Latvian culture, along with Lithuanian, is among the oldest surviving Indo-European cultures. Much of its symbolism (an example is the pērkonkrusts or thunder cross) is ancient. Its seasons, festivals, and numerous deities reflect the essential agrarian nature of Latvian tribal life. These seasons and festivals are still noted, if not also celebrated today—for example, Jāņi is a national holiday.

The legacy of Latvian mythology is also seen in contemporary Christian holidays. Christmas is called Ziemassvētki In ancient Latvia, Ziemassvētki was a festival, celebrated on December 21, which was one of the two most important holidays, the other being Jāņi. Ziemassvētki celebrated the Winter Solstice. Not only is Easter Easter (Ēostre ; Greek: Πάσχα Paskha, from Hebrew: פֶּסַח Pesakh,/Passover) is the central religious feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to Christian scripture, Jesus was resurrected from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. Some Christians celebrate this resurrection on Easter Day or Easter Sunday (also called Lieldienas In ancient Latvia, Lieldienas was the celebration of Vernal Equinox on March 23. The celebration usually lasted three or four days; each day was devoted to a specific deity, though no source gives the names of the respective deity. At least one day is probably dedicated to Māra, but the pussy willow has supplanted the palm frond in Christian symbolism. Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that always falls on the Sunday before Easter Sunday. The feast commemorates an event mentioned by all four Canonical Gospels : the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem in the days before his Passion. It is also called Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion is Pūpolsvētdiena, literally, Pussy Willow Sunday, and little children are awoken that morning by the ritualistic swats of a willow branch and the exclamation, "Apaļš kā pūpols, apaļš kā pūpols, apaļš kā pūpols!" ("Round like (the catkins of) a pussy willow!") Also used "Apals ka pupols , vesels ka pupols!" - " Round like Pussy willow, healthy like Pussy Willow!" That way giving a blessing of good health for the year coming until Next Pussy Willow Sunday!

Sources

Historical sources

In AD 98, Tacitus Publius Cornelius Tacitus (AD 56 – AD 117) was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors. These two works span the history of the Roman Empire, a Roman The Roman Empire was the post-Republican phase of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean. The term is used to describe the Roman state during and after the time of the first emperor, Augustus, mentioned the worship of a goddess-mother in the Baltic region (see Aesti The Aesti were a people described by the Roman historian Tacitus in his treatise Germania (ca. 98 CE). According to this account, the Aestii lived on the shore of the Suebian Sea (Baltic Sea), eastward of the Suiones (Scandinavians) and westward of the Sitones. They were a population of Suebia. Tacitus did not know whether to assign the nearby). Reports of Christianization The historical phenomenon of Christianization, or Christianisation , is the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once. It also includes the practice of converting native pagan practices and culture, pagan religious imagery, pagan sites and the pagan calendar to Christian uses, due to the Christian give unbalanced information. We do know that some tribes had had their religious beliefs declining for some time, and accepted Christianity willingly. Others, such as the Curonians The Curonians or Kurs were a people living on the shores of the Baltic sea in what is now western parts of Latvia and Lithuania from the 5th to the 16th centuries. They gave their name to the region of Courland (Kurzeme), and they spoke the Old Curonian language. Curonian lands were conquered by the Livonian Order in 1266 and they eventually and Semigallians The Semigallians are one of the Baltic tribes that lived in Zemgale, in the southcentral Latvia and northern Lithuania. They are noted for their long resistance (1219-1290) to the German crusaders, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and the Livonian Order, resisted Christianization. Later texts by authors who presumably knew nothing of Latvian beliefs, substituted supposedly authoritative work substituting Prussian deities, adding extremely unlikely explanations and etymologies Etymology is the study of the history of words, where they are from, and how their form and meaning have changed over time.

Folklore

Latvian folklore was recorded mostly after the 19th century, therefore it sometimes can be quite Christianized. Still, the traditions are layered rather than merged. These records sometimes also contain the opinions of the mythographers, giving their ideas about how the folklore might have been transformed over time.

