Lithuanian mythology

The Lithuanian mythology is summarized as well as in the language of relationship due to many similarities with the Latvian and Old Prussian mythology to Baltic mythology. Large similarities also exist with the varieties of Slavic mythology.

• 4.1 God and Nature
• 4.2 The world of the gods
• 4.3 Internal heroism
• 4.4 God and morality

History of Research

Source location

Officially was the baptism of Lithuania 1387, Lithuania even low until 1413. Complaints about traces pagan pagan beliefs and actions can be found until the 18th century. Relics of Lithuanian mythology have been preserved in tradition, song and narrative forms to this day. Specific sources about the Lithuanian mythology are still only scattered and of a later time ago. These include the Chronicon Livoniae Henry the Latvians (1225-1227), the Livonian rhymed chronicle (1290-1296), the travel reports of the Wiegand of Marburg and the Chronicle of Peter of Dusburg (1326). Later, the chronicle of Simon Grunau (1519-1529), church ordinances, and reports of the Jesuits provide more detailed information. The ethnographic collection activities beginning in the 19th century, the interest grew narrated Lithuanian mythology. However, the majority of Lithuanian speakers had already given up their old religion, and the singers of folk dainos as well as the storyteller of the importance of the narrative were often barely or insufficiently aware of. The researchers thus collected folk tales and songs without explanations were considered as raw material for attempts to reconstruct the mythology. An important source is the religious vocabulary, proper names of deities and mythical beings using etymological, historical comparative linguistics.

Research

Later sources are in their reception already partially be regarded as attempts at reconstruction by the Lithuanian peculiarities are understood after the ancient model and corresponding names are listed - for example, with Jan Lasicki De diis Samagitarum ... 1582 The first comprehensive reconstruction created in the early 19th. . century the Polish- Lithuanian -language historian Theodor Narbutt. Two modern approaches of Marija Gimbutas and Algirdas Julien Greimas have become known in the West, while the work of Norbertas Velius, Gintaras Beresnevičius and Vladimir Toporow achieved rather little notoriety. The reconstruction method is problematic, however, and no attempt has yet achieved full recognition.

Therefore, many scholars prefer the reconstruction of their own Lithuanian mythology by means of historical, archaeological and ethnographic data - increasing specialization is here often counterproductive.

The problem with this approach is that the Lithuanian mythology was never static but constantly evolving, so that they never maintained over long periods, to which concentrated the ethnologist the same shape. Furthermore, the researchers were often influenced by ideas of Slavic mythology or ancient mythology.

Access Narbutts and the common ideas found artistic form, for example, in Adam Mickiewicz's play Dziady.

Reconstruction of Mythology

Marija Gimbutas After the initial structure of the Lithuanian mythology was based on a matriarchal system of goddesses, representing the various aspects of nature such as sky, earth, moon, water, air, etc.. Later developments ran in a patriarchal direction, so that many female goddesses lost their power and importance. As dualities were available for day or night sky: Dievas ( god of light ) resp.Vėlinės ( head of the dead ) (see also polytheism ).

References to other mythologies

The Lithuanian mythology has common roots with the Latvian mythology and the mythology of the old Prussians. On the other hand, individual elements of a great commonality with other mythologies, especially with those of neighboring cultures.

Periods of Lithuanian mythology

The pre-Christian mythology is known mainly by speculation and Reconstructions, however, some well-known mythological elements by newer sources as well as by archaeological findings could be confirmed.

The next period of Lithuanian mythology began in the 15th century and lasts until the middle of the 17th century. The myths of this period usually reported as heroic myths about the foundation of the Lithuanian state. The most famous stories are the dream of Grand Duke Gediminas and the founding of the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, as well as Šventaragis, which also deals with the history of Vilnius. Numerous stories of this kind refer to specific historical events. In general, these myths shape the life of the Lithuanian patriotism.

The third period began with the growing influence of Christianity and the work of the Jesuits and the Protestant mission since about the end of the 16th century. The former iconoclastic approach to the pre-Christian Lithuanian heritage of the people proved to be more useful ( Jerome of Prague had once by felling the sacred trees emigration of Lithuanians causes ) and they tried to exploit the people's faith for missionary activities. This also led to the inclusion of Christian elements in the mythological tales and legends.

The last period of the Lithuanian mythology began in the 19th century, was awarded as the cultural heritage not only by the elites but generally national value. The legends and stories of this period proved to be mostly as reflections of earlier myths, not as real, but as encrypted past experience. They focused on moral issues and on a heroic view of the past, individual heroes wore very often not even a proper name, but were called " leader " or " lord of the manor ."

Elements of the Lithuanian mythology

God and Nature

The mythological tales, songs and legends dealing with the natural laws and processes such as the changing seasons, the relationships among themselves and with the existence of people. The nature of the system is often depicted human relationships into categories; an important example ( in countless songs and stories ), the moon ( Menuo ) as the father is the sun ( Saule ) as a mother, but also as a Little Luck, and the star as sisters of men.

Next illustrate Lithuanian Theonyme this closeness to nature:

• Bangputys - blowing over the waves
• Laukasargai - guardian of the field

The world of the gods

In the Baltic mythology ranked above the fearsome Patollo, the flame- winning Perkunas acts as a lightning spin Direction god of fire, Potrimpo is a ährenbekrönter youth.

The Laima (literally "luck" here in the sense of Fates ) also play an important role in the Lithuanian mythology.

The worship of the gods was made by sacrifice, human sacrifice in the form of prison which was devoted to the god of war. In addition to public cults local Dimstipatis ( = local spirits ) were worshiped.

As the supreme religious festival the Northern Lights around Easter time and especially the forbidden only during the Counter Reformation celebration of the solstice were.

Are a separate branch of the Lithuanian mythology represents the afterlife theory, the Indo-European elements of heaven and hell ideas ( veles or spirits of the dead ) began.

Interior heroism

The Lithuanian myths often reveal the inner heroism of a people and symbolize this inner being in different scenes in mythological countries at the other end of the earth or in the sky of the South Pole; generally these places are referred to as "the land beyond the seas " and " cosmic underwater kingdom ."

God and morality

Myths about moral issues are very common and are approaching the popular fables that are known in all European nations. The basic idea of these stories is often that God visited the people to ask them questions of morality, where the people but do not recognize him. These narratives according to a person should listen to his inner voice of harmony and justice, to act morally in the presence of God, no matter when and under what circumstances he sees him. Some scholars emphasize the syncretic and pre-Christian character of these narratives.