Warrior Slavs of island Rugen worshipped god Svantevit. Saxon Grammaticus, Danish medieval annalist and the writer informed: "This god has also on service of the of 300 perfect horses and as much horsemen which all extraction acquired by means war or robbery, consists under supervision of priest <...> Besides it, there are at him (deities) a horse of white colour; sacrilege considers to pull out hair from a mane or a tail of him. Only one priest has the right to look after him and sits on him that from often using the sacred horse has not lost the sanctity" (Slavs and Scandinavians, 1986, 351). Before a campaign priests Svantevit stuck six crossed copies into the ground. The Supreme priest removed from a temple of a horse of the god and how it jumped over spears, was judged, war will be successful whether or not.

Saxon Grammaticus describes Svantevit's temple and a kind of the god. "Outside the temple was decorated with carefully made sculptures <...> For entering the unique entrance was open. The sanctuary is made in two fencings. External, consisting of walls, it is covered with a purple roof; internal, basing on four columns, instead of walls shone with veils <...> In a sanctuary the huge figure surpassing human growth with four heads is established <...> Beards and hair were represented clean-shaven, <...> In a right hand /idol/ held a horn for drink, executed of various metals with which priest annually should fill again that on a condition of a liquid to predict a crop of the future year. The left hand rested sideways, formed an arch <...> Legs based on ground and the basis was latent in the ground. Nearby the bridle and a saddle and other "marks of authority" deities therefrom hung; miraculousness of him the sword of monstrous size, an edge which besides excellent multiplied works. Were allocated with a silver surface" (Slavs and Scandinavians, 1986, 356-357). Well and where here the God of Thunder? On the contrary, the features connected to fertility rush to eyes (especially a horn - we shall recollect Cernunnos , the Thracian Hero, Scythian Kolaxay etc.). Spears and a horse are even more characteristic and deduce us for Sacred George's image - the horseman on a white horse, the Hero. With Svantevit frequently compare Zbruch idol, found in 1848. To tell the truth, his two sides have female attributes. The third side has no specific attributes, and the fourth which contains the image of a horse and a spear of Rybakov considers as image of Perun. But the horse and a spear are symbols of the Cultural Hero.

Certainly, many heads induces on reflections. Many-headed gods are most typical for India (set of heads, hands, an eye allow to transfer the superiority of a deity above mortal). But also in Europe the given attributes took place in the Greek mythology (four hands of ancient Apollo, hundred-handes and fifth-headed ones - "anger", "force", "arable land", three-bodied Geryon ( victory over three-headed monster ); in the Scandinavian legends - many-headed trolls, hero Starkad (he was born with six hands, but Thor (hostilely adjusted to him) has chopped off four hands of Starkad). The western Slavs have kept these features of the gods.

There was in the isle Rugen, in city of Korenitsa there was other pagan temple where there were images of three gods: seven-headed Rugevit, five-headed Porevit and five-headed Porenut. It is known about reverence by the western Slavs also Herovit (Gerovitus) which attribute the gold board was. 'Vit' means 'life' and, according to descriptions, functions of these characters were reduced to war and fertility. Extremely authoritative in major religious centre Retra (Starigard) was Radegast, represented by the young soldier with a spear in a hand (it is interesting that this name was carried by the pagan German leader, unsuccessfully trying to take Rome in 5 c. A.D. - shortly before Alarich). After destruction of west Slavic princedoms, sanctuaries were destroyed, idols were destructed and up to us have reached insignificant traces of the last magnificence. On the one hand, these are the stone relieves found in churches at which construction ruins of pagan temples were used: the image of person with a horn for drink from Arkona; the image the three-headed person from Vergen; 'Stone of Herovit' from Volgast. On the other hand, there are monuments of a wooden sculpture were kept: three-headed figure from Volin; a sculpture, representing two grow together figures (it is possible twins); schematic images from a facade of a temple from the Gross - Raden. At last, in 17 century in town Prilvits the collection of domestic idols of freakish forms from Retra, as though melted off was found out at a fire. On them there are runic inscriptions, meaning names of gods. However there are doubts in authenticity of the given images.

The resuscitation of the Hero. (A. Fantalov, watercolor).

This picture shows Slav variant of myth about the resuscitation of the Hero, who was killed by dragon. Beside we can see Veles, the God of Earth Powers (his mythology is related with mythology of the Hero). The Eagle is symbol of the God of Thunder.

Dazhbog and Zlatigorka. (A. Fantalov, watercolor).

This picture is a fantasy about Dazhbog and his wife (giantess Zlatigorka). We can see like plot in Scandinavian mythology (god Njord and giantess Scade).

Indrik-beast and Mother of earth. (A. Fantalov, watercolor and Indian ink).

Slav mythology 7

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