Over the centuries, the ancient Slavs developed their own system of religious beliefs, which formed two separate religious cults: the deification of natural forces and the cult of ancestors. The beliefs of the Slavs are called paganism. It was not typical for the ancient Slavs to unite politically and economically. Therefore, they could not have one God and one cult. Only common features were preserved, which were expressed in the funeral rite, family and clan, agricultural cults, but most of all in the Old Slavic pantheon. Only a few customs and rituals have survived to our time unchanged. All of them bear the imprint of modernity.
The ancient Slavs were pagans, what does this mean?
Man lived in a multifaceted and unexplored world. Every second of his life could be stopped by natural phenomena, a force beyond understanding. Man realized his helplessness before earthquakes, lightning, floods and other elements, and therefore began to bow before the power of the Gods who control these phenomena. In order for the Gods to be supportive of people helpless against the elements, the first altars were erected, sacrifices were made to the gods there.
So what is the% paganism of the ancient Slavs, in short? At an early stage of development, the ancient Slavs believed in the existence of good and evil spirits. Gradually, a pantheon or group of Slavic gods took shape. Each God is the personification of a certain natural element or a reflection of social relations, rituals that are characteristic of that period. They constituted a group of so-called supreme Gods, or gods-masters of natural phenomena.
In addition to the higher Gods, there were lower ones - creatures that could make only small changes in a person's life: houseboys, mermaids, goblin, mavki. Even the ancient Slavs divided the extraterrestrial abode of the human soul into hell and heaven. Various sacrifices helped a person to interact with the Gods, to count on help. Oxen and other livestock were often sacrificed, and there is no information about human sacrifices.
Paganism of the ancient Slavs- polytheistic beliefs and rituals that existed among the Slavs before the adoption of the monotheistic religion - Christianity.
The term "paganism" appeared in the Old Russian language after the adoption of Christianity to denote all pre-Christian and non-Christian cults and was used by Orthodox preachers. In other words, the term "paganism" is conditional and does not mean any specific beliefs, but any traditional folk religion. In modern scientific literature, the term "polytheism" is often used (from the Greek. Polys - numerous; and theos - god; that is, polytheism, belief in many gods).
Slavic paganism reflected and expressed the entire life path of a communal peasant: the cycle of agricultural work, domestic life, weddings, funerals, etc. Pagan deities are directly related to natural objects that were in the sphere of life and productive activity of the Slavs - land, forest, water, sky, sun, animals, plants, stones, etc. The object of worship was the generating forces of nature, everything that directly affects the harvest - rain, wind, sunlight, thunder, lightning, etc. The main object of worship among the Slavs was the land. In Slavic paganism, the earth is the productive force of nature ("nurse") and the ancestor, the mother of all living things ("mother of cheese earth").
Since the Slavic tribes lived on a vast territory from the Dnieper to the Danube, from the Baltic to the Black Seas, they had different gods.
The Baltic Slavs, who lived in ancient times on the territory of Northern Germany, considered Sventovit to be the main god. Sventovit is the "god of the gods" who performed the functions of both the main god and the god of war. The main temple of Sventovit was located in the city of Arkona on the island of Rugen-Ruyen. In the middle of the city there was an open square, on which a wooden temple rose, surrounded by a double fence. The outer steps of the temple were decorated with bas-reliefs in the form of figures of various gods. Inside the temple was a large, taller than human idol - the idol of the god Sventovit, the four heads of Sventovit looked in different directions of the world.
The Slavs who lived in the territory of modern Poland revered Triglav as the main god. Not far from the modern city of Szczecin, on the main of the three sacred hills, stood his three-headed idol. The idol's eyes were covered with a gold band. The black horse was the symbol of Triglav.
The Eastern Slavs revered Svarog - the god of fire, the father of the sun; Dazhdboga - the deity of sunlight, the giver of benefits, who was sometimes called the son of Svarog; Striboga - presumably the god of the winds; Mokosh - "mother of the harvest", the goddess of the earth; Volos (Veles) - the benevolent god of the land, livestock and wealth. Tayuke Perun was revered - the god of thunder and thunder, the patron saint of the military squad and the prince. The oak was the symbol of Perun. Until now, archaeologists find the remains of huge oak trees, which our ancestors worshiped as Perun.
Mentioned in the "Tale of Bygone Years" Simargl and Khoros (Khors), apparently, are Iranian deities brought to Russia by the Khorezm guard hired by the Khazars.
The Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus described the thanksgiving service of the pagan Rus on the Dnieper island of Khortitsa: " They reach the island ... and on this island they make their sacrifices, because there is a huge oak tree. They sacrifice live roosters, stick arrows all around, while others bring pieces of bread, meat, and what everyone has, as their custom requires ..."
In 979-980, even before the adoption of Christianity, at the behest of the Kiev prince Vladimir Svyatoslavich, six idols of various pagan gods - Stribog, Dazhdbog, Mokoshi, Simargl, Khors and Perun - were collected in one place near Kiev, where they set up a temple - a sacred place of worship gods. Perun was declared the main god, whose idol was installed in the center of the temple.
But not all Kievites accepted Perun as the main god. Many continued to worship their ancient gods, for example, the god Veles, or, as he was also called, Volos. Kievans put the idol of Veles-Volos in Podol.
Paganism had a significant impact on the formation of the Christian cult and ordinance. The interval between Christmas and Epiphany was occupied by pre-Christian Christmastide. The pagan Shrovetide became the eve of the Great (pre-Easter) fast. Pagan memorial rites, as well as the ancient Slavic cult of bread, were intertwined with Christian Easter, the cult of birch and grasses, as well as other elements of the ancient Slavic holiday of Semik, on the feast of the Trinity. The feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord was combined with the feast of collecting fruits and was named the Apple Savior. The pagan influence is sometimes traced in the ornaments of the monuments of ancient Russian temple construction - solar ("solar") signs, decorative carving, etc.
Many pagan deities "transferred" their functions to Christian saints. Perun began to be personified with Elijah the Prophet and George the Victorious; the cults of St. Nicholas of Mirlikisky, the Archangel Michael and St. Blasius, the special patron saint of cattle, have absorbed the elements of the worship of Veles; pagan Mokosh merged with Paraskeva Friday and the Mother of God.
Pagan rituals and beliefs (fortune-telling, festivals, funeral rituals) were preserved for a long time in everyday life, both in the midst of the rural and urban population, and in the princely-boyar environment. The pagan archaic can be traced in the monuments of literary and oral creativity, especially in epics, songs, etc.
At the level of everyday superstitions, paganism persisted constantly, remaining a means of man's mythological assimilation of nature.
Slavic paganism or about the name "Paganism"
We have a common word that unites us, which came from the depths of centuries. We are pagans. There is no other such word. Another name, for example, "Natural Faith" only clarifies this ancient word. Names like "Vedic religion" or "pre-Christian faith" are invented today and do not have the proper power. The carriers of the Vedic religion never called themselves that, and no one called them that during their historical life. By the way, the first Christians also did not call themselves “Christians” - this is what the pagans of ancient times called them - after the name of the Messiah revered by them (“Christ-worshipers”). The creators of new self-names do not want to dirty themselves with the dirt that the world monoreligions have inflicted on paganism. They are cunning or sincerely don’t realize that if “don’t get dirty”, it means “don’t take it in your hands”. And if you don't "take it into your hands," then all these new "Vedic orthodoxy" will be filled with content not related to our historical paganism. It will simply be Russian-Slavic rehash of Indian religions, it will be a profanation of our national paganism, a remake made from scraps of alien traditions. Among a certain part of modern pagans, there is an opinion that the pagan ancestors called themselves Orthodox, since, they say, "they glorified the right." It is possible that somewhere there were “Orthodox” pagans, but, in fairness, it should be noted that not a single historical evidence of such a self-designation of the ancient pagan Slavs has survived. Let us examine the essence of the word "rule" in order to understand - should pagans be called "Orthodox"? Rule is included in such modern words of ours as “truth”, “right” (in the sense of just), “rule”, “rule” (a country or a boat), “ruler”. So, the word "rule" refers mainly not to the conduct of the lodya (for example, along the river of life), but to the ideological justification of government, to the justification of the power of the prince. To his "rightful judgment", which always had to be in harmony with the will of the gods. But some were satisfied with the power of the prince and his truth, and some did not. A thousand years ago, in the very depths of the forests, freedom-loving tribes of the Drevlyans, Vyatichs and Radimichs lived, they did not let anyone in, so that they did not know their land and the princes from Kiev or Novgorod did not go to them as armies. With the expansion of the area of the princely power, the Vyatichi went to the northeast, and the independent land of the Drevlyans and Radimichs narrowed to Polesie. On this land, free people were called the opposite word to "princely truth." They were called "Krivichi" (by the way, Lithuanians still often call Russians "Krivichi"). The Krivichi were a union of tribes, were brothers by blood, and a special place in their religious veneration was given to female deities and bereginians.
Let us recall that the title of the Baltic high priest of Krive-Kriveite is translated as Teacher of Teachers, and not at all as teacher of untruth. The self-name “Krivichi” and the title of the high priest of the Balts become close, if we pay attention to the fact that a significant part of the population of the land of the Krivichi was of Baltic origin, and the fact that a significant part of the territory of the present Baltic was inhabited by Slavic tribes. Over time, many Balts became Russified and began to classify themselves as Slavs, and many geographical names of rivers and villages remained of Baltic origin. The same should have been the case for sacred concepts, including such as “curve”. This approach naturally forces us to change the flat idea of the origin of the words truth and falsehood. As you know, the Krivichi long and stubbornly resisted the introduction of Christianity, held on to the “old faith” and “old gods”. Perhaps this is also why the word “curve” has acquired a negative connotation. There were, of course, those Slavic tribes that did not actively oppose themselves to anyone - neither the will of the prince, nor his priests, who fulfilled the task of their master for the mass baptism of the population.
These tribes lived peacefully and quietly, but even they did not realize that they had to somehow designate themselves by faith. But their language worked for them. In Old Russian “yazytsy” means “peoples”. Therefore, by the nature of the language, the pagan faith is the faith of the common people, which are naturally close to the earth. As soon as the Christian priests realized that their task included not only the ideological suppression of the Krivichi (Krivi) stubbornly holding on to their faith, but in general submission to the prince of the “black people” (villagers), then among the ministers of the new Christian cult, what was already there could be recalled in the language a generalizing word: "paganism". On the whole and initially, they did not put a negative meaning into it, as they did with the word “crooked,” putting into it the meaning of falsehood - deception. By "paganism" they understood beliefs, as well as spiritual and legal institutions that were outside the princely truth, beyond the limits of his power. Therefore, the word "paganism" gradually acquired the spirit of something suspicious, but not yet received an accurate assessment. Christianity, which strengthened later, connected him directly with “demons and demons”. The very word "paganism" was not created or invented by priests - neither pagan nor Christian. Even before them, it was contained in the Slavic language as a generalizing concept (the word “paganism” comes from the root “language”, which in the Old Slavonic language means “people, tribe”). It was supposed to sound when the princes approved any new official deity and carried out his cult to the people. This should have been the case when Vladimir Perun was approved in Kiev and Novgorod. This happened later, with the introduction of Christianity. The fact that Christianity is not just a cult of a new god, but carries a qualitatively different spiritual content, was still little understood by the Russian people in the time of Vladimir. The priests of the official cult called the tribes "pagans" who did not follow the princely cult with its new crucified god (Christianity), but believed in their own way, in the "old gods." They were considered “black people” if they were obedient to the prince, and they turned out to be “Krivichi” if they lived from Lithuania and did not agree with the princely policy.
