Slavic Gods and Heroes

The nature of Slavic pagan religion remains obscure. There is no consensus among scholars, and neo-pagan movements do not supply the demand for objective information. This work is a reexamination of the sources, particularly the medieval chronicles; it deconstructs the Slavic pagan pantheon, and presents Slavic gods as relatively late and artificial constructions, heavily influenced by Christian cultic figures. In parallel, the most ancient of Slavic totemic myths, based on the foundation legends of various Slavic tribes, are reconstructed.

This book offers a radical reinterpretation of the Slavic pagan religion made on the basis of a thorough re-examination of all reliable sources. What did Slavic pagan religion have in common with the Afro-American cult of voodoo? Why were no Slavic gods mentioned before the mid-tenth century, and why were there no Slavic gods at all between the Dnieper and the Oder? Why were Slavic foundation legends similar to the totemic myths of the nomadic peoples of the Eurasian Steppe, and who were Slavic Remus and Romulus? What were the Indo-European roots of Slavic hippomantic rituals, and where was the Eastern Slavic dragon Zmey Gorynych born? Answers to these and many other provocative questions can be found in this book.