Ethnocosmology Center "Krywya"

KRYWYA

Crivica * Baltica * Indogermanica
# 1, 1994

Published by Vawkalaka (Werewolf), Inc., P. O. Box 29, 220030 Minsk 30, Belarus

CONTENTS

From the Editor 3
Sanko S. Passage on "the disappeared God": Hittite- Krivian (Belarusian) parallels. Summary 5
Dawhiala H. Some fantastical Biblical images and symbols in the comparative-mythological inter- pretation. Summary 25
Perzashkevich A. To the problem of Brahmavarna in the postvedic period. Summary 53
Michajlaw M. The secrete of Vedas: the calendar- chronological hypothesis on the genesis of Vedic songs. Summary 63
Dziarnovich A. Svastika as the cosmological and ethno- Kviatkowskaya A. distinctive symbol. Summary 75
Zajkowski E. Mysteries of Maiden's Hill. Summary 91
Sanko S. Constitutive elements of antique cosmos as a standard one for the Old-European thesmatic culture. Summary 104
Drazdow Yu. New opportunity for the etymology of the Slav. mrm- 'to murmur'. Summary 127
Lobach Ul. Paganism and Christianity: Belarusian case. Summary 138
Procharaw A. On some general laws of the functioning of the mythological consciousness in accordance with the data of modern neurobiology. Summary 162
Drazdow Yu. Comparative analysis of some mythological functions of Slav.Voran and Vedic Varuna. Summary 178
Miachykava I. The rite of "The Leading of Luka" in the system of Belarusian spring-summer agricultural rites. Summary 195
Reviews and Bibliography 206

Summaries

PASSAGE ON "THE DISAPPEARED GOD": HITTITE-KRIVIAN (BELARUSIAN) PARALLELS

S. Sanko

Summary

The general schemes of Hittite and Krivian (Belarusian) mythological passages on "the disappeared god" are compared. It is noted the myths of the such kind to be connected with the spring New Year rites. These myths speak about a pre-new- year destruction in the end of the previous cosmological (calendar) cycle, caused by the disappearance of god of fertility (hitt. Telepinus, krv. Sviaty Mikola or Sviaty Yurya). The absence of the god is explicated during the symposium of gods, organized by one of the highest gods of the correspondent pantheon. Gods decide to seek "the disappeared god". Some attempts turn out to be unsuccessful. But the task is fulfilled by due to some female personage and a bee. The god is returned, revives all nature powers and restores the order in the Universe.

The analysis shows the remarkable convergence in all the main details of Hittite and Krivian textual realizations of this general scheme of the myth. This fact gives one more affirmation of the conclusion, which had been made earlier by other authors (V.V.Ivanov, V.N.Toporov), on the considerable antiquity of Krivian folk tradition.

The possible Baltic roots of the Krivian spring "valachobnaya" rituals are discussed as well.

MYSTERIES OF MAIDEN'S HILL

E. Zajkowski

Summary

The author presents the results of the exploration of the cult hill near the village Dubrovy, a half way from Mensk to Maladechna. On the top of this rather high hill there are two odd dozens of mounds, eight of which have been explored by the author. The mounds are either completely made of stones mixed with the ground or encircled with a row of stones, which are Baltic signs. The skeletons in the inner pits of the mounds are mainly west-oriented. The things found in the mounds are typical both of the Kryviches and the Balts and date from the second half of the 11th century.

Hills with the names of the kind in other parts of the Slavonic world such as Ukraine, Czechia and Slovakia are usually associated with the cult of a pagan Goddess of love. For example at the excavations of Maiden's Hill near Tripolle in Ukraine has been found an altar shaped as a stove with nine half spherical sections which can be connected with months of pregnancy. There is a certain ground to consider Maiden 's Hill near Dubrovy a relic analogous with those mentioned above.

The author explores the historical roots of the legend of Maiden's Hill (the plot of the young fellows' rivaling for the right of being the husband of a beauty girl who lived there and their death). There are certain ties of the plot traced in Midsummer (Kupala) night folklore and in the mythology of ancient Mesopotamia. The motif of the rivaling is likely to have been connected with young fellows' initiations, there are certain analogies in the Babylonian myth of the wedding of Ishtar and Dumuzi, with the rites of rousing fertility. Against the background of the legend of Maiden's Hill the author examines the most ancient layers of Midsummer rites in Belarus, the manifestations of the cult of Goddess of love and fertility and expresses the ide that the spring holidays of kamajedzica and Annunciantion (the time of storks' coming back) chronologically almost simultaneous are likely to be connected with this cult. According to the ancient authors' evidence, both in Mesopotamia and within the tribe of Naganarvals of the union of Lugians (in the west of the temporary territory of Poland) priestesses of the Goddess of love were usually women and a chief priest was a man dressed in woman's garment. There is a certain ground to think that similar forms of cult service existed at Maiden 's Hill, too.

PAGANISM AND CHRISTIANITY: BELARUSIAN CASE

Ul. Lobach

The article deals with the problem of Paganism versus Christianity resistance. A generalized treatment of the two phenomena shows their absolute ethic and aesthetic polarity and absence of any similarity. But as for the Belarusian historical factuality it proves Paganism to be not an epoch of "infancy", short in duration and already over in l2th century. Pre-Christian traditions and values of world outlook appeared typical of the Belarusian ethnical space throughout its history. The transition of these traditions took place not only amidst the peasantry, but in other strata in society as well, though to a smaller degree. The influence of Christianity manifested itself only through a superficial Christianization - nominalizatian of pagan holidays and Gods and it did not penetrate deeply into the mentality of the people.

Nowadays, when a certain part of the inhabitants of cities tends to turn from the church to the pre-Christian type of knowledge, acquired mainly through the text, when pagan realia in the country side have partially survived, it is a vital necessity to turn back to ethnic and aesthetic values of our ancestors on the way towards final consolidation of the Belarusians into a nation.

THE RITE OF "THE LEADING OF LUKA" IN THE SYSTEM OF BELARUSIAN SPRING- SUMMER AGRICULTURAL RITES

I. Miachykava

In this article some mythological images and symbols of the Belarusian folklore are investigated on the ground of the spring rite of "The Leading of Luka". The following ritual symbols are explicated:

- the virgin as a symbol of the female unfecundated principle and of the soil in spring

- "drowning of the virgin" as a symbol of the mythological marriage of the earth and the water;

- the she-goat as a symbol of fertility;

- the goat horn as a symbol of prosperity and wealth;

- the fish as a symbol of the male fecundative principle;

- the keys as a symbol of power (over the vegetaive forces in particular).

The author also distinguishes three main motifs in the ritual texts of the type under study:

- "unlocking summer" - the beginning of the vegetation period;

- fertility (of the soil, of the woman);

- love and marriage.

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