As already noted, the very word "yazytsi" means, first of all, "peoples". Secondly, it also meant the speaker, the person transmitting the message. So, in Afanasyev's fairy tale "Ivan the Fool", published in 1855, we find: "Ilya Muromets killed everyone, left only some pagans to the king." Hence it follows that in addition to the concept of "people", the word "pagan" also contains another concept - "messenger", or the one who speaks ("speaker", that is, "knowing the word"). If we combine both of these ancient concepts, then we can easily see that in the religious sense, a pagan is the one who carries the message, knowledge, word about the religion and faith of his people. And if today we say that we are pagans, it means that we are messengers, we carry the message: “it's time for our people to remember their primordial principles”. In Latin countries, a synonym for paganism was the word "paganism", derived from the word "paganus" - "farmer" (more broadly - "rural, country dweller", "redneck"). For many modern Slavic pagans, it is not very decent to be called a pagan or filthy - here they put pressure on the linguistic forms, cliches and templates developed over a thousand years, imposed by those who deceived and destroyed the ancient Natural Faith. But Western European pagans freely call themselves "Paganists." For example, when the Lithuanian pagans learned that the Russians were ashamed of their self-designation (“pagans”), they were surprised: how is it that Russian pagans give up themselves?
Indeed, to refuse such a high title as “pagans” is to humiliate oneself before the authorities and the priests; before those who themselves (once upon a time) altered this word “in a crooked way” - just like many other words related to folk / natural faith. The same is the case with other words, for example, with the word “blaspheme”. In pagan terms, this means - "to perform pagan hymns, songs or legends about the deeds of the gods and the afterlife." In modern language, this means saying something that defiles some kind of holiness. This is also the result of thousands of years of work of Christianity on our language. The historical truth will be restored. We must return to our everyday life such necessary words as “paganism” or “blasphemy”, and not be ashamed of them just because mountains of lies were heaped on them. After all, we are not afraid of this lie. Therefore, let's be honest and consistent.
The problem of how to name your faith, and even more to name the type of your faith, could arise among the Slavs only with the beginning of the expansion of monotheistic religions. Before that, there was no need to name your faith, the faith of your ancestors - it was called that way: "faith", "our faith", "faith of the ancestors" or "Slavic, Russian faith". Actually, faith was - in fact - one common for many peoples; the concept of faith was broader than the concept of a tribe. The Slavs, the Germans, and the Scandinavians were all pagans and, in general terms, adhered to the same pantheon and belief system. Moreover, all sorts of more distant neighbors were all pagans. The difference was only in the specific names of the same gods, or in which of them occupies the “main” place in the composition of a particular pantheon (and, therefore, the main, most noticeable from the outside, place in the cult), or in the composition itself pantheon. Hence the variants of names for specific varieties of beliefs - either by the name of the tribe (the faith of the ancestors, the faith of the Slavs, the Busurman faith), or by the name of the “main” deity (fire worshipers, Isusovtsy). There were simply no other names. Around there were not only "atheistic cults" (such as "scientific atheism"), but also "author's" religions (such as Mohammedanism, Judaism, Zoroastrianism), claiming not one separate tribe, but an alternative to the entire generally accepted belief system (For example, Judaism among the Khazars was called by the neighbors nothing else but the “Khazar faith”). Thus, the Slavs (like all neighboring tribes and peoples) did not have and could not have any special name for the faith of their ancestors, and even more so for the type of faith itself. Some conditionally generalizing names (for clarification in conversations with foreigners) could have been, but most often, of course, the name was used according to belonging to the tribe (depending on the context - more general or more particular) - the Slavic faith, the faith of the Polyans, the faith of the Normans, etc. ... The need to define the type of one's faith in opposition to a faith of a fundamentally different type arose only in theological disputes in the period of dual faith - when it was necessary to oppose collectively the faith of all peoples with monotheistic religions. This is how the concepts of "paganism" and "paganism" arose. According to the most linguistically grounded versions, both of these words originate (in fact) from the concept of "people" (respectively, in Slavic "language" - people, and in Latin "pagan" - rural, rural, pochvennichesky - in the sense of this is synonyms for the word " people"). These words mean "popular faith" as a type of traditional beliefs of all peoples. Therefore, in this context, it is more correct to speak not about paganism in general, but more specifically about Slavic paganism. There is no way to determine which side of the theological dispute put it forward - this term is equally acceptable to both sides.
To consider it invented by Christians to humiliate pagans is as foolish as to consider the word "monotheism" offensive to Christians. This is a completely neutral scientific term, which very clearly and correctly draws the line between natural (natural) beliefs and artificial one-god confessions such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
All the emotions [of some pagans who do not want to call themselves “pagans” and their faith “paganism”] about the name of our faith are absolutely understandable, but naturally we have to reckon with the surrounding reality. If there is a war between “White” and “Red”, between “Sharp-pointed” and “Dull-pointed” (the analogy, of course, does not apply to the essence of the process), then say something like “I wear a green jacket and, therefore, that says it all” - it means not to say anything definite. In fact, you still have to explain in a roundabout way that in fact you are “White”, “Red” or something else, but you don’t want to talk about it directly. It is in this way that any explanations to abstract self-definitions will be perceived by everyone. We repeat once again - emotions are clear: the word “pagan” is not the most successful one, but it is a very specific neutral scientific term. In any reference book, article, encyclopedia, everyday conversation, criminal case - we will still be called “pagans”. Up to our complete victory and even further - already as a result of a tradition that has arisen. Remember - the name “Bolsheviks” has remained with the communists to this day. What can you do if monotheists (and Christians in particular) have pawned almost all terms that belonged to the pagan religious sphere? But this does not mean that now you cannot use the words “treba”, “goblin”, “witch”, “nauznik”, “supporter”, “leader”, “sorcerer”, “blaspheme”, “vykobenivatsya”, etc. But, on the other hand, the reality of the consequences of [Christian] outlandishness must also be reckoned with - calling our faith “Orthodoxy” (as some “Rule-praising” pagans * do) is also not very reasonable in this situation. Finally, in order to finally resolve the issue of the origin of the word "paganism", let us turn to an academic scientific publication. So, “Old Church Slavonic Dictionary (based on manuscripts of the 10-11th centuries): About 10,000 words; Moscow; Russian language; 1994; - 842 p. ”. The article is in Old Slavonic script and ancient Greek, the following is written (4 fixed meanings): “LANGUAGE” - 1. language (organ) ... 2. language (speech) ... 3. people, tribe ... For example, “language will rise to language”; “Yes, one person (loves) will get lost for people, and not hang your tongue out”; "Vsku shyatashya sya yezytsi"; "Like pr (oro) ka bo in yazytsekh positih cha", etc. [it is characteristic that this word is used even in relation to Christians! ]. 4. foreigners, foreigners; pagans ... For example: “all of them are yazytsi ishtut; idols yaz (s) k'Srebreni and gold ”...
Here you can clearly see the original, the most ancient meaning of the word "language" - "people" (owning a certain language). It also clearly shows the beginning of the opposition by Christians of the meanings of the word in question: "folk, natural" & "Christian, divine." Thus, everyone can choose for himself in what sense to use the word “paganism” - either in the original 3rd meaning (that is, according to the ancient meaning), or in the 4th later meaning (that is, in the changed under the influence of Christianity ). Also in V. Dahl's explanatory dictionary you can find the meaning of the word "language": "people, land, with a single-tribe population of its own, with the same speech." Thus, "paganism" for the Slavs is, first of all, a folk, primordial, Native Tradition. Accordingly, paganism is tribal beliefs, and in this sense it has long been used by our ancestors.
So, pagans are people belonging to one clan-tribe who honor its customs, love and cherish their land, keep clan-tribal myths and reproduce these relations in new generations. At the same time, the land, the tribe that inhabits it, other forms of life and the gods form a single generic whole, which is reflected in tribal myths and rituals, in the way of life and management. Do not be shy about the name “pagan”. It is not necessary, if only for the reason that all Christians shudder at this one word: they fear him like fire, as excommunication from the parish humanitarian feeding trough; for them the word “pagan” is more terrible than “Satanist”. Have you ever seen the pitiful white frightened face of a Christian who accidentally wandered into the forest to the pagans and found out where he had ended up? The phrase: “I am a pagan” sounds proud and belligerent; it hits the enemy like lightning; it contains the power of a thousand-year spiritual confrontation with the [Christian] foreign rage. There is nothing abusive in the word “paganism” for the pagans themselves.
The fact that words such as “paganism” = “paganism” are today almost swear words for some pagans speaks only of the results of Christian propaganda, and nothing more (“propaganda” in Latin is ideological “work” among the pagans). What can we say, many centuries have passed, the language has changed, many concepts have undergone changes, and today almost all words that somehow refer to paganism and the pagan worldview have been turned into swear words (see examples above). To be engaged in word-creation (and, in fact, verbiage) and invent some new words for everyone and everything on this basis is at least unwise, and it is too much honor for one-gods (monotheists). It is much more reasonable to direct the same efforts to ensure that completely different words that really deserve it become swearing. It is also important that by the very fact of calling ourselves “pagans”, we select the very Bogeyman, with the help of which some are trying to belittle those they do not like. We are not afraid to call ourselves “pagans” and even “pagans” - there is a Slavic pagan community in Belarus, whose representatives do not hesitate to call themselves just like that - but any detractors after that simply have nothing to cover. Analogy: at one time in the States, the word "cop" was a dirty word (just like we have the word "cop"), but time has passed, and now every American police officer can proudly say "yes, I am a cop." This positive image, as well as the word it denotes, has been created for decades with the help of films and the daily work of the law enforcement agencies themselves; the same process has begun in our country - books are already being published with the mention of the word "cop", the television series "Cops" has been released, and after a couple of decades no one will ever remember that once a word was for someone abusive or inelegant. That's about the same thing can happen with the word "paganism" (as well as with any other word). Moreover, this already happened in antiquity, when the Christians took it into their arms and used it all as a "pogonyalovo" - now all that remains is to return it to our armament. And, what can we say, when the word “symposium”, which is commonly used even in high politics, comes from the Greek “drinker”; and the word "pluralism" in the ancient Greeks meant multiple copulations during an orgy. And the word "pagan" against this background looks much more decent: it's just "soil, rural, rural". Simply, in later times this word was used by Christians, who contemptuously called the adherents of the faith of their ancestors "bumpkin", considering them unenlightened and dark, when they stubbornly did not want to convert to the "true faith of Christ."
