Slavic mythology

Before Slavic tribes were Christianized, they were pagans. They were polyteistic tribe believing in many gods. This religion is thought to be very old, reaching even Stone age. Unlike Greek or Nordic mythology, who are very popular among people today, there is also very fascinating Slavic mythology that people barely know about. So, in this blog I will introduce you to basic concepts of Slavic mythology and it's major gods and creatures.

The Slavic world was depicted as a large Oak tree, separating the world into three parts: Parv, where the gods would rule, Yav, which is populated by man and constitutes what is seen by the mortal eye, and finally Nav, which is shown as the tree’s roots and is the land of the dead, in other words it can considered the Slavic underworld.

Svarog

Svarog is considered to be main bodiless deity, the creator of everything that can be seen, felt or heard. One of the greatest story of this god is that he is always asleep and that he made this world and everything in it in dream.  Later, he left Perun and other gods to be in charge and to take care of this world. Interesting fact is that he cannot directly interfere to physical world and change things in that way, but he can influence other gods' thinking. It is commonly believed that when he wakes up, that will be the end of this world.

Perun

Supreme god in Slavic mythology. He was god of lightning and thunder.His other attributes were fire, mountains, wind, the oak, iris and the eagle. This is the god that strikes and is putting an end to every injustice. He is always thought about as an older man with long white beard, with lightnings in his hand, but also sometimes was pictured as an eagle or hawk. Nowadays, many plants, mountains and rivers proudly carry the name of this god.His most famous battle is the one with the god Veles. According to the story, Veles converted to a snake and climbed up this tree that presents world, from the underground to "Parv", part where gods reside and there he stole Perun's child. Perun chased him and was constantly throwing lightnings on him. Eventually, he chased him back to the underworld, returned his child and redeemed the trone. Every year this story is happening once again, and Veles (in the body of a snake) is being defeated and he leaves it's skin on the battlefront. This Perun's victory is considered as beggining of a raining season.Slavic people , in the times of drought thought that Perun still isn't defeated Veles, so therefore raining season couldn't begin.

Veles

Veles was a Slavic god of earth,waters, forests and the underworld.He is pictured as wet, bearded, filthy and dark and he is associated to cattle,wealth, music, magic and trickery. Although he is capable of showing himself embodied in any animal alive, his most common appearance is in body of a bear. He started as an major god, functioning as a god who helps people, he eventually converted to evil one, and was considered as a demon. In folk traditions, he always loses battle with Perun, and that is the way in which people show their hope that good will always beat the evil.Veles was also believed to be protector of travelling musicians. For instance, in some wedding ceremonies of northern Croatia (which continued up to the 20th century), the music would not start playing unless the bridegroom, when making a toast, spilled some of the wine on the ground, preferably over the roots of the nearest tree.

Dažbog

Dažbog (somewhere Dajbog) was considered to be a solar deity. One of the few gods which can be found in almost every Slavic tribe. He is also considered to be first god created by Svarog, so he is sometimes called Svarožić (little Svarog). Also, he sometimes was seen as blacksmith, and in some sources it is said that Dažbog is forging our destiny. South Slavs usually see this god as a god of mines, gold, silver and even god of home. For many of them, this god was protector of them and their homes.

Yarilo

Yarilo (or Jarilo) was god of the spring and life. He is believed to be born every year and dies every year. This cycle of his life is shown through various plants who do the same each year.It was common belief that he returns from underworld and reborns every spring, so in every Slavic culture you can see various spring festivals. He was also son of Perun and was twin brother of Morana. The two of them would fall in love and court each other through a series of traditional, established rituals, imitated in various Slavic courting or wedding customs. The divine wedding between brother and sister, two children of the supreme god, was celebrated in a festival of summer solstice, today variously known as Ivanje or Ivan Kupala in the various Slavic countries. 

Morana

Morana (or Marzanna, Morena) was a godess of death, night and winter. She is often described as a demon and is associated with death, winter and nightmares. In Slavic rites the death of Marzanna towards the end of winter is juxtaposed against the birth of Jarilo. Most common appearance is as beautiful girl, with long claws, pale face and long cannines. Because she was a goddess of the winter, people called her the goddess of death of human, plants and nature. Her antipode is Vesna. In close correlation with these two is Stribor, for who is thought that he is 'carrying away one to bring another one' .

Vesna

Vesna was the very opposite of Morana. She was goddess of spring, fertility and nature. She was somewhere called also Živa. She is in charge for spring, morning and basically everything that is in the phase of being born. She is thought as a very beautiful and sometimes naked woman. Her hair is long and always full of flowers. She has lush breasts, which is normal thing for a goddess of fertility. She is sometimes depicted holding an apple in one and grapes in other hand, thus simbolizing all the blessings that spring gives to people. Even after Christianity, this goddess was remembered and somewhere still celebrated. 

Triglav

Triglav is the god of war. He is pictured with three heads or three faces. Many people believe that this three heads or faces are representing earth, sky and the underworld. The most interesting thing about this deity is that his statues was always shown blindfolded. People suggest that this happens because

he was very fond of people and he wanted to remain 'blind' on their sins. Always pictured as god who helps people. He had beautiful black horse, on which he always sent his messages and prophecies to people. 

In the Slavic mythology, there are more divine creatures, some good, some bad, depending on which Slavic tribe you visit to. In my area, among mine people, Svarog and these 7 deities are considered as main gods.
All in all, Slavic mythology is one big topic, and most of the thing carried on orally, because Slavic people were illiterate untill 9th century. If you have more interesting stories about deities and all divine creatures, feel free to comment below!