Folk songs

Latvian folk songs, named Dainas A daina is a traditional form of music or poetry from Latvia. Lithuanian dainas share common traits. Latvian dainas often feature pre-Christian themes and legends, drone vocal styles and Baltic zithers by Krišjānis Barons, presumably could be the best sources due to the need to keep rhythm, and therefore are learned word by word, thus even in one song the first verse can speak of the same subject in singular while others refer to the subject in plural, indicating that there has been innovation.

Tales

Most tales contain folklorised reality – information of ancient events or archaeological sites, and mythological tales concerning good and evil. Despite that, they give slight outline to ancient mythology – it is quite clear that "devil" is used to describe anything pagan, thus describing ancient cult places, and in a few cases they give a better idea about the original beliefs than the folk songs do; i.e. the folk songs do not directly point to Mēness adultery as the tales do.

Folk beliefs and proverbs

Latvian beliefs and proverbs give insight into everyday rituals and folk medicine.

Seasons and festivals

The Latvians recognized eight different seasons to the year. The end of one season and the beginning of the next was marked by a festival.

Other minor holidays:

1. Barbes Diena (also Barbanas Diena) was a festival held on December 1, celebrating the fertility of lambs and ewes. Working with needles or other sharp objects was forbidden. Dumplings were eaten. Various rituals were performed to guarantee the health and fertility of the sheep.
2. Bērtuļa Diena was a festival celebrated on August 24, commemorated the sowing of rye Rye is a grass grown extensively as a grain and as a forage crop. It is a member of the wheat tribe (Triticeae) and is closely related to barley and wheat. Rye grain is used for flour, rye bread, rye beer, some whiskies, some vodkas, and animal fodder. It can also be eaten whole, either as boiled rye berries, or by being rolled, similar to rolled and the first day of the mushroom A mushroom is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. The standard for the name "mushroom" is the cultivated white button mushroom, Agaricus bisporus, hence the word mushroom is most often applied to those fungi that have a stem (stipe), a cap (pileus), and gills season. It was unlucky to pour water inside barns. In addition, rain on this day would off fires.
3. Biezputras Diena ("Porridge day") was celebrated on February 4. It was held on the Sunday before Meteņi. On this day, uneaten porridge is supposedly taken into the hills to feed the shepherds all summer. The porridge is actually replaced with water. A new shepherd is initiated by bringing the crock of "porridge" to the hills, then being doused in the water.
4. Bindus Diena was a festival observed on March 18, the day after Kustoņu Diena ("Day of Critters"). It was later named Binduļa diena, in honor of St. Benedict Saint Benedict of Nursia (480 – 547) is a Christian saint, honored by the Roman Catholic Church as the patron saint of Europe and students. It was associated primarily with insects. Everybody must be awake before the sunrise. Water must not be poured inside barns. The backs of the cows, and the barns' ceilings, must be washed. Bears were believed to wake up on this day, but then fall back asleep. Bringing firewood in on this day will bring snakes with you. Rushes, twigs and straw will also attract snakes. Potatoes and cabbages can not be planted on this day. Alternative names include Binduļa diena, Benedikta diena, Bimbuļu diena.
5. Dvēseļu diena ("Day of souls"), also called Visu Svēto Diena ("Day of all saints"). It was held on November 2. Families (supposedly, both living and dead members) gathered at their burial plots during the evening to commemorate the continuation of life.
6. Jurģu Diena ("Day of Gregory") was a minor holiday, similar to Groundhog Day Groundhog Day is a holiday celebrated on February 2 in the United States and Canada. According to folklore, if it is cloudy when a groundhog emerges from its burrow on this day, it will leave the burrow, signifying that winter will soon end. If on the other hand, it is sunny, the groundhog will supposedly "see its shadow" and retreat. In this version, the fox Fox is a common name for many species of carnivorous mammals belonging to the Canidae family. Foxes are small to medium-sized canids , characterized by possessing a long narrow snout, and a bushy tail (or brush) emerging from his den signals the start of spring, which will otherwise sleep for two more weeks. It was held on March 12.