And such a word as “paganism” in general has the root “people” (“language”), that is, “pagans” are essentially “populists” - such a translation is the most elegant, and therefore this particular version of the translation will be used henceforth ( whatever lovers of “primordiality” and other historical naphthalene say, dreaming of “the harmony of a stagnant swamp” and do not understand that everything is changing and must change - for Movement is Life).
SLAVIC TRADITIONS
In all official papers - statutes, names of communities, etc. it is necessary to use the term “paganism” or the phrase “Slavic paganism”. Otherwise, we are denied access to the creation of an all-Russian confession and the recognition of modern Slavic paganism as the historical successor of the pre-Christian beliefs of the Slavs. For any religious examination, appointed in such cases under the current legislation, recognizes our entire movement as just a collection of small scattered sects belonging to various newly minted religions that have nothing to do with the ancient Slavic faith (Slavic paganism) and, therefore, fundamentally unable to be considered as belonging to the confessions traditional for Russia. Accordingly, the only admissible should be considered the official (registered with the authorities) name of the community as “pagan”. The sooner we can achieve universal acceptance of this term, which directly meets the goals of our entire movement, the better. In this regard, it should be especially noted that no one calls to call themselves only “pagans” (or even, for example, “pagans”). On the contrary, in parallel, you can use any other identifiers, such as "Rodnovers", "Rodolyubov", "Kindred", "Polytheists", "Traditionalists", "Pantheists", etc. It's just that one should not be afraid and should not be ashamed of other people's (and indeed whatever) Labels and Bogeymen used by motley detractors - only then will they cease to be such. We have already selected them and, if necessary, will select them again. You just need not be afraid of anything and calmly do your job. [* To call paganism “Orthodoxy” (“Glorification of the Rule”) is historically and linguistically illiterate. Nowhere and in any historical sources is not even a hint mentioned that the pagan Slavs, they say, “glorified Rule” (all the more, why glorify it? without human intervention). Being extremely honest, you have to reckon with the facts. And the fact is that "Orthodoxy" is a literal tracing paper from the Greek "orthodoxis": from "orthos" - "correct" & "doxa" - "faith in", "opinion about" (someone), "good name ”,“ Glory ”,“ (pro) glorification ”; that is, the word "Orthodoxy" has the meaning of "praising correctly" (the Judeo-Christian god, respectively). The above etymology of the word "Orthodoxy" is officially scientific and is shared by all modern scholarly historians and linguists. Citizens who disagree with this may try to present evidence of their point of view in strict accordance with the scientific methodology: 1) facts, 2) sources, 3) references, 4) reasoned justifications. Before bringing all of the above, any statement has no scientific value, but is only an opinion (which may well turn out to be erroneous; and that is why proof and sufficient grounds are required).]
In this article, you will learn:
How paganism arose and developed in Ancient Russia
What gods existed in the paganism of Ancient Russia
What holidays and ceremonies were held in Ancient Russia
What charms, amulets and talismans were worn by the pagans of Ancient Russia
The paganism of Ancient Russia is a system of ideas about man and the world that existed in the ancient Russian state. It was this faith that was the official and predominant religion among the Eastern Slavs until the Baptism of Rus in 988. Despite the efforts made by the ruling elite, until the middle of the 13th century, it was paganism that the majority of the tribes inhabiting ancient Russia continued to profess. Even after Christianity completely supplanted it, the traditions and beliefs of the pagans have had and still have a significant impact on the culture, traditions and way of life of the Russian people.
The history of the emergence and development of paganism in Ancient Russia
The name "paganism" itself cannot be considered accurate, since this concept includes too large a cultural layer. These days, terms such as "polytheism", "totemism" or "ethnic religion" are more commonly used.
The term "paganism of the ancient Slavs" is used when it becomes necessary to designate the religious and cultural views of all the tribes that lived on the territory of ancient Russia until the adoption of Christianity by these tribes. According to one of the opinions, the term "paganism", applied to the culture of the ancient Slavs, is based not on religion itself (polytheism), but on one language used by numerous, unrelated Slavic tribes.
The chronicler Nestor called the entire totality of these tribes pagans, that is, tribes united by one language. The term "paganism" began to be used somewhat later to denote the peculiarities of the religious and cultural traditions of the ancient Slavic tribes.
The beginning of the formation of Slavic paganism in Ancient Russia dates back to the 1st-2nd millennia BC, that is, to those times when the Slavic tribes began to separate from the tribes of the Indo-European group, settle in new territories and interact with the cultural traditions of their neighbors. It was the Indo-European culture that introduced into the culture of the ancient Slavs such images as the god of the storm, the fighting squad, the god of cattle and one of the most important prototypes of mother earth.
Of great importance for the Slavs were the Celts, who not only brought a number of specific images into the pagan religion, but also gave the very name "god", by which these images were designated. Slavic paganism has a lot in common with German-Scandinavian mythology, this includes the presence of motives of the world tree, dragons and other deities, which changed in accordance with the living conditions of the Slavs.
After the active division of the Slavic tribes and their resettlement in various territories, the very paganism of Ancient Russia began to change, each tribe began to have elements inherent only to it. In the 6th-7th centuries, the differences between the religions of the Eastern and Western Slavs were quite tangible.
In addition, the beliefs inherent in the upper ruling strata of society and its lower strata very often differed from each other. This is evidenced by the ancient Slavic chronicles. The beliefs of residents of large cities and small villages could be different.
As the centralized ancient Russian state was forming, the ties of Russia with Byzantium and other states were developing more and more, at the same time paganism began to be questioned, persecutions began, the so-called teachings against the pagans. After the Baptism of Rus took place in 988 and Christianity became the official religion, paganism was practically supplanted. And yet today you can find territories and communities inhabited by people professing ancient Slavic paganism.
The Pantheon of Gods in the Paganism of Ancient Rus
Ancient Slavic god Rod
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the Rod was considered the supreme god, commanding everything that exists in the Universe, including all other gods. He headed the summit of the pagan pantheon of gods, was the creator and ancestor. It was the almighty god Rod that influenced the entire cycle of life. It had no end or beginning, it existed everywhere. This is how all existing religions describe God.
The family was subject to life and death, abundance and poverty. Despite the fact that he is invisible to everyone, no one can hide from his gaze. The root of the name of the main god permeates the speech of people, it can be heard in many words, it is present in birth, relatives, homeland, spring, harvest.
After the Rod, the rest of the deities and spiritual essences of paganism of Ancient Russia were distributed in different stages, which corresponded to the degree of their influence on the life of people.
At the top level were the gods who controlled global and national affairs - wars, ethnic conflicts, weather disasters, fertility and hunger, fertility and mortality.
The middle stage was assigned to the deities responsible for local affairs. They patronized agriculture, crafts, fishing and hunting, family concerns. Their image was similar to that of a person.
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, there were spiritual entities with a bodily appearance different from human, they were located on the stylobate of the base of the pantheon. He belonged to kikimors, ghouls, goblin, brownies, ghouls, mermaids and many others like them.
Actually, the Slavic hierarchical pyramid ends with spiritual entities, this distinguishes it from the ancient Egyptian, in which there was also an afterlife, inhabited by its own deities and subject to special laws.
God of the Slavs Khors and his incarnations
Khors in the paganism of Ancient Rus was the son of the god Rod and the brother of Veles. In Russia he was called the god of the Sun. His face was like a sunny day - yellow, radiant, dazzlingly bright.
Horse had four incarnations:
Dazhdbog;
Each of them acted in its own season of the year, people turned to them for help, using certain ceremonies and rituals.
God of the Slavs Kolyada
In the paganism of Ancient Rus, the annual cycle began with Kolyada, his dominion began on the day of the winter solstice and continued until the day of the vernal equinox (from December 22 to March 21). In December, the Slavs, with the help of ritual songs, greeted the young Sun and praised Kolyada, the celebrations continued until January 7 and were called Christmastide.
At this time, it was customary to slaughter livestock, open pickles, and carry supplies to the fair. The entire Christmas time was famous for its gatherings, abundant feasts, fortune-telling, fun, matchmaking and weddings. “Doing nothing” during this time was a legitimate pastime. At this time, it was also supposed to show mercy and generosity to the poor, for which Kolyada was especially supportive of benefactors.
God of the Slavs Yarilo
Otherwise, in the paganism of Ancient Russia, he was called Yarovit, Ruevit, Yar. The ancient Slavs described him as a young sun god, a barefoot young man riding a white horse. Wherever he turned his gaze, crops sprouted, where he passed, grasses began to sprout. His head was crowned with a wreath woven of ears, with his left hand he held a bow with arrows, with his right hand he held the reins. He began to rule on the vernal equinox and ended on the summer solstice (March 22 to June 21). By this time, the household supplies of the people were coming to an end, and there was still a lot of work to be done. When the sun turned back, the tension in work subsided, then the time of Dazhdbog came.
God of the Slavs Dazhdbog
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, in another way he was called Kupala or Kupaila, he was the sun god with the face of a mature man. Dazhdbog ruled from the summer solstice to the autumn equinox (from June 22 to September 23). Due to the hot labor of labor, the celebrations in honor of this god were postponed to July 6-7. That night, the Slavs burned the effigy of Yarila on a huge fire, the girls jumped over the fire and threw wreaths woven of flowers over the water. Boys and girls alike were busy looking for a flowering wish-fulfilling fern. There were also many worries at that time: it was necessary to mow the grass, prepare supplies for the winter, repair houses, prepare the sled for the winter season.
God of the Slavs Svarog
Svarog, otherwise known as Svetovid, took over from Dazhdbog. The sun tilted lower and lower towards the horizon, the Slavs represented Svarog in the form of a tall, gray-haired, strong old man. His gaze was turned to the north, in his hands he gripped a heavy sword designed to disperse the forces of darkness. Svetovid was the husband of the Earth, the father of Dazhdbog and the rest of the gods of nature. He ruled from September 23 to December 21, this time was considered a time of satiety, peace and prosperity. People during this period did not have any special worries and sorrows, they organized fairs, played weddings.
Perun - the god of thunder and lightning
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, a special place was occupied by the god of war Perun, with his right hand he squeezed a rainbow sword, with his left hand he held lightning arrows. The Slavs said that clouds were his hair and beard, thunder was his speech, wind was his breath, drops of rain were fertilizing seed. He was the son of Svarog (Svarozhich) with a difficult disposition. He was considered the patron saint of brave warriors and everyone who made efforts to hard work, endowed them with strength and luck.
Stribog - god of the wind
Stribog in the paganism of Ancient Russia was revered as a god who ruled over other deities of the elemental forces of nature (Whistle, Weather and others). He was considered the lord of the winds, hurricanes and blizzards. He could be very kind and very angry. If he was angry and blew into his horn, then the elements were outright roaming, when Stribog was in a good-natured mood, the foliage just rustled, the streams murmured, the breeze swayed the branches of the trees. The sounds of nature formed the basis of songs and music, musical instruments. Prayers were offered to him for the end of the storm, he helped hunters to pursue sensitive and fearful animals.
