List of Lithuanian gods and mythological figures

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The list of Lithuanian gods is based on scarce written sources and late folklore. Many of them were outright invented. Lithuania converted to Christianity in 1387, but elements of Lithuanian mythology survived into the 19th century. The earliest written sources, authored by foreigners and Christians, only briefly mention the Lithuanian gods. Beginning in the 16th century, the pagan religion received more attention from authors, but often their accounts were confused, contradictory, and heavily influenced by various religious agendas. Collection and recording of folklore began in the 19th century, by which time the pagan mythology had become fragmented and mixed with Christian traditions. The cults of old deities transformed into folklore (individual tales, myths, songs, etc.) without associated rituals. Because of such difficulties obtaining data, there is no accepted list of Lithuanian gods. Different authors present wildly contradictory reconstructions of the Lithuanian pantheon.

Contents

Names from folklore myths and legends

This section includes the names of gods, divine or demonic beings, and other personages from Lithuanian myths, legends, folklore, and fairy-tales.

Gods and goddesses

Heroes and heroines

Local and nature spirits

Various lower beings

"Demonic" beings

Holy places and things

Names by written sources

Earliest Rus' chronicles

Some names from Lithuanian mythology are also found in Kievan Rus' chronicles of the 13th century. These deities were secretly worshiped by King of Lithuania Mindaugas after his baptism. Rus' chronicles are considered the best source of information about the ancient Lithuanian pantheon worshiped by nobles and the military.

Martynas Mažvydas

Martynas Mažvydas in his Latin introduction to Catechismusa Prasty Szadei (1547) urged the people to abandon their pagan ways and mentioned the following gods: [3] [4]

Maciej Stryjkowski

Maciej Stryjkowski (1547–1593) – Polish–Lithuanian historian and author of Chronicle of Poland, Lithuania, Samogitia and all Russia. In this work, Stryjkowski provided two lists of gods, one Old Prussian and another Lithuanian. He listed 16 Lithuanian gods: [5]

  1. Prakorimas (Prokorimos) – the supreme deity. Stryjkowski elaborated that people used to sacrifice white cocks to Prakorimas. Their flesh was divided into three pieces: one for peasants, another for pagan priests (Lithuanian: žynys), and a third for burning. Stryjkowski pointed out that Prakorimas was similar to the Prussian supreme god Okopirmas.
  2. Rūgutis (Ruguczis) – god of fermentation and fermented foods
  3. Žemininkas (Ziemennik) – god of land and agriculture. The cult of the žaltys (grass snake) is associated with the cult of Žemininkas.
  4. Krūminė (Kruminie Pradziu Warpu) – deity of ears, provider of crops
  5. Lietuvonis (Lituwanis) – god of rain
  6. Kauriraris (Chaurirari) – deity of war and warhorses. The name etymology is unclear. Vladimir Toporov suggested that it is derived from the Lithuanian word kaurai (fur), while Wilhelm Mannhardt argued it stems from karas (war). [6]
  7. Sutvaras (Sotwaros) – god of all cattle
  8. Šeimos dievas (Seimi Dewos) – god of family
  9. Upinis dievas (Upinis Dewos) – god of rivers
  10. Bubilas – god of honey and bees
  11. Didis Lado (Dzidzis Lado) – the great god. Festivities, songs, and dances in his honor lasted from May 25 to June 25. There are doubts whether this represents an actual god. [7]
  12. Gulbis (Gulbi Dzievos) – the good spirit of every human, guardian angel
  13. Ganiklis (Goniglis Dziewos) – god of herds and shepherds
  14. Šventpaukštinis (Swieczpunscynis) – god of all domesticated and wild birds. People did not offer sacrifices to him as he was a free spirit.
  15. Kelių dievas (Kielu Dziewos) – god of roads, trade and travel
  16. Pušaitis or Puškaitis (Puszajtis) – deity of land, dwelling in elder bushes and commanding chthonic dwarfs (barstukas)

Jan Łasicki

Jan Łasicki (Lasicius) was a Polish Protestant activist. He wrote a treatise on idolatry About the gods of Samogitians, other Sarmatians, and false Christians (De diis Samagitarum caeterorumque Sarmatarum et falsorum Christianorum, written ca. 1582 and published in 1615). This 18-page treatise contained a lists of 76 Lithuanian gods with brief description of their functions. Łasicki obtained most of his information from Łaszkowski, a Polish lesser noble who worked as a royal land surveyor. The list contained very minor deities, representing everyday household items. Łasicki was also not intimately familiar with Lithuanian culture or language. Therefore, the academic opinion on the list ranges from a valuable resource to a practical joke designed to poke fun of Christian saints through an inverted mirror. Deities mentioned by Jan Łasicki were: [8]

