Djall

Last updated

Djall or Dreq is the personification of evil in Albanian mythology and folklore. [1] The name is used also for a demon of fire. [2]

Contents

Etymology

The name djall derives from the Latin diabolus, "devil". [3] Alternative forms are dreqi from the Latin draco, "dragon", [4] satan and shejtan . [5]

See also

Related Research Articles

In Latvian mythology, the term Māte stands for "mother", sometimes written in English as Mahte. It was an epithet applied to some sixty-seventy goddesses. They were clearly distinct goddesses in most or all cases, so the term definitely referred to the mother-goddess of specific phenomena. According to professor Lotte Motz, scholar Haralds Biezais mentioned there were at least 70 characters in Baltic religion identified with the title of Mate.

Baba Tomor or Baba Tomorr is the name of the father god, used in central Albanian mythology and folklore to refer to the father of gods and humans. Baba Tomor is related to the cult practiced on Mount Tomorr. According to the local tradition his consort is e Bukura e Dheut, a chthonic/earth goddess.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prende</span> Albanian goddess of dawn, love, beauty, fertility and health

Prende or Premte is the goddess of dawn, love, beauty, fertility, health and protector of women, in the Albanian pagan mythology. She is also called Afër-dita, an Albanian phrase meaning "near day", "the day is near", or "dawn", in association with the cult of the planet Venus, the morning and evening star. Her sacred day is Friday, named in Albanian after her: e premte, premtja. In Albanian mythology Prende appears as the daughter of Zojz, the Albanian sky and lightning god.

Perëndi is an Albanian noun for God, deity, sky and heaven. It is used capitalized to refer to the Supreme Being, and uncapitalized for "deity", "sky" and "heaven".

Shurdh is a weather and storm god in Albanian pagan mythology, who causes hailstorms and throws thunder and lightning. Shurdh was worshiped in northern Albania until recent times.

I Verbti is an Albanian adjectival noun meaning "the blind one", which was used in northern Albanian folk beliefs to refer to the god of fire and wind in the Zadrima region, and to the thunderstorm god in Dukagjin and the Malësia e Vogël; in Shala the thunderstorm god was referred to as Rmoria. These beliefs survived in northern Albania until recent times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kulshedra</span> Demon in Albanian mythology and folklore

The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, flooding, earthquakes and other natural disasters against mankind. In Albanian mythology she is usually fought and defeated by a drangue, a semi-human winged divine hero and protector of mankind. One of her greatest fights was against the daughter of the Sun diety and the Moon diety(Vajza e hënës dhe e djellit)who tried to protect her loved one by using her powers.Heavy thunderstorms are thought to be the result of most of their battles.Others include earthquakes,volcanic eruptions and cyclones.

Shqiptar is an Albanian ethnonym (endonym), by which Albanians call themselves. They call their country Shqipëria.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fire worship</span> Worship or deification of fire

Worship or deification of fire, or fire rituals, religious rituals centred on a fire, are known from various religions. Fire has been an important part of human culture since the Lower Paleolithic. Religious or animist notions connected to fire are assumed to reach back to such early prehuman times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Albanian folk beliefs</span> Overview of the folklore of Albania

Albanian folk beliefs and mythological stories comprise the beliefs expressed in the customs, rituals, myths, legends and tales of the Albanian people. The elements of Albanian mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan. Albanian folklore evolved over the centuries in a relatively isolated tribal culture and society. Albanian folk tales and legends have been orally transmitted down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of Albania, Kosovo, western North Macedonia, Montenegro and South Serbia and among the Arbëreshë in Italy and the Arvanites in Greece.

Zana is an Albanian mythological figure usually associated with mountains, springs and streams, forests, vegetation and animals, human vital energy and sometimes destiny. Zana is thought to have been originally a pre-Roman deity, and an Illyrian goddess equivalent of the Ancient Greek Artemis and Roman Diana.

Bardha is an Albanian mythological creature. According to old folklore, in order to appease them one distributes sugar or leaves cakes on the ground. It is similar to Zana e malit. In Albanian popular belief they are pale, nebulous figures who dwell under the earth.

*En or *Enji is a reconstructed name of the fire god in the Albanian pagan mythology, which has continued to be used in the Albanian language to refer to Thursday.

The fatia is an Albanian mythological figure associated with human destiny. Often depicted as three female deities, the essential function of the fatí is to maintain the order of the universe and to enforce its laws.

The lubia or ljubi is a water and storm demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually depicted as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon similar to the kulshedra. In Southern Albanian beliefs, she is a storm deity. She is also referred to as ‘mother lubia’.She is known for her disturbingly huge appetite and eerie personality. Both of which characteristics are based off the fierce impression the sea gives you on stormy weather. The native people used hyperbole and made a vile creature out of the bad weather conditions.

The Ora is an Albanian mythological figure that every human possesses from birth, associated with human destiny and fate. The essential function of the ora is to maintain the order of the universe and to enforce its laws.

Perria or Pehria is a fairy-like mountain figure in Albanian mythology and folklore.

Stihi is a fire-breathing storm demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, similar to the kulshedra.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zojz (deity)</span> Albanian sky and lightning god

Zojz is a sky and lightning god in Albanian pagan mythology. Regarded as the chief god and the highest of all gods, traces of his worship survived in northern Albania until the early 20th century, and in some forms still continue today.

E Bukura e Detit is a character in Albanian mythology and folklore, depicted in some traditions as a sea-fairy / nymph, and in other traditions as a sea goddess, the counterpart of e Bukura e Dheut and i Bukuri i Qiellit. In some Albanian traditions she is regarded as the sister of e Bukura e Dheut.

References

  1. Lurker 2004 , p. 52
  2. Novik 2015, p. 268.
  3. Orel 1998 , p. 67
  4. Orel 1998 , p. 74
  5. Elsie 2001, p. 68.

Bibliography