Veles - pagan god of wealth
Veles was revered as the god of agriculture and cattle breeding. He was also considered the god of wealth (he was called Hair, the Month). The clouds obeyed him. In his youth, Veles himself grazed the heavenly sheep. Enraged, he could send torrential rains to the ground. And today, after finishing the harvest, people leave one collected sheaf for Veles. His name is used to swear an oath of honesty and loyalty.
Lada - the goddess of love and beauty
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, she was revered as the patroness of the hearth. The snow-white clouds were her clothes, the morning dew was her tears. In the hours before dawn, she helped the shadows of the dead go to the other world. Lada was considered the earthly incarnation of Rod, the high priestess, the mother goddess, surrounded by a retinue of young servants.
The Slavs described Lada as smart, beautiful, courageous and dexterous, flexible in stature, speaking sonorous flattering speeches. People turned to Lada for advice, she talked about how to live, what can be done and what not. She blamed the guilty, justifying those who were wrongly accused. In ancient times, the goddess had a temple erected on Ladoga, but now she dwells in the blue of the sky.
God of the Slavs Chernobog
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, many legends were composed about swamp evil, only a part of them have survived to this day. The powerful god Chernobog was the patron saint of evil spirits, he ruled over the dark forces of evil and whims, grave ailments and bitter misfortunes. He was considered the god of darkness, who lived in terrible forest thickets, ponds covered with duckweed, deep pools and swamps.
Angrily, Chernobog, the night ruler, clutched his spear in his hand. He commanded numerous evil spirits - the goblin who entangled forest paths, mermaids who pulled people into deep pools, cunning banniks, echidnas and insidious ghouls, capricious brownies.
God of the Slavs Mokosh
Mokosh (Makesh) in the paganism of Ancient Russia was called the goddess of trade, she was a semblance of the ancient Roman Mercury. In the language of the Old Slavs, mokosh meant "full wallet". The goddess used the harvested crop with benefit.
Another purpose of Mokoshi was considered to be the management of fate. She was interested in spinning and weaving; with the help of spun threads, she weaved people's destinies. Young housewives were afraid to leave unfinished yarn for the night, it was believed that Mokosha could ruin the tow, and with it the fate of the girl. The Northern Slavs attributed Mokosha to the unkind goddesses.
God of the Slavs Paraskeva-Friday
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, Paraskeva-Friday was the concubine of Mokosha, who made her a goddess, who was subject to riotous youth, gambling, drinking with vulgar songs and obscene dances, as well as dishonest trade. For this reason, it was Friday in Ancient Russia that for a long time was a market day. Women at this time were not supposed to work, because a disobedient Paraskeva could be turned by the goddess into a cold toad. The ancient Slavs believed that Paraskeva could poison the water in wells and underground springs. In our time, it is practically forgotten.
God of the Slavs Morena
In the paganism of the ancient Slavs, the goddess Maruha, or otherwise - Morena, was considered the ruler of evil, incurable diseases and death. It was she who was the cause of fierce winters in Russia, stormy nights, epidemics and wars. She was represented in the form of a terrible woman who had a dark wrinkled face, deeply sunken small eyes, a sunken nose, a bony body and the same hands with long curved nails. Her servants had ailments. Maruha herself did not leave, she could be chased away, but she came back anyway.
Lower deities of the ancient Slavs
- Animal deities.
In those days, when the ancient Slavs were mainly engaged in hunting, and not farming, they believed that wild animals were their progenitors. The pagans believed that these were powerful deities who needed to be worshiped.
Each tribe had its own totem, in other words, a sacred animal to worship. Some tribes believed that the Wolf was their ancestor. This animal was worshiped as a deity. His name was considered sacred, it was impossible to pronounce it aloud.
The Bear was considered the owner of the pagan forest - the most powerful animal. The Slavs believed that it was he who was able to protect from any evil, in addition, he patronized fertility - for the Slavs, spring came when the bears woke up from hibernation. Almost until the 20th century, bear paws were kept in peasant houses; they were considered talismans that protected their owners from diseases, witchcraft and various misfortunes. In the paganism of Ancient Russia, they believed that bears were endowed with great wisdom, they knew almost everything: the name of the beast was used when pronouncing oaths, and a hunter who dared to break the oath was doomed to perish in the forest.
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, herbivores were also revered. The most respected was Deer (Elk), the Slavs considered her the goddess of fertility, sky and sunlight. The goddess was represented with horns (unlike the usual female deer), which symbolized the rays of the sun. For this reason, the Slavs believed that the antlers of deer are amulets that can protect against various evil spirits, they were hung above the entrance to the dwelling or inside the hut.
It was believed that the heavenly goddesses - the Deer - could send newborn deer to the earth, which fell from the clouds like rain.
Of domestic animals, the Horse enjoyed the greatest respect in the paganism of Ancient Rus. This was due to the fact that for a long time the tribes inhabiting modern Europe and Asia were not sedentary, but nomadic. Therefore, the golden horse, racing through the sky, was for them the personification of the sun. And later, the myth of the sun god appeared, who crossed the sky in his chariot.
- Household deities.
In the paganism of Ancient Rus, there were not only spirits that inhabited forests and water bodies. The beliefs of the Slavs extended to domestic deities, they were well-wishers and well-wishers, who were headed by brownies who lived under the stove or in a bast shoe, which was specially hung over the stove for them.
Brownies were considered patrons of the economy. They helped diligent owners to multiply the good, and as punishment for laziness they could send trouble. The Slavs believed that livestock received special attention from brownies. So, they combed the horses' tails and manes (but if the brownie was angry, then he, on the contrary, could confuse the animal's hair into mats), they could increase the milk yield from cows (or, conversely, take away their milk), life and health depended on them newborn livestock. Therefore, the Slavs sought to appease the brownies in every possible way, offering them various treats and conducting special rituals.
In addition to the belief in brownies, in the paganism of Ancient Rus they believed that relatives who had gone to another world help the living. These beliefs were closely intertwined, so the image of the brownie was inextricably linked with the stove, the hearth. The Slavs believed that the souls of newborns come to our world through the chimney, and through it the souls of the departed leave.
People imagined the brownie in the form of a bearded man with a hat on his head. His figurines were carved from wood, they were called "churas", and, in addition to domestic deities, they personified deceased ancestors.
The Slavs who lived in the north of Ancient Rus believed that not only brownies, but also courtyards, cattlemen and kutny gods (the dwelling place of these well-wishers was a barn, they took care of domestic cattle, and people left them bread as an offering) and cottage cheese), as well as barnmen that guarded the stocks of grain and hay.
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the bathhouse was considered an unclean place, and the deities who lived in it - the banniks - were referred to as evil spirits. They were fermented by leaving them brooms, soap and water; besides, they brought sacrifices to the banniks - black chicken.
Even after Christianity became the official religion in Russia, the belief in "small" gods persisted. First of all, they were not venerated as explicitly as the gods of heaven, earth and nature. Small deities did not have sanctuaries, and people performed rituals designed to appease them with their families. In addition, the Slavs believed that the "small" gods constantly live next to them, they communicated with them constantly, and therefore, despite all the efforts of the church, they venerated domestic deities in order to ensure their family and their home well-being and safety.
- Deities-monsters.
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the Slavs considered the lord of the underground and underwater worlds - the Serpent - to be one of the most formidable monster deities. He was represented as a powerful and hostile monster, which can be found in the myths and legends of almost all peoples. The ideas of the ancient Slavs about him have survived to this day in fairy tales.
The pagans of the north revered the Serpent - the lord of underground waters, his name was Lizard. The sanctuaries of the Lizard were located among the marshes, on the shores of lakes and rivers. Its coastal sanctuaries were characterized by a perfectly round shape, it symbolized perfection, opposing order to the formidable all-destructive power of this deity.
For sacrifices to the Lizard, they used not only black chickens, which were thrown into the swamps, but also young girls. These beliefs are reflected in fairy tales and legends.
For all Slavic tribes who worshiped the Lizard, he was the sun absorber.
Over time, the nomadic way of life of the ancient Slavs was replaced by a sedentary one, people moved from hunting to agriculture. This transition affected many myths and religious customs of the Slavs. Ancient rituals softened, losing their cruelty, human sacrifice changed the rituals of sacrificing animals, and then even stuffed animals. In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the gods of the times of agriculture were much kinder to people.
Sanctuaries and priests in the paganism of Ancient Russia
The Slavs had a complex system of pagan beliefs and an equally complex system of cults. The "small" deities did not have priests and sanctuaries, people prayed to them one by one or gathered in families, communities, tribes. To honor the "high" gods, more than one tribe gathered, people created special temple complexes, chose priests capable of communicating with deities.
For a long time, the Slavs chose mountains for their prayers, "bald" mountains, on the tops of which did not grow trees, enjoyed special reverence in the paganism of Ancient Rus. At the top of the hills, "temples" were arranged, that is, places where a kap - an idol was installed.
Around the temple was poured a rampart, shaped like a horseshoe, on top of which they burned sacred fires - steals. In addition to the inner rampart, there was another one that marked the outer border of the sanctuary. The space formed between them was called a treasure; it was here that the pagans of ancient Russia used sacrificial food.
Ritual feasts suggested that humans and gods dine together. The feasts were held both in the open air and in structures specially erected on the treasure, they were called mansions (temples). Initially, only ritual feasts were held in the temples.
Very few pagan idols of Ancient Rus have survived to this day. Their small number is primarily due to the fact that most of them were made of wood. The Slavs used wood for their idols, not stone, since they believed that it had special magical powers. In the paganism of Ancient Russia, wooden statues combined both the sacred power of a tree and the power of the deity himself.
The pagan priests were called wise men. They were called to perform rituals in sanctuaries, create idols and sacred objects, with the help of magic spells they asked the gods to send bountiful harvests.
For a long time, the ancient Slavs believed that there were cloud-chasing wolves that soar into the sky and scatter clouds or call for rain in dry times. The priests influenced the weather with the help of a special bowl (enchantment), which was filled with water. Spells were read over it, and the water was then used to sprinkle crops. The Slavs believed that such actions would help increase the harvest.
The Magi knew how to make amulets, that is, special jewelry for men and women, on which incantatory symbols were written.
Holidays and rituals in the paganism of the ancient Slavs in Russia
Since ancient times, people have been interested in the ability to influence various natural phenomena. Cold snowy winters or dry summers threatened many with difficult survival. By all means, the Slavs had to hold out until the onset of heat, to achieve a harvest. That is why the seasons formed the basis of paganism in Ancient Rus. Their influence on the life and life of people was enormous.