  1. Aukštėjas (Auxtheias Vissagistis) – a euphemism for the supreme god. Derived from the Lithuanian word aukštas (high).
  2. Žemėpatis (Zemopacios)
  3. Perkūnas (Percunos) – god of thunder
  4. Audros – god of storms
  5. Algis
  6. Aušra (Ausca) – the morning star (Venus). Her other name was Aušrinė.
  7. Bežlėja (Bezlea)
  8. Brėkšta (Breksta) – goddess of twilight. Also could be a euphemism for Vakarė.
  9. Ligyčius (Ligiczus)
  10. Datanus
  11. Kirnis (Kirnus) – local god of cherries
  12. Kremata – god of hogs [9]
  13. Pyzius (Pizio) – god of spouses
  14. Medeina (Modeina et Ragaina) – goddess of forest and hunting
  15. Kerpyčius and Šilinytis (Kierpiczus and Siliniczus) – gods of forest, mosses and lichens
  16. Tavalas (Tavvals) – deity of physical strength. Gintaras Beresnevičius noted that this deity could be the same as medieval Teliavelis.
  17. Orthus
  18. Ežerinis (Ezernim) – spirit or deity of lakes. Derived from ežeras (lake).
  19. Sidžius, Simonaitis and Ventis Rekičionis (Simonaitem, Sidzium, Ventis Rekicziouum) – spirits worshiped by individual noble families
  20. Karvaitis Ėraitinis (Kurvvaiczin Eraiczin) – deity of calves and lambs [9]
  21. Gardūnytis (Gardunithis) – protector of newly born lambs [10]
  22. Prigirstytis (Prigirstitis) – can hear whispers
  23. Derintojas (Derfintos)
  24. Bentis
  25. Laukpatis (Lavukpatimo)
  26. Priparšis (Priparscis)
  27. Ratainyčia (Ratainicza) – god of horses [6]
  28. Valgina (Walgina) – god of cattle [9]
  29. Krikštas (Kriksthos) – protector of tombstones [9]
  30. Apydėmė (Apidome) – deity of changed residence. The name is also known from hand-written collection of sermons from 1573. [11]
  31. Kriukis (Krukis) – deity of pigs
  32. Lazdona (Lasdona) – goddess of hazelnuts
  33. Bubilas (Babilos) – household god of bees, husband of Austėja
  34. Žemyna (Zemina) – goddess of land and agriculture
  35. Austėja (Austheia) – household goddess of bees, often presented as wife of Bubilas
  36. Deuoitis
  37. Vetustis
  38. Guboi and Tvverticos
  39. Veliuona (Vielona) – goddess of death
  40. Warpulis
  41. Salaus – no function recorded by Łasicki.
  42. Šluotražis (Szlotrazis) – no function recorded by Łasicki. The name is derived from šluota (broom). [12]
  43. Tiklis – no function recorded by Łasicki.
  44. Beržulis (Birzulis) – no function recorded by Łasicki. Based on etymology, it could be a god of birches and birch sap.
  45. Šeryčius (Siriczus) – no function recorded by Łasicki. The name is possibly derived from šerti (feed). [12]
  46. Dvargantis (Dvvargonth) – no function recorded by Łasicki.
  47. Klamals – no function recorded by Łasicki.
  48. Atlaibas (Atlaibos) – no function recorded by Łasicki.
  49. Numeias
  50. Ublanyčia (Vblanicza) – patron of beggars [13]
  51. Dugnai – spirit of flour
  52. Pesseias
  53. Trotytojas kibirkščių (Tratitas Kirbixtu) – deity of spark, fire
  54. Alabathis
  55. Polengabia
  56. Užpelenė (Aspelenie)
  57. Budintojas (Budintaia)
  58. Matergabiae
  59. Raugo Žemėpatis (Rauguzemapati) – deity of sourdough, leaven and fermentation
  60. Luibegeldas
  61. Ziemennik
  62. Vaižgantas (Waizganthos) – a god of flax
  63. Gabija (Gabie) – goddess of household fire
  64. Smik smik per velėną (Smik Smik Perleuenu) – a phrase rather than a being
  65. Ežiagalis (Ezagulis) – god of death
  66. Aitvaras (Aitvvaros)
  67. Kaukas (Kaukie)
  68. Gyvatė (Giuoitos) – black snake (see also žaltys)
  69. Srutis and Miechutele – deities of paint and color [12]

Matthäus Prätorius

Deities mentioned by Matthäus Prätorius (1635–1704) were: [12]

Theodor Narbutt

Polish-Lithuanian historian Theodor Narbutt wrote the ten-volume work History of the Lithuanian Nation (Dzieje starożytne narodu litewskiego) between 1835 and 1841. The first volume contained a description of Lithuanian mythology. However, modern historians have accused Narbutt of falsifying historical facts and reporting speculations. Thus, some gods mentioned only by Narbutt and unknown from other sources are usually treated as inventions of the author.