7. Jēkaba Diena ("Jacob's Day") was a festival held on July 24. It was the start of the harvesting season. The townsfolk held feasts from their freshly harvested grain and gave neighbors gifts of bread. Weddings were lucky if held on this day. A bright sun was also lucky; a cloudy day was a portent of snow; rain caused a low harvest yield. Unless it was a new moon, old seeds had to be sown. It was unlucky to walk through cabbage fields; if the cabbage heads hadn't appeared yet, they would not. Hay was not allowed to be brought into a barn, or thunder Thunder is the sound made by lightning. Depending on the nature of the lightning and distance of the listener, thunder can range from a sharp, loud crack to a long, low rumble . The sudden increase in pressure and temperature from lightning produces rapid expansion of the air surrounding and within a bolt of lightning. In turn, this expansion of may come, according to a belief.
8. Sv. Kazimira Diena was a festival, held on March 24, which commemorated the return of the larks Larks are passerine birds of the family Alaudidae. All species occur in the Old World, and in northern and eastern Australia; only one, the Shore Lark, has spread to North America, where it is called the Horned Lark. Habitats vary widely, but many species live in dry regions.
9. Kustoņu diena was held on March 17, followed the next day by Bindus diena. It was associated with insects. To ward against insects and reptiles, this day has to be free of plant planting activities. The flour mill was rotated nine times in the morning, when sparrows were driven from the homes, to ward against them for the summer. Spinning linen Linen is a textile made from the fibers of the flax plant, Linum usitatissimum. Linen is labor-intensive to manufacture, but when it is made into garments, it is valued for its exceptional coolness and freshness in hot weather was forbidden, because a belief is telling that this may attract wolves. Embroidering and sewing was forbidden, or else worms could infect crops and moles will dig holes, respectively. Alternative names include Ģertrūdes diena (Gertrude's Day).
10. Labrenča diena was a festival celebrated on August 10.
11. Pelnu Diena ("Ash day") was held on February 24. It was a celebration of the new year. Ashes were transported on this day from the homes of one generation, to the newly independent and married couple of the next, usually from the groom's father's fire to the new one.
12. Septiņu brāļu diena ("Day of Seven Brothers") was a festival held on July 10.
13. Septiņu gulētāju diena ("Day of the Seven Sleepers of Ephesus") was held each year on July 27. Legend states that these Christian saints Saints are individuals of exceptional holiness who are important in many religions, particularly Christianity. In some usages, the word "saint" is used more generally to refer to anyone who is a Christian were Ephesians Ephesus was an ancient Greek city, and later a major Roman city, on the west coast of Asia Minor, near present-day Selçuk, Izmir Province, Turkey. It was one of the twelve cities of the Ionian League during the Classical Greek era. In the Roman period, it was for many years the second largest city of the Roman Empire; ranking behind Rome, the from Asia Minor Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the western two-thirds of the Republic of Turkey. The region is bounded by the Black Sea to the north, Georgia to the northeast, the Armenian Highland to the east, Mesopotamia to the southeast, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Aegean Sea, walled up by Roman Emperor The Roman Emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office: Latin titles such as imperator (from which English emperor ultimately derives), augustus, caesar and princeps were all associated with it. In practice, the emperor was supreme ruler of Rome and supreme commander of the Decius Gaius Messius Quintus Decius was the Emperor of Rome from 249 to 251. In the last year of his reign, he co-ruled with his son Herennius Etruscus until both of them were killed in the Battle of Abrittus in a cave for their faith in 250 CE. Found by masons The craft of stonemasonry has existed since the dawn of civilization - creating buildings, structures, and sculpture using stone from the earth. These materials have been used to construct many of the long-lasting, ancient monuments, artifacts, cathedrals, and cities in a wide variety of cultures. Famous products of stonemasonry include the Taj in the year 479, the Ephesians had thought they were asleep for only one night, instead of 229 years that had actually elapsed. Once awake, Malchus In the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Bible, Malchus is the servant of the Jewish High Priest, Caiaphas, who participated in the arrest of Jesus. According to John, one of the disciples, the Apostle Peter, being armed with a sword, cut off the servant's ear in an attempt to prevent his Master's arrest made his way into town to buy bread for the others, rubbing the sleep of more than two centuries from his eyes. He was amazed to see Christian crosses placed on all the buildings. This was in stark contrast to the earlier times when they had been persecuted. (In 250 CE Roman gods were all that could be worshipped.) The bakers were amazed at the coins he offered, and thought that the young man had found treasure. Latvians believed that if it rains on this feast day, there will be seven weeks and seven days of rain.
14. Teņa diena was a sacred holiday held on February 17. It was held in honor of pigs and was transferred to the feast day of St. Anthony Anthony the Great , (Coptic Ⲁⲃⲃⲁ Ⲁⲛⲧⲱⲛⲓ), also known as Saint Anthony, Anthony the Abbot, Anthony of Egypt, Anthony of the Desert, Anthony the Anchorite, Abba Antonius (Ἀβᾶς Ἀντώνιος), and Father of All Monks, was a Christian saint from Egypt, a prominent leader among the Desert Fathers. He is celebrated in many after Christianization Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. Christianity comprises three major branches: Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy (which parted ways with Catholicism in 1054 A.D.) and Protestantism (which came into existence during the Protestant Reformation of the 16th. A pig's head was placed atop a stone to protect the people from thunder and lightning. During the day, the townsfolk went to pig pens and sang songs glorifying the fertility of the pig. At lunch, pig's head and feet were eaten, and the remains were buried at the location, where the pigs would be herded the following year. Sewing or other needle-work was strictly prohibited, as was drinking at home. A foggy day was believed to bring floods; a sunny day indicated a good barley Barley is a cereal grain derived from the annual grass Hordeum vulgare crop; a dry day indicated drought A drought is an extended period of months or years when a region notes a deficiency in its water supply. Generally, this occurs when a region receives consistently below average precipitation. It can have a substantial impact on the ecosystem and agriculture of the affected region. Although droughts can persist for several years, even a short,, etc. Alternative names include Tuņņa diena, Tenīša diena, Cūkaušu diena, and Kunga diena ("Sir's day", "Master's day").
15. Tipša diena was a festival held on April 15 to commemorate the beginning of the ploughing The plough is a tool used in farming for initial cultivation of soil in preparation for sowing seed or planting. It has been a basic instrument for most of recorded history, and represents one of the major advances in agriculture. The primary purpose of ploughing is to turn over the upper layer of the soil, bringing fresh nutrients to the surface, of the fields.
16. Urbanas diena was a festival held on May 25, the luckiest day to plant oats The common oat is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name (usually in the plural, unlike other grains). While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed. Oats make up a large part of the diet of horses and are regularly fed to cattle as, barley Barley is a cereal grain derived from the annual grass Hordeum vulgare, flax Flax (binomial name: Linum usitatissimum) is a member of the genus Linum in the family Linaceae. It is native to the region extending from the eastern Mediterranean to India and was probably first domesticated in the Fertile Crescent. This is called as Agasi/Akshi in Kannada, जवस (Jawas/Javas) or अळशी (Alashi) in Marathi and तीस and cucumbers The cucumber is a widely cultivated plant in the gourd family Cucurbitaceae, which includes squash, and in the same genus as the muskmelon. Potatoes The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species. Despite being first introduced outside the Andes region four centuries ago,, however, were not planted on this day. A sunny day signified a healthy crop, according to Latvian beliefs.