Pagan holidays, ceremonies and rituals were aimed at evoking the favor of the powerful forces of nature, so that they would allow a weak person to get what they want. Merry songs and dances were indispensable attributes of the meeting of spring and nature awakening from hibernation.
Winter, summer, autumn - every season deserved to be celebrated. The beginning of each season was the point of the calendar year that influenced the conduct of agricultural work, construction, the performance of rituals aimed at strengthening friendship, love, family well-being. These days were used to plan work for the coming season.
The months of the year were named in such a way that their main feature was reflected in the name (January - prosinets, February - lute, April - pollen). Each month has its own holidays.
The beginning of the January holidays in the paganism of Ancient Russia was given by Turitsa - on behalf of Tur (the son of Veles). This day (January 6) witnessed the end of the winter Christmastide, at the same time the rite of initiation into men was carried out. Then came the time of the holiday of Babi Kash (January 8) - at this time all women and midwives were praised.
On the day of the abductions, January 12, ceremonies were performed to help protect and preserve girls and women. To glorify the revived Sun and healing water, there was a holiday - Prosinets. There was also a day in January when it was supposed to appease brownies - people entertained them, sang songs.
There were five February holidays in the paganism of ancient Russia. Thunderous rumbles could be heard in Gromnitsa. Veles Day was celebrated on February 11 - from that moment the cold weather began to leave, and spring and warmth were approaching. The meeting was celebrated on February 15 - the Slavs believed that on this day snowy winter gives way to spring. On this day, the Erzovka doll was burned and the spirits of the Sun and Fire were freed. February 16 was the day of Pochinki, when it was necessary to repair all the equipment that had fallen into disrepair during the year. And on February 18 - on the day of Remembrance - the soldiers who died in the battles were commemorated.
The first month of spring in the paganism of Ancient Rus was marked by six holidays, among which were the Feast of the Invocation of Spring and Maslenitsa (March 20-21). During Shrovetide, it was necessary to burn the Marena doll, personifying winter. The Slavs believed that this ceremony entails the departure of winter.
There were also many holidays in the summer. In June, they celebrated Mermaid Week, Kupalo, Snake Day, Swimsuit. In July, there was only one festive day - July 12, when the day of the Sheaf of Veles was celebrated. On Perunov day, which fell in the paganism of Ancient Rus in August, the warriors had to conduct a special ritual with their weapons, after which they brought victory in battles. August 15 was the day of Spozhinki, at this time the last sheaves were cut. On August 21, Stribog's day was approaching - the Slavs asked the lord of the winds to preserve the harvest and not to demolish the roofs of houses.
Their holidays were in the paganism of Ancient Russia and in the autumn months. On September 8, on the day of Birth or Mother in labor, the family was revered. On the day of the Fiery Volkh, the autumn harvest began. September 21 - the day of Svarog - was a holiday of artisans. On November 25, the day of Marena, the ground was covered with snow.
December holidays were Karachun, Kolyada, Shchedrets. During Kolyada and Shchedrets, various performances were staged in the streets and preparations for the new year began.
Among the pagan rituals of ancient Russia, the following are known:
The wedding ceremony, which included the ritual of dressing, and on the day of the wedding itself - the abduction of the bride and her ransom. The bride's mother was supposed to bake a kurnik and take it to the groom's hut. And the groom was supposed to bring the rooster to the bride's parents. At the time when the young people were crowned around an old oak tree, the preparation of the wedding bed was going on in the groom's hut. As required by the paganism of Ancient Russia, a large and generous feast usually ended with merrymaking.
The rite of naming was carried out if a person needed to be given a Slavic name.
Children under the age of seven were subjected to the tonsure ceremony. It was believed that at the end of the ritual, the babies were transferred from the care of the mother to the care of the father.
With the help of ceremonies dedicated to the beginning of the construction of a house, they fought against evil spirits that hindered the owners or hindered the construction by means of natural phenomena.
The Trizna rite consisted in the glorification of the soldiers who fell on the battlefield, during the rite they resorted to songs, competitions, and games.
As the consciousness of the ancient Slavs of the world changed, there were also changes in their funeral rites.
The turning point occurred in the pre-Slavic times, then the burial of the dead and the burial of their ashes replaced the burial of twisted corpses.
Giving the bodies of the dead a twisted posture was supposed to imitate the posture of babies in the mother's womb; ropes were used to give the corpses this position. The relatives of the deceased believed that they were preparing him for the next birth on earth, in which he would be reincarnated into some living being.
In the paganism of Ancient Russia, the idea of reincarnation was based on the idea of a vital force that existed separately from a person, which gave a single physical appearance to the living and the dead.
The dead were buried in a crooked form until the Bronze Age was replaced by the Iron Age. Now the dead were given an extended position. However, cremation - the complete burning of corpses - speaks of the most significant change in the funeral rite.
During excavations, archaeologists have come across both forms of ancient burial of the dead.
Cremation in the paganism of Ancient Russia brings to the fore a new idea, according to which the souls of ancestors are in heaven and contribute to heavenly phenomena (such as rains, snow) for the benefit of those who remain on earth. After the burning of the body of the deceased, when his soul went to the souls of their ancestors, the Slavs buried his ashes in the ground, believing that in this way they provide the advantages characteristic of ordinary burial.
Among the elements included in the funeral rites are burial mounds, burial structures that represent a human dwelling, burial of ashes in a simple pot, such as those used for food.
During excavations in the pagan burial mounds of the ancient Slavs, pots and bowls of food were often found. Cooking pots made from the first fruits were revered as sacred items. This type of tableware in the paganism of Ancient Rus symbolized blessings, satiety. Most likely, the beginning of this symbolism dates back to the times when agriculture and the use of clay utensils were born.
Speaking about the connection between sacred pots for the first fruits and urns for ashes, one cannot but recall the anthropomorphic stove vessels. These are small vessels of a simple shape, to which were attached cylindrical or truncated-conical stove-pallets with round smoke holes and an arched recess at the bottom, providing the possibility of burning with torch or coal.
The pots that the ancient Slavs used to boil the first fruits during a special celebration in honor of the gods of heaven were the very link that tied the god of the sky, the god of fertile clouds and cremated ancestors, whose souls were not reborn on earth in the guise of living beings, but remained in heaven.
The cremation rite arose almost at the same time as the separation of the Proto-Slavs from the Indo-European tribes in the 15th century. BC, and existed in ancient Russia 270 years before the reign of Vladimir Monomakh.
Burial in the paganism of Ancient Rus proceeded as follows. A funeral pyre was formed, on which the deceased was laid, then a regular circle was outlined, a narrow deep ditch was dug around its perimeter and a fence was built of twigs and straw. The fire and smoke from the burning fence did not allow the participants in the ceremony to see how the deceased was burning inside the circle. It is believed that the burial bulk of firewood and the correct circumference of the ritual fence separating the world of the dead and the living was called "theft".
The pagan traditions of the Eastern Slavs assumed that animals, not only domestic ones, but also wild ones, should be burned along with the deceased.
The custom, according to which dominoes were to be erected over the graves of Christians, survived until the beginning of the last century.
Amulets, amulets and talismans in the paganism of Ancient Russia
According to the ancient Slavs, amulets or amulets, on which there was an image of a revered deity, made it possible to cope with problems and achieve what they wanted. And today these items have their own value, it is only important to use them correctly.
In Ancient Russia, everyone had amulets and amulets: both old people and babies. Natural phenomena frightened, illness and family troubles upset. People wanted to have an impact on what was happening around them. This is how the gods and beliefs in them appeared.
The gods had their own spheres of influence, and their images and symbols were sacred. The deities were depicted on small objects that could not be parted with. Carrying his amulet with him, the man believed that strong and wise celestials help him in this world.
The values of talismans in the paganism of Ancient Rus became known through archaeological excavations. Sources of information about the life and customs of the ancient Slavs were bronze or metal objects of their use.
And, although almost everyone has heard of pagan amulets and amulets or pagan talismans, not everyone knows that these concepts are not identical.
Amulets- items intended to be worn by a specific person, which contained positive or negative energy. They were painted, depicting symbols of deities or natural phenomena on them. In order for them to be useful, they needed to be charged with the help of higher powers. In the culture of the ancient Slavs, amulets made by a mother, sister or beloved woman were especially important.
Amulets were items or spells used to ward off evil forces. They could not only be carried with you, but also placed in houses, then they were able to protect the family from evil encroachments. Amulets were not charged, this was their main difference from amulets. They were originally capable of protecting their host. They could also protect a person by spells or appeals to the gods.
Talismans counted items that bring good luck. They were charged, but still they owed their action to faith. These things were made on purpose, their role could be children's toys or what was donated by a loved one.
The main purpose of amulets, amulets and talismans in the paganism of Ancient Rus was the protection of the gods. The symbols applied to them were of great importance in the culture of the Slavs.
Depending on the goals for which they were created, the pagan amulets of Ancient Russia helped in solving the following tasks:
protected from an unkind look;
provided protection for deceased ancestors;
guarded the home from hostile forces and intruders;
helped in protection from ailments;
attracted luck, wealth.
On pagan amulets and amulets they depicted a swastika, heavenly bodies, images of gods. Some charms that protected from the evil eye or patronized the family could be worn by both men and women. However, in the paganism of Ancient Russia there were also such symbols that were applied only to male or only female amulets.
Symbols for female amulets and talismans
Women in labor - represented an interweaving of rectangular patterns. These symbols were applied to the amulet of a woman dreaming of a child. After she became pregnant, it was necessary to wear it until childbirth. Then this item was hung near the baby's cradle, so the strength of the whole family protected the baby.
Lunnitsa - the image of the inverted month symbolized female prudence, humility and patience in the paganism of Ancient Russia.
Yarila - with the help of signs and symbols, they depicted the pagan god Yarilu. The ancient Slavs believed that amulets symbolizing the sun god were able to preserve love and prevent feelings from cooling down. Although this item was intended for couples in love, it was usually worn by girls.
Makosh - symbols denoted the goddess Makosh, designed to strengthen the strength of the clan. With the help of these amulets and charms, peace and harmony were kept in the houses.
Overcome Grass is a sacred herb that protects against dark forces and enemies. Signs symbolizing her were applied to protective amulets.
Molvinets - protected the family from troubles, was depicted in the form of a diamond. A charm with such an image was presented to pregnant women for a safe resolution from the burden and the birth of a healthy baby.
Svadebnik - in the paganism of Ancient Russia, was represented by four intertwined rings. A charm with this symbol was presented to brides and young wives - keepers of the hearth. He protected families from adversity and helped keep love.
Lada-Mother of God - pagan talismans with her were worn by young girls who dreamed of love and a happy marriage.
Symbols for male amulets and talismans
Velesov's seal was a drawing with rounded weaves, which was applied to the amulets of gambling men. This item protected its owner from troubles and failures.
Hammer of Perun - in the paganism of Ancient Russia, it was a generic sign of men, guarding the clan along the male line, not allowing it to be interrupted, transmitting the wisdom of ancestors.
