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Zemlja

The Earth Mother, goddess of soil, wheat, and creation. Along with her consort, Sky Father (Kurent), they brought into being the other deities.

She is the Earth. Naturally, her temple is the earth itself and her symbols are “living stone” such as stones caverns, fields and mountains.

When visiting the physical world, she sometimes takes the shape of a snake, fish, butterfly or hawk.

She has also been named Zem’la, Zemele, Zemle, Zemes Mate, Žemyna, Mokoš(a) and Noreia Isis.

 
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Posted by on 30 October 2015 in Deities

 
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Vodnar

The God of Water is both malicious and benevolent. He is dangerous and a protector. Above all, he is to be greatly respected. Water is connected with life and survival, and therefore so is the ancient God of Waters. With his connection to life also comes his connection with death; for it is his job to bring the dead across the great water in the underworld.

These attributes made him very respected in matters of trust and protection from unexpected and sudden death. People turned to him when they needed a reliable witness or listener, one who wouldn’t betray their confidences. He is considered to be the protecting force against unforeseen death and, in particular, protected those who traveled by sea. It is also said looking at his image in the morning would protect that person from dying suddenly on that day.

The latest supposed location of his domain is beneath Črno Jezero (Black Lake) in his castle. He has moved around from lake to river to lake in the past for various reasons.

Sometimes, under different names (Triton, Tartor, Povodni mož (river spirit), Vodovnik (lake spirit), Jezernik (lake spirit), Vodanoj), he is described as a dangerous water spirit. There is also some speculation that there is not simply one ruler of the waters, but that each body of water and river has its own water spirit (more on this in the Lore section later).

Other names he may be referred to in other sources are Enoch and St. Christoph.

 
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Posted by on 30 October 2015 in Deities

 
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Kurent

Kurent is the god (and later, patron saint) of joy and wine, of the celebration of life and its serenity (and is naturally celebrated during Carnival/Pust and Marinjovanje). He is a lunar and sky god and is horned, winged and often depicted hovering on the waves and surrounded by a half-circle. Other physical features of his are a long red tongue (symbolizing fertility), a chain belt with five bells, a sheepskin coat and sometimes a beak (and sometimes his wings are attached to his head rather than his shoulders).

As a skillful musician (his instruments are the fiddle and flute) he forces people (and death) to dance. In the winter, he uses his music and dance to wake nature from its slumber and help bring around spring and new life (and is such associated with fertility).

Winter is the season when the spirits of the deceased tend to be the most active. Kurent is the one who protects people from winter, its darkness, and its spirit activity.

https://www.colourbox.com/preview/1960810-wine-glass-and-bottle-on-the-black-background.jpg

https://www.colourbox.com/preview/1960810-wine-glass-and-bottle-on-the-black-background.jpgmetimes he is said to be a Lord of the Animals (and is sometimes called the Wolves’ herder), depicted as a man in a stag skin or as an upright stag and is considered to be a symbol of both the sun and moon. Some sources claim that that he is associated more with the bull than the stag, and is sometimes called The Horned One.

In other sources he is a wood spirit who is associated with shepherds. He is connected with the bear, horse, rooster and plough.

Some of his other titles or identities may be: Kor, the Wolves’ Herder, God of Winter, Lord/Master of Animals, the Lord of the Cosmos, St. Martin, and Pust.

 
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Posted by on 30 October 2015 in Deities

 
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Jarnik

Jarnik is a god associated with the sun, particularly the Young Sun of spring (versus the Winter Sun whom the Spring Sun gains victory over when the seasons turn). Naturally, his time is during the Spring season and he is connected with the growth of new plant life. He is the young, strong, fiery deity who wields the Golden Shield that no one is allowed to touch.

The presence of the shield may be a bit misleading; he is not a war god. The Golden Shield is said to represent the sun and its ability to protect and nurture the growth of seedlings.

Other names that seem to be depicting similar deities are: St. George/Green George (Zeleni Juri, or sometimes just Juri), Jarovio and Jarilo.

 
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Posted by on 30 October 2015 in Deities

 
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Čatež

Čatež could be considered similar to Pan, Silvanus, or the Horned God. He is the master of animals (particularly hooved animals such as bison, horses, ibex, and deer), and thus was connected with cattle and shepherds.

He is often described as being a horned and hairy creature, being half man and half goat. He carries a staff and a distinctive 7-piped flute called a piskulce and lives in the mountains.

As a note, the image I’ve chosen that closely resembles Čatež is actually a depiction of the Slavic god Veles (or Volos), who is also a deity of cattle (of a different Slavic region).

 
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Posted by on 30 October 2015 in Deities