17. Vēja diena ("Day of Wind") was a festival held on February 2. The day was regarded as a fiercely windy day, and various rituals were performed to ensure that the damage from the wind would not be too severe the following summer.
18. Vīta diena or Saint Vitus' Dance Day was a medieval The Middle Ages is a period of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The period followed the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476, and preceded the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period in a three-period division of history: Classical, Medieval, and Modern. The term "Middle Ages" (medium aevum) was coined in festival held on June 15 in ancient Latvia to commemorate the last day of planting. Rain on this day signified a bountiful crop, as well as the first appearances of bees and flies. "Saint Vitus dance" is another name for Chorea, an abnormal involuntary movement disorder.
19. Zirgu Diena ("Day of the Horses"), on January 17.
20. Zvaigznes diena ("Day of the Star") or Pagānu Svētdiena ("Pagan Sunday") was a festival held on January 6. Today it's still a tradition to leave the Christmas tree The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas, or originally Yule. The Christmas tree is often brought into a home, but can also be used in the open, and can be decorated with Christmas lights , ornaments, garlands and tinsel during the days around in a home from December 22 (the day of winter solstice The Winter Solstice occurs exactly when the Earth's axial tilt is farthest away from the sun at its maximum of 23° 26'. Though the Winter Solstice lasts only an instant in time, the term is also colloquially used as Midwinter or contrastingly the first day of winter to refer to the day on which it occurs. More evident to those in high latitudes,) til Zvaigznes day. Three pointed apple cakes were eaten. If a dog was heard barking, the direction was said to also be that person's future spouse. Weaving Weaving is a textile craft in which two distinct sets of yarns or threads, called the warp and the filling or weft , are interlaced to form a fabric or cloth. The warp threads run lengthways on the piece of cloth, and the weft runs across from side to side, across the bolt of cloth and wood-cutting was considered as bad luck in beliefs. A very sunny day (so sunny, to have heated up the back of all the horses The horse is a hooved (ungulate) mammal, a subspecies of the family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today. Humans began to domesticate horses around 4000 BCE, and their domestication is believed to have been widespread by 3000 BCE. Although in the household) signified a year without war. After Christianization The historical phenomenon of Christianization, or Christianisation , is the conversion of individuals to Christianity or the conversion of entire peoples at once. It also includes the practice of converting native pagan practices and culture, pagan religious imagery, pagan sites and the pagan calendar to Christian uses, due to the Christian, Zvaigznes Diena became Trīs kungu diena ("Day of Three Sir's", "Day of the Three Masters"). The three sir's refer to Caspar In Christian tradition, the Magi , also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men, (Three) Kings, or Kings from the East, are a group of distinguished foreigners who are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense. They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity and in celebrations of, Melchioru and Belceru Balthazar , from Phoenician, meaning "Baal protects the King" is the name commonly attributed to one of the Three Wise Men, at least in the west. Though no names are given in the Gospel of Matthew, this was one of the names the Western church settled on in the 8th century, based on the original meaning, though other names were used by. The initials "KMB" were carved on doors so that they would bless the house. Gypsies The Romani are an ethnic group living mostly in Europe, who trace their origins to medieval India painted six-cornered stars on their foreheads. A clear night without clouds signified a good season in beliefs.