Vseslavets sign - protected the house from fire. These days, the amulet helps protect against disagreement.
Dukhobor's sign - such items gave men spiritual strength, strength and helped to improve themselves.
The symbols of the Kolyadnik - in Ancient Russia they provided assistance in battles, in our time they help to defeat rivals or competitors.
The Slavic tradition is rich in rituals, beautiful holidays, and powerful symbols. If you also want to celebrate the holidays of your ancestors, carry out traditional rituals and use village conspiracies, know the signs and songs, use Slavic amulets, you cannot do without reliable sources of knowledge and some preparation.
West Slavic twin idol
The beliefs of the Slavs and Balts were very close. This applies to the names of such deities as Perun (Perkunas) and Veles. There is a similarity in the names of the gods of the Slavs and Thracians (most often they cite Dazhbog as an example). There is also a lot in common with Germanic, in particular Scandinavian, mythology (the motive of the world tree, the cult of dragons, etc.).
In the same period, with the division of the Proto-Slavic community, tribal beliefs of the Slavs began to form, which had significant regional differences. Along with the common Slavic deities (Svarog, Perun, Lada), each tribe formed its own pantheon of gods, the same gods received different names. It can be argued that in the early Middle Ages, the beliefs of the western Baltic Slavs and the eastern Dnieper ones were divided, while the paganism of the southern, eastern and also Polish Slavs largely retained unity.
With the resettlement of Slavic tribes in - centuries. their culture mixed with the beliefs of the local Finno-Ugric, Baltic and Turkic peoples.
Worldview of the Slavs
The nature of beliefs
Slavic paganism belongs to polytheistic religions, that is, the Slavs recognized the existence of many gods. A pagan using the word "god" did not mean a specific deity.
A feature of Slavic paganism is often the allocation of its main deity for each tribe. So in the treaties of Russia with Byzantium Perun is called "our god", "in whom we believe." Helmold speaks of the worship of Svyatovit, "to whom the temple and the idol were dedicated to the greatest splendor, ascribing to him the primacy among the gods."
At the same time, the Slavs, like the Balts, had an idea of the supreme deity.
Animals and a woman-bird, figurines of the Ant type of the 6th-7th centuries, Velestino
Paganism is often called the deification of natural forces. Slavic pagans praised their ancestors and the surrounding nature (thunder and lightning, wind, rain, fire). The Slavs are characterized by the veneration of animals (bear, wolf, lizard, eagle, horse, rooster, duck, tur, wild boar). But totemism is practically unknown.
The sun, moving around the world of people along its own path ("the path of Khors"), visits both the sky and the underworld (the night sun). A special place is occupied by the moments of sunrise and sunset (images of the evening and morning Dawn).
The Slavs distinguished four or eight cardinal points. The most significant were the west, as the orientation of the body of the deceased in the grave, and the northeast, as the orientation of the temples to the point of sunrise on the summer solstice.
The element connecting the universe for the Slavs was fire. It was used in sacrifices, at funerals, at holidays, for protective purposes, etc. Fire was a symbol of eternity. The personification of fire was Svarog. Researchers call Svarog the god of the universe. Arab authors call the Slavs and Russes fire worshipers.
It is believed that the Slavs had ideas about "paradise", which in East Slavic folklore is called Iriy (Vyriy), this place is associated with the Sun and birds, located in the south or underground (under water, in a well). The souls of the departed move there. There are also ideas about Buyan Island, which is also identified with the other world. In medieval Novgorod, there was the idea that paradise could be reached by sea, and that supposedly one of the Novgorodians did it by going east. Ibn Fadlan (century) conveys the views and vision of paradise during the funeral among the Russians as follows:
And there was a certain Rus man next to me ... and he said: “You, O Arabs, are stupid ... Truly, you take the most beloved person for you and from you the most respected by you and throw him into the dust, and eat his dust and vile, and worms, and we burn him in the blink of an eye, so that he enters paradise immediately and immediately. "
The Eastern Slavs associate the origin of people with Dazhbog, the son of Svarog. In "The Lay of Igor's Host" (XII century), he is called the ancestor of princes and the Russian people in general, and in the "Sofia time" (XIII century) - the first tsar of the Slavs.
The Slavs considered the Danube lands their ancestral home. Procopius of Caesarea (VI century) called the ancestral homeland of the Slavs "the country of Sporaden", the Bavarian Geographer (IX century) left the following legend about the Danube region of Zaryania: they assert, come about and lead their own kind. " In the chronicles of the 17th century, in the legend of the ancestor Slovenia, Zardan is named among the Danube ancestors. Some historians also note that among the Slavs there was an idea of the Carpathians as the Holy Mountains, where their ancient ancestors ("foremothers") lived. The epic giant Svyatogor is the personification of such ideas.
Each tribe talked about its resettlement from the ancestral home, naming the ancestors: Radim and Vyatko, Kriv, Chekh and Leh. Legends were passed about the founders of dynasties and cities - Kie, Krak (Krok), Piast.
The Slavs believed in life after death, believed in immortality, and, according to some researchers, in reincarnation.
Periodization of the development of Slavic paganism
There were also ideas about the Stone Age and the Iron Age. The legends about the giants asilk say that they did not know God and threw stone clubs into the sky. In the north of Russia there were legends about "divine people" who exchanged fur for iron things. As far back as the century, the Slavs, according to Theophylact Simokatta, spoke about the production of iron as follows:
There were also differences between tribes that had personified gods and those that did not have idols. Helmold (XII century) writes that some Slavs did not have idols:
“The Slavs have many different types of idolatry. For not all of them adhere to the same pagan customs. Some cover the unimaginable statues of their idols with temples, such as the idol in Plune, whose name is Podaga; among others, deities inhabit forests and groves, like Prove, the god of the Aldenburg land - they do not have any idols. "
B. A. Rybakov also draws attention to the idea of the ancient Russian scribe that before the establishment of faith in Perun, the Slavs believed in Rod, and even earlier - only in ghouls and berekinas. Thus, paganism developed from beliefs with less personification of deities to idolatry. B - c. some of the tribes retained paganism without the personification of the gods and without idols, the other part worshiped the idols of the gods.
The issue of idol worship in Europe was discussed back in the time of Pythagoras, who lived in the century BC. e. Iamblichus (-III centuries BC) and other authors describing the life of this ancient Greek sage tell that a Scythian priest of Apollo named Abaris, who was interested in particular in the worship of the gods through idols, came to him:
"When Pythagoras was in captivity ... a wise man, a Hyperborean genus, named Abaris, came to him just for a conversation with him, and asked him questions about the most sacred objects, namely about idols, about the most reverent way of worshiping ..."
The very first Slavic idols can be dated to the 7th century, although there are earlier dating of idols - centuries. D. N. Kozak and Ya. E. Borovsky are inclined to combine in a common branch of evolution all the monuments of paganism of the Zarubinets culture with monuments of a later time, supporting the "Scythian" concept of B. A. Rybakov, who sees in the Scythian funerary idols of the 7th-4th centuries. BC e. statues of the Slavic-Scythian god Goytosir. Apparently, the personification of the Slavic gods took place in the second half of the 1st millennium BC. e., when the "Iron Age" began, and at the beginning of our era. By the century, the Slavs knew both weapons (Pshevorsk swords) and a strong princely power (the prince of God), and, probably, the first gods. This is evidenced by indirect references to names derived from the names of deities. In the 5th century, the Vandals were headed by a leader named Radigast (Radogays), which was also worn by the god of the Baltic Slavs (Veneti) Radegast. In the century, among the mercenaries in Byzantium, there was a Slavic warrior named Svaruna, whose name contains the same root as the name of Svarog. In the description of Procopius of Caesarea (century), the main god of the Slavs and Antes is the thunderer, therefore we can talk about the personification of Perun. There are also studies that bring the already mentioned Apollo and Leto closer to Kupala and Lada, the personification of which was never completed, but took place from the earliest centuries of the development of Slavic paganism.
The third stage, highlighted by Rybakov, is recognized by the majority of researchers who are inclined to distinguish between pre-state paganism (“the paganism of the ancient Slavs”) and the paganism of the state period (“the paganism of Ancient Rus”). In the most general framework, this period is limited to -XII centuries. So it is believed that with the advent of the state, Perun becomes the head of the gods of the Eastern Slavs, as the patron saint of the prince and the squad.
In addition, state paganism evolved into state polytheism, when the prince selected some gods into the pantheon and did not accept others.
It is also necessary to highlight the period of development of paganism after the adoption of Christianity, when the latter significantly influenced traditional beliefs and mythology. This period in the most general framework can be limited to -XIV centuries. This period is characterized by "dual faith", and for Russia of the XII-XIII centuries they even speak of a pagan renaissance.
In the future, open manifestations of paganism among the Slavs can rarely be found. Pagan beliefs become part of popular culture, relics that are found in Christian culture to this day, but are not considered as opposed to it (except for the church's struggle against superstition).
At the present stage, pagan beliefs are being revived in the form of neo-paganism, including Slavic Rodnoverie.
Myths of the ancient Slavs
Sources of information about myths
Quite a lot of texts, collections of myths, Russian fairy tales and significant pictorial compositions on mythological themes such as "The Story of Oleg the Prophet" have survived from Slavic paganism. The Tale of Bygone Years says: "All these tribes had their own customs, and the laws of their fathers, and traditions, and each had its own disposition."
Scientists also reconstruct Slavic mythology from various other sources.
First, these are written sources. Texts by Byzantine authors - centuries: Procopius of Caesarea, Theophylact Simokatta, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Lev the Deacon and others. Western European authors -XIII centuries: Bavarian Geographer, Titmar of Merseburg, Helmold, Saxon Grammaticus and others. Arab authors -XIII centuries: al- Masudi, Ibn Fadlan, Ibn Rust, etc. In the Scandinavian sagas of the 13th century, in the Elder and Younger Edds, there is also information that can be used to reconstruct Slavic paganism. Russian, West Slavic (Kozma Prazhsky) and South Slavic sources - centuries: chronicles, teachings and instructions against pagans (Kirill Turovsky, Kirik Novgorodets, etc.) and insertions into translated literature, including the Apocrypha. A special place is occupied by "The Lay of Igor's Campaign", which reflected a significant layer of pagan myths mentioned by the heir and bearer of pagan culture - the anonymous songwriter. All these texts do not contain any holistic statements of mythology or separate myths.
Secondly, written sources -XVII centuries. and folklore sources of the 18th - centuries, which are less close to paganism, but contain a number of information from earlier sources that have not come down to us, as well as detailed records of legends, fairy tales, epics, conspiracies, bylichs and byls, proverbs and sayings, by which it is possible to reconstruct ancient myths. A special role is played by the information of Polish, Czech and German authors and historians who wrote down the local legends of the Western Slavs, who preserved the information of ancient Russian sources. In Russia, XVI-XVII centuries. some information was recorded by Western diplomats, military men and travelers (Sigismund Herberstein, Olearius, etc.). Among folklore plots, epics about Svyatogor, Potyk, Volga (Volkh), Mikul are usually attributed to paganism; tales about Kashchey the Immortal, the Serpent Gorynych, Baba Yaga, Alyonushka and Ivanushka. The difficulty in interpreting these sources lies in the fact that later layers, inventions of authors, storytellers, collectors of folklore, are superimposed on the ancient ideas. Among the authoritative researchers of folklore Sakharov I.P., Afanasyev A.N., Propp V. Ya. And others.
