highly developed system of rites and rituals. These included the veneration of ancestors, the observance of various seasonal and agricultural festivals, and the practice of divination and magic.
Christianisation and Survival of Beliefs
The Christianisation of the Slavs, which began in the 9th century, led to the gradual disappearance of the old Slavic religion. However, many elements of the ancient belief system have survived in folk customs, traditions, and folklore.