Male deities

  • Praamžius (Pramżimas) – highest god, determines the fate of people, world, and other gods
  • Ukapirmas (Okkapirmas) – preceded time, his feast is celebrated on December 25
  • Viršaitis (Wirszajtos) – protected household, domestic animals. Narbutt claimed that he was equivalent to Auxtejas Wissagistis mentioned by Łasicki and to Roman Saturn
  • Perkūnas (Perkunas) – thunder god
  • Kovas (Kawas) – god of war
  • Ragutis – god of beer, vodka, mead
  • Santvaras or Sotvaras (Sotwaros) – god of daylight, poets, doctors
  • Atrimpas (Atrimpos) – god of sea and water
  • Gardaitis (Gardeoldiis) – god of wind, storm, protector of ships
  • Poklius (Poklus) – god of death and underworld
  • Kriukis (Krugis) – god of smiths
  • Žiemininkas (Ziemienikas) – god of earth, harvest, and darkness
  • Patelas (Patelo) – flying god of air, similar to an angel
  • Šneibratas (Sznejbrato) – god of birds and hunting
  • Kibirai (Kabiry) – a trinity

Female deities

Goddess Milda by Kazimierz Alchimowicz (1910), National Museum in Warsaw Alchimowicz Goddess Milda.jpg
Goddess Milda by Kazimierz Alchimowicz (1910), National Museum in Warsaw
  • Praurimė (Praurime) – goddess of sacred fire, she was served by vaidilutės
  • Lada (Lado) – the great goddess, Rasos festival is dedicated to her
  • Budtė (Budte) – goddess of wisdom
  • Laima (Lajma) – goddess of fate
  • Pelenų Gabija (Polengabia) – goddess of fireplaces
  • Moterų Gabija (Matergabia) – goddess of bread and bakery
  • Perkūnaitėlė (Perkunatele) – wife of Perkūnas
  • Pilvytė (Pilwite) – goddess of money, riches, and good luck
  • Lietuva (Liethua) – goddess of freedom, pleasure, joy
  • Veliuona (Wellona) – goddess of eternity, afterlife
  • Pergrubė (Pergrubie) – goddess of spring, flowers, gardens
  • Milda – goddess of love, courtship
  • Krūminė (Krumine) – goddess of grain, agriculture
  • Nijolė (Nijola) – mistress of the underworld, wife of Poklius
  • Alabatis – goddess of flax
  • Aušra (Ausssra) – morning goddess
  • Bezelea – evening goddess
  • Brėkšta (Brekszta) – goddess of darkness and dreams
  • Kruonis (Kronis) – goddess of time
  • Užsparinė (Usparinia) – goddess of land borders
  • Verpėja (Werpeja) – weaver of the thread of life
  • Gondu – goddess of weddings
  • Upinė (Upine) – goddess of rivers, springs
  • Ratainyčia (Ratajniczu) – goddess protecting horses
  • Valginė (Walgina) – goddess protecting domestic animals
  • Luobo gelda (Lajbegelda) – goddess of knowledge and rumors
  • Mėšlų boba (Mahslu baba) – goddess of garbage
  • Budintoja – spirit that wakes sleeping people
  • Austėja (Austheja) – goddess of bees
  • Ragutiene Pati (Ragutenapati) – wife of Ragutis
  • Žemės Motina (Zemmes mahti) – goddess of underground, responsible for lost items
  • Gaila (Gajla) – spirit torturing people and animals
  • Neris – nymph of Neris River
  • Dugnė (Dugna) – nymph of rivers
  • Ragana – goddess of trees
  • Lazdona – goddess of hazelnut
  • Medziojna – goddess of forests
  • Pajauta – worshiped woman, daughter of Duke Kernius, wife of Živinbudas
  • Birutė (Biruta) – worshiped woman, wife of Kęstutis

Other written sources

This section contains those names of Lithuanian and Prussian gods or other mythical beings that are mentioned in old treatises on history or philosophy, sometimes accompanied by brief descriptions, and which are known from a few independent sources or from their counterparts under different names in later collections of myths and tales.

Other names

Names of figures that were more marginal in Lithuanian mythology or less known from existing sources are put here. In fact they denote some spirits or local deities that do not play a main role in the mythology of Lithuanians.

See also

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References

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Further reading