More reliable, but less informative archaeological sources: information from excavations of places of worship, finds of idols, ritual objects, jewelry, pagan symbols, inscriptions mentioning pagan gods or pagans, the remains of sacrifices and ritual actions. A significant contribution to the study of pagan antiquities was made by L. Nederle, A. N. Lyavdansky, I. Hermann, E. Kyassovskaya, E. Gyassovsky, V. Losinsky, A. Lapinsky, V. V. Sedov, P. N. Tretyakov, Rybakov B.A., Vinokur I.S., Tolochko P.P., Kozak D.N., Borovskiy Ya.E., Timoshchuk B.A., Rusanova I.P. and others.
No less important are the information on linguistics, comparative religious studies and the study of mythological plots among other peoples. In addition to the world authority in this area, D. Fraser, one can name S. A. Tokorev, V. N. Toporov and V. V. Ivanov. Many Slavic myths are known from scientific reconstructions.
Mythological connections in the "Lay of Igor's Host", XII century.
A figurine in the Antic style from the town of Velestino of the 6th-7th centuries, which depicts a baby lizard in the arms of a mother holding a seven-stringed gusli with the image of a nightingale.
Chi Li was praised, things Boyana, Velesov's grandchild ... About Boyana, the nightingale of the old time!
Div, sitting on top of a tree (possibly the world tree), predicts trouble with his cry, like an eclipse of the Sun
The sun stepped in his way with darkness; night, groaning to him with a thunderstorm, kill the bird; the whistle of the beast; zbisya Div, calls to the top of the tree
Would you ever tickle the Sia regiments, jumping ... the grove into the Troyan trail, the loins of the field to the mountains ... There were parties of Troyan ... Resentment arose in the forces of Dazhdbozh's grandson, entered the land of Troyan as a virgin ... On the seventh day of Troyan, I love Vseslav the lot for a girl.
They began to put the Slovenians in rags, Rodow and women in labor, before Perone, their god, and before that they put the treasures to the oupir and the shores ... So also to the Slovenian doides of these words, and the nachash to put the treasures to Rod and Rozhanitsy, ... and all the Heguptans put the demands on Nil and ogneve, the river Nile is a fruit-bearer and a plant-grower.
Pagan wrote, Novgorod. Miniature idols are depicted: a lizard, twins, a lizard, a four-faced god.
Reconstruction of the myth about Svarog and Svarozhichi
The fourth idol is Lado. This is the name of the god of joy and all prosperity. Sacrifices to him are brought to him, preparing for marriage, with the help of Lada, they imagine good fun and kindly acquire a life. This is a delight from the most ancient idolaters of origin, some gods like Lelya and Polel to honor, their bogomer name, and to this day, in some countries, in hosts of playhouses, singing Lelum-Polem is proclaimed. Likewise, both the mother to the left and the left to the left - Lado, singing: Lado, Lado! And that idol, the old charm of the devil, is sung at marriage merriments, splashing his hands and hitting the table.
The simplest form of a specially organized cult place among the Slavs is cult sites with idols and sacrificial pits. Similar places were presumably called "Demand", on which "treasures were performed", or "Temple"-from "kap", that is, they performed what was necessary for the glorification of the native gods. The sacrificial pits were located on the outskirts of the villages and did not have fences. Sometimes, on cult sites, several idols-kapyas were located in a geometric order: in the center or behind there was the main idol, and around or in front there were minor ones.
Sometimes places of worship and idols were fenced off. The fence could consist of "Stamens", on which the skulls of sacrificial animals were hung, or from the pillars on which the curtain was attached. The enclosed area became a sacred area. The most common form of fencing was a rampart, a moat and an artificial elevation. Some temples are oriented to the northeast, in which case the entrance was in the southwest, and entering the temple it was possible to observe the sunrise on the summer solstice.
Among the sanctuary settlements, large cult centers were distinguished, which included a trevische, several temples, sacral paths (roads to temples), temple buildings with idols, wells, springs and buildings for the holidays. On the territory of the sanctuaries there were ritual burials of senior members of the clan, which became objects of veneration.
Cultists, Sacrifices and Divination
The sources contain references to special men and women who performed pagan rituals and took care of the temple. According to various sources, their names are as follows: magi ("magi" - a wolf, from "volokhaty" - shaggy, lost from the custom of putting on clothes with fur outside when performing certain rituals), knzhy (among the Western Slavs, it is close to "prince"), storekeepers ( creators of amulets-amulets), supporters and indulgences (“indulgences” - secret ritual actions), cloud-chasers and wolf-lakers (from “wolf” and “skin”), blasphemers (“koshchi” - words at burial, keepers of the wisdom of departed ancestors), sorcerers and sorceresses, enchantors and enchantresses (from "charms" - ritual vessels and magical actions), button accordions ("bayat" - to speak, tell), "healers", witches, witches (from "know" - to know) and prophets (from " broadcast "), magicians (from" kudesa "- tambourine), obavnitsy, kobniki (" kob "- fortune-telling about fate, fortune-telling about the flight of birds," kobenitsya "- unusual body movements), sorcerers (from" thief "- a fence), nauzniki and forges (from "nauza" - knots tied in a unique way). In synchronous Russian sources, the word "magi" was most often used.
The various names for pagan priests are related to their status, the cult they served, and the actions they performed. Most often, the main duty of the priests was to conduct rituals, glorify the gods and offer sacrifices in accordance with which god the holiday was in honor of. In addition, such designations of victims as "treat" and "treba" were used. Drinks (wine), food (cake), part of the harvest (grain, straw) were used as sacrifices, birds (roosters and chickens) were used to celebrate the day of Perun.
Victims are closely related to predictions. Procopius of Caesarea (v.) Writes about the faith of the Slavs and Ants:
When they gather there to offer sacrifices to idols or to soften their anger, they sit while the others stand by; secretly whispering to each other, they dig the earth with trepidation, and, casting lots, learn the truth in matters that are in doubt. Having finished this, they cover the lot with green turf, and, having stuck 2 pointed spears crosswise into the ground, with humble obedience lead a horse through them, which is considered the largest among others and therefore is revered as sacred; in spite of the already cast lot, observed by them earlier, through this, supposedly a divine animal, they conduct fortune-telling a second time. And if in both cases the same sign falls out, the conceived is carried out; if not, the saddened people give up. An ancient tradition, entangled in various superstitions, testifies that when they are threatened by the terrible danger of a prolonged rebellion, a huge boar with white fangs shining with foam comes out of the named sea, and happily wallowing in the mud, reveals itself to many.
When it was supposed to start a war against any country, in front of the temple, according to custom, the ministers put three spears. Two of them were stuck with their tips into the ground and joined [the third] across; these structures were located at an equal distance. To them, a horse, during a campaign on a campaign, after a solemn prayer, was taken out in harness by a priest from the entrance. If the erected structures were crossed with the right foot before the left, this was considered a sign of a successful course of the war; if he walked with the left before the right, then the direction of the campaign was changed. Speaking also at various enterprises, according to the first movement of the animal, they received predictions. If it was happy, happily set off on the road; if unfortunate, they turned back.
Three wooden planks, white on one side and black on the other, were thrown into the pit as lots; white meant good luck, black meant bad luck.
The same said: "The gods tell us: you cannot do anything to us!" They answered: “To stand for us in front of Svyatoslav ... But if you let us in, you will be a lot of good; if you destroy us, you will accept a lot of sorrow and evil "... Such a sorcerer showed up under Gleb in Novgorod; told people, pretending to be God, and deceived many, almost the whole city, he said: "I foresee everything"
So it is said that his mother was a prophetess ... It was their custom that on the first evening of the yule they had to bring her to a chair in front of the king's high seat. And ... the king asks his mother whether she does not see or does not know any threat or damage hanging over his state, or the approach of any non-peace or danger, or an attempt by someone on his property. She replies: “I do not see anything, my son, that, I would know, could harm you or your state, as well as such that would frighten off your happiness. Yet I see a great and beautiful vision. The son of the king was born at this time in Norega ... "
Magi differed from other people in clothing, long hair, a special staff (for example, in Novgorod - with the head of a god) and way of life. Only priests in some cases could enter the sacred zone of temples, temples and sacred groves. The priests were held in high esteem among the people.
In individual tribes or among the priests of individual gods, a hierarchy has developed, high priests have emerged. Saxon Grammar about the priests of Svyatovit:
For the maintenance of the idol, each inhabitant of the island of both sexes contributed a coin. He was also given a third of the booty, believing that his protection would bestow success. In addition, at his disposal were three hundred horses and the same number of riders, who handed over everything obtained in battle to the high priest ... This god also had temples in many other places, ruled by priests of lesser importance.
They honor the priest more than the king. They direct their army, where fortune-telling will show, and having won the victory, they carry the gold and silver to the treasury of their god, and divide the rest among themselves.
They have sorcerers, some of whom command the king, as if they were their leaders (Rus). It happens that they order to sacrifice to their creator, whatever they like: women, men and horses, and even when the healers order, it is impossible not to fulfill their order in any way.
The supreme over the priests of the Slavs, Bogomil, called the Nightingale because of his sweet talk, strictly forbade people to submit to forced Christian baptism.
BA Rybakov recognized the historicity of Bogomil and even attributed to him the Novgorod gusli of the 11th century with the inscription "Slavisha".
From the sources, only a few names of people are known that can be attributed to pagan ministers. Firstly, this is Prince Vseslav of Polotsk, who, being a Christian, according to the chronicle, was born of sorcery, “in a shirt”, and “The Lay of Igor's Campaign” endows him with such features of the Magi, such as the ability to guess about fate by lot, werewolf ( "Scatter from them with a fierce beast", "bounce like a wolf") and guidance ("curse the blue light"). Another character is the Kiev witch Potvora, whose name is written on a spindle from a hoard of the 13th century. Together with the spindle, a knife was found, possibly of a ritual nature.
Holidays and ceremonies
Pagan holidays: dancing woman-bird, guslar, war games, treats to a deity, running, feast. Draw images of ancient Russian bracelets of the XII-XIII centuries.
Calendar Holidays
Calendar holidays of the Slavs were associated with the agrarian cycle and astronomical phenomena. There is a huge number of reconstructions of the calendar of Slavic holidays, while there are quite few synchronous sources on this issue. Archeology provides important information about the festive rituals, but all these data again have to be interpreted through the late folk calendar.
