Slavic mythology

This article should be merged with  Polish mythology and Slavic creatures of folklore

Slavic religion evolved over more than a thousand years. It's conjectured that some parts of it are from neolithic or possibly even mesolithic times. The religion possesses numerous common traits with other Indo-European religions. Very few written records are known to survive from the centuries before the Christianization. The controversial Book of Veles is believed by some to be a sacred text of this religion. Saxon Grammatica is another source with disputed authenticity. Chronicon Slavorum by Helmold is generally accepted as a genuine source, covering culture and events in the late 1st millenium AD.

Slavic religion recognizes three worlds: Jav, Prav, and Nav, Jav being the material world, Nav the immaterial, and Prav being the laws that govern them.

The supreme god of Slavic pantheon is usually Svarog (senior member of Triglav). But exactly because of his nature he was not the most worshiped: that was Perun, while tribes that were occupied mostly with cattle could pay most attention to Veles and so on.

Sometimes the underworld of this religion is Svarga, residence of Svarog, and Irij is its paradise. More often both Svarga and Irij refer to the Heaven. The Hell is Koschny kingdom, residence of Koschey, Morena, and Zmey. Both realms are parts of Nav.

There is not a single well-established pantheon. One attempt at establishing such an 'offcial' pantheon was made by Vladimir I, Prince of Kiev in 980-988 religious reform, immediately preceeding Cristianization of Ruthenia. Vladimir erected six or seven idols near his court - Perun as a supreme god, Veles (disputed), Horos, Dajbog, Stribog, Simargl, and Mokosh as tribal gods.

It should be noted that many of the gods may be known by different names even in the same language.

Table of contents
1 Pantheon
2 Mythical creatures
3 Mythical heroes
4 External links

Pantheon


A statue of Svetovid
} modern Triglav
In addition to the gods, the pantheon also includes a number of lesser deities.

Mythical creatures

See also Slavic creatures of folklore

Mythical heroes

These heroes are based on real persons but most stories about them became pure fiction, involving magic etc.

External links


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