Most researchers refer to the pagan holidays as Maslenitsa ("comedians"), Ivan (Yanka) Day, Kupala, and Kolyada. Less well known is Tausen (Oat), which belongs to a number of these holidays associated with the days of the solstice and equinox. The symbols of these holidays are associated with the sun, fertility and procreation. The burning of the effigy of Mary (the goddess of winter and death) on Shrovetide, round dances on Ivan Kupala record the ritual dances and marriage customs of antiquity. The Kupala cult is noted on the Slavic calendars of the 4th century from the village of Romashki and the village of Lepesovka, as well as on the Zbruch idol of the 10th century.
The Romashki calendar celebrates the holidays of Perun on July 12 and 20 - which was replaced by Christians with "Ilyin's Day". Veles Day (patron saint of wisdom and household) - was also replaced by Christianity on the day of St. Blasius (patron saint of livestock)
Also, the calendar records the holidays that lasted for several days or even weeks: "Rusal week" and "Ladovanie", which preceded the Kupala holiday. A similar holiday is known to many peoples and at the beginning of autumn - "Indian summer", it lasted from one to two weeks.
Saxon Grammaticus describes in detail the feast in the church of Svyatovit, which took place in August:
Every year after the harvest, a mixed crowd from all over the island in front of the temple of the god, sacrificing cattle, celebrated a solemn feast called sacred. His priest ... the small sanctuary ... carefully cleaned ... The next day, when the people stood at the entrance, he, taking a vessel from the statue, carefully observed whether the level of the liquid poured had dropped, and then he expected a crop failure next year ... Having made a pie with round honey wine shape, size is such that it was almost equal to human growth, began to sacrifice. Putting it between himself and the people, the priest, according to custom, asked if the Ruyans saw him. When they answered that they saw, they wished that in a year they would not be able to see. With this kind of prayer, he asked not for his or his people’s fate, but for an increase in the future harvest. Then, on behalf of God, he congratulated the crowd present, for a long time called on them to venerate this god and diligently perform sacrificial rites and promised the surest reward for worship and victory on land and sea. Having finished this, they themselves turned the sacrificial food into banquet food ...
Wedding customs
Wedding customs varied among different tribes depending on the type of marriage. Slavic marriage was strictly monogamous, that is, it allowed only one wife or husband. The Tale of Bygone Years identifies two types of marriage and wedding ceremonies among the Slavs, which can be conditionally called patriarchal and matriarchal.
Glades have the custom of their fathers meek and quiet, shy in front of their daughters-in-law and sisters, mothers and parents; they have great modesty before mother-in-law and in-law; they also have a marriage custom: the son-in-law does not go after the bride, but brings her the day before, and the next day they bring her for her - whatever they give.
Similar customs are described as early as the 6th century. Among the Russians, the payment for the bride was called "veno". Mention is made of the wedding ceremony of "blowing up" the groom.
... And they did not have marriages, but the girls snatched by the water ... And they used to shame in the presence of their fathers and daughters-in-law, and they did not have marriages, but games were arranged between the villages, and they converged on these games, to dances and to all kinds of demonic songs, and here they snatched their wives by conspiracy with them.
At the end of May - June, there were round dances ("ladovanie"), representatives of different clans (villages) gathered at the fire on Ivan Kupala and chose brides and grooms from a different clan (such a marriage is called exogamous). Women played the role of the "elder child" in families; when the husband changed, the boys were sent to their father. The symbolism of such a marriage is two crosses, a wedding ring, wreaths, tufts of hair or a belt with which plants or trees were tied. Love conspiracies are considered traditional for the Slavs, with the help of which girls or boys could influence their fate, attracting the attention of the chosen one. A number of conspiracies (in different languages) are read in Novgorod's birch bark letters - centuries.
Funeral rites
The funeral rites of various groups of Slavs at different times were different. It is believed that the ancestors of the Slavs were carriers of the culture of "fields of burial urns" (II millennium BC), that is, they burned the dead, and placed the ashes in an earthen vessel and buried them in a shallow pit, marking the grave with a mound. Subsequently, the cremation ritual prevailed, but the form of burials changed: volotovki (round mounds-hills with a wooden fence) - among the Slovenians, long ancestral mounds - among the Krivichi, cremation in a boat and a burial mound - among the Rus.
The Russian chronicle very briefly describes the funeral rite of the northerners, Krivichi, Radimichi and Vyatichi:
And if someone died, then they arranged a funeral feast on him, and then they made a large deck, and laid the dead man on this deck, and burned it, and then, after collecting the bones, put them in a small vessel and put them on pillars along the roads, as they do now. vyatichi.
The described rite is recorded among the Vyatichians and some Baltic Slavs - archaeologists note the absence of burials, suspecting the "scattering" of ashes, but ethnographic data and some written sources speak of domina ("theaters of death") - burial buildings at the forks of roads where urns with ashes were kept. Outwardly, they sometimes resemble the "hut on chicken legs" of Baba Yaga of Russian fairy tales, and Baba Yaga herself is sometimes seen as a priestess who carried out the cremation. By the 13th century, the Vyatichi began to build barrows.
"Theft" (treasure, deck) is a funeral pyre. It is customary to distinguish between "funeral feast" (a feast at the grave and military games) and "strava" (a memorial feast). Princess Olga describes the funeral in her address to the Drevlyans in the following way: "Now I am coming to you, prepare many meads in the city where they killed my husband, but I will cry at his grave and create a funeral for my husband." Ibn Fadlan describes an old woman and her daughters who supervised the funeral of the Rus, killed sacrificial animals and a concubine, he calls her "the angel of death." Funeral idols ("bdyn") erected over the grave are also mentioned. They depicted the deceased and had an inscription containing his name and the name of the prince.
In mythology, the deities of the wind (Stribog, Viy) and the sun were associated with the funeral rite. The wind fanned the fire, and the sun delivered the souls of the deceased to the world of shadows, therefore, special importance was attached to the time of burial (sunrise, sunset or night) and the orientation of the grave during the laying on of the corpse. Animals such as a rooster, a horse, and a dog were associated with the burial. The serpent was the collector of the bodies of the buried. In the "Lay of Igor's Regiment" Karna and Zhlya (Zhelya) are mentioned, who are preparing the burial of the dead soldiers, their names are reconstructed from the words "reproach" and "regret" ("zhalnik" is a burial mound). In the "Word of Saint Dionysius about those who regret" it is said about the behavior during burial:
“Is there any use to the souls who have departed from now on what is the use of pity? The devil teaches pity and others he creates to fight for the dead, while others are forced to drown in the water and teach to choke. "
Also mentioned are the white mourning clothes of women and the rite of cutting faces and pulling out one's hair.
The rituals of burial among the Rus and Slavs are described in detail by the Arab authors Ibn Rusta and Ibn Fadlan. The rite of inhumation (body position) is also described, which is indirectly mentioned in the "Tale of Bygone Years" and legends in relation to princes and various revered characters. Burials of the inhumation type are characteristic of ritual burials.
The most famous burial pagan monument is the Black Grave of the 10th century in Chernigov.
Calendar and writing
Old Slavic calendar
From the "Sofia time" we learn about the availability of the Slavs lunar and solar calendars. It is usually believed that the lunar calendar was borrowed by the Slavs from the Bulgarians. But in the "Doctrine of Numbers" by Kirik Novgorodets (XII century), one of the variants of the lunar calendar is told, other variants were used in Easter tables, and in Russian chronicles - centuries. the dates are marked according to the lunar calendar - all this allows researchers to assert that along with the solar calendar of 12 months in Russia, the lunar calendar of 13 months also constantly existed. The earliest date of the lunar calendar was applied to the campaign of Oleg the Prophetic Year in the Chronograph of the Western Russian edition: "This summer is evil: have 13 month."
Due to the differences between the solar and lunar calendar, as well as the variants of the lunar calendar, the Slavs have the same names for the months, but they do not coincide when they are paired with the months of the modern solar calendar, that is, the Slavs did not have a single chronology.
Calendar ornament on a Chernyakhov jug of the 4th century, the arrow marks the sign of the holiday of Perun on July 20
The number 5 has a lunar character and is found on the Antic fibula and the temporal rings of the Slovenian tribe.
Some authors argue that the number 5 is the number of days in the Slavic week, which was later supplemented with Saturday and Sunday. There is no evidence for this, except for the five Slavic names of the days of the week, on the contrary, the number 7 is also sacred and is often found in the symbolism of idols. The days of the week were dedicated to different gods among the eastern and southern Slavs: Thursday - Perun, and Friday - Mokoshi. In Russian Orthodoxy, the veneration of 12 Fridays a year has been preserved. Friday had, apparently, an important meaning in the conjugation of the lunar and solar calendar, since there is a Russian proverb: "Seven Fridays in a week." For example, in some Christian calendars, the counting of time began from the creation of the world, starting on Friday.
On the question of when the Slavs began the year, there are several opinions. Most often called March. The March New Year was tied in Russia until the century, either to March 1, or to the 20th of the month. A number of researchers claim that the Slavs had the January New Year. In any case, all calendar calculations were consistent with the equinox and solstice points. The conjugation of the lunar and solar calendar took place in the spring. According to an old belief, the sun meets the month in April, and from the first frost they diverge to the distant sides: one to the east, the other to the west, and since then they do not meet each other until spring (Indo-European motif of the wedding of the month and the sun).
Traits and cuts
A number of sources mention writing among the pagan Slavs. Chernorizets Brave called this writing "lines and cuts", with the help of which they "counted and guessed." Al-Masoudi speaks of multiple inscriptions on the walls (stones) in the temples of the Slavs containing predictions. Ibn Fadlan mentions the inscriptions of names on the burial idol of Rus. Titmar of Merseburg knows about the inscriptions of names on the idols of the Baltic Slavs.
This kind of use of letters can speak of the runic nature of writing, when the letters had sacred, verbal and sound meanings.
Some archaeological finds allow us to speak of "lines and cuts". The inscriptions on the idols of the Baltic Slavs, which can make up the alphabet, but are considered a fake, have analogues among the Prussians and on the “Novocherkassk eggplants” (Khazar lands), but there is no serious research on this issue.
Runic signs from the Lepesovka temple, 2nd-4th centuries
The earliest signs of the runic type, which can be attributed to the Slavic ones, are found in the temple of Chernyakhov's time with. Lepesovki. In the same temple, two fortune-telling bowls with clay rings on handles were found. There is a lot of pottery with Greek inscriptions, and the material culture of the settlement belongs to the Velbari culture (presumably the Goths). Found three inscriptions. One of them is on the "astrakhan" spindle, the other two are on ceramics and correspond to the Germanic runes. EA Melnikova read one of the inscriptions as lwl, but could not identify it with the Germanic language.
Signs on ceramics, which are attributed to the Slavs, are also known in a later period, for example, on ceramics from the village. Alekanovka.
Literature
Literature of the 18th-first half of the 20th century
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Popular literature of the mid XX - early XXI centuries
- Bazhenova A.I.(ed. - comp.) Myths of the ancient Slavs. Saratov, Nadezhda. 1993.
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