List of deities and other terms

Gods and deities

1. Auseklis – (from root aust- (dawn-)) also called Lielais Auseklis ("Great Auseklis"). He was associated with Venus, and with both Mēness and Saule, the Moon and the Sun.
2. Ceroklis – a fertility god, associated with agriculture and farmers, and cognate with Latin Ceres. The Jesuit Joannis Stribingius discussed Cerklicing when he went to Eastern Latvia in 1606. The first bite of any food, and the first drop of any drink, was given to this deity. Alternative names include Dewing Cereklicing, Cerekling, Cercklicing, Greklicing, Cerekticing, Cerklicing, Cerroklis.
3. Dēkla – (from dēt (to plant, lay (eggs))) was one of a trinity of fate goddesses that included her sisters Kārta and Laima. However, all three may have been aspects of Laima and in many ways Dekla doubles with Laima. She was associated with children and infants and was often depicted with them at her breast. In original Latvian mythology, as opposed to dievtuŗība, Dēkla was the goddess of fortune and destiny and was worshiped primarily in Western Latvia (as Kurzeme).
4. Ūsiņš – was the god of horses, bees and light, mentioned by Jesuit Joannis Stribingius in 1606. He took care of horses during the summer, then transferred the power to Mārtiņš at the festival of Mārtiņi. He was especially associated with the festival Jurģi. Alternative names include Deving Isching, Usins, Dewing Uschinge.
5. Dievs – (God) was the supreme god. The same word refers to the Christian deity in modern Latvian. In ancient Latvian mythology, Dievs was not just the father of the gods, he was the essence of them all. Every other deity was a different aspect or manifestation of Dievs; this is most true with Māra and Laima. The name Dievs was also interpreted as Sky. Though it is told in ancient beliefs, that he courted Saule, no actual wife is known. His sons are known as Dieva dēli. He is historically associated with the father gods of Indo-European religions as Tyr, Zeus, Jupiter and Dyaus Pita.
6. Jānis – (or John) was a deity associated with Jāņi, the Midsummer's Night festival. After Christianization, he was associated with John the Baptist, through a process of syncretism. Once a year, Jānis came to bring luck and fertility to the people of Latvia. In modern Latvia, it is very popular male given name.
7. Jumis – (from root jum- roof-) was a god of sky and fertility. He is associated with "double-plants", such as two crop stalks or trees which have grown together and share a trunk or stem. During harvesting, some stalks of the crops are bent to the ground and secured in that location with stones. During his holiday, Miķeli, a ritual called the "Catching of Jumis" is performed, it involves a procession that carries some grains (symbol of "captured" Jumis) home, thereby ensuring the following year's harvest will be at least as successful. He is depicted as a short man with clothes that resemble ears of wheat, hops and barley.
8. Kārta (layer) – was one of a trinity of fate goddesses that included her sisters Dēkla and Laima. All three may have been aspects of Laima. Alternative names include Kārtas māte.
9. Laima – (laim- (luck-)) was a goddess in both Latvian and Lithuanian mythology. She is the personification of fate and of luck, both good and bad. She was associated with childbirth, marriage, death, proliferation, and domesticity. She was also the patron of pregnant women. Some sources proclaim three Laima's, which means that either this goddess had three aspects or this could have been general name for three deities. Alternative names include Laime, Laimė (Lithuanian), Laimas māte, Laimes māte ("Mother of Luck").
10. Lauma – (Fairy) is a beautiful naked maiden, that cannot have children. So she often steals other children and sours cows' milk. They are very strong and cannot be killed by man in a fight, however they can be killed by touching their milk pail.
11. Māra – (Mary) is the highest-ranking goddess, a feminine Dievs. She may be thought as alternate side of Dievs (like in Yin Yang). Other Latvian goddesses, sometimes all of them, are considered her alternate aspects.
12. Mārtiņš – was a god who protected the Latvian people and their livestock such as horses, during the winter months, from thieves, cold and starvation. He took over the function of protector of the horses from Ūsiņa diena on November 10, the festival of Mārtiņi.
13. Mēness – (Moon) was the god of the moon and war. According to beliefs and national songs, he was one of the suitors of Saules meitas ("The Daughters of Sun"). Mēness counted the stars and determined that Auseklis was missing, and stole Auseklis' bride. He was usually a rival of Saule, the Sun, his wife who sheared him in pieces after discovering his adultery. Alternative names include Mėnulis/Mėnuo in Lithuanian mythology.
14. Metenis – was a mysterious deity, connected with the festival Meteņi, into which he rode during the celebrations on his sleigh. He has five sons and five daughters.
15. Meža vīrs – was the god of the forests, associated with wolves. Alternative names include Meža Tēvs, Meža Dievs.
16. Miķelis – was one of the Sons of Dievs, the supreme god. He was a god of astronomy, prophecy and abundance.
17. Pērkons – (Thunder) was the common Baltic and Slavic god of thunder, one of the most important deities in the Indo-European pantheon. In Baltic, Slavic and Finnish mythology, he is documented as the god of thunder, rain, mountains, oak trees, fire and the sky. In India he is known as Indra, the chief of the Devas.
18. Ragana – (witch) was a prophetess and sorceress, and a goddess of magic. After Christianization, she was turned into a minor witch bringing bad luck to humans and animals. She is also a Lithuanian goddess.
19. Saule – (the sun) was the goddess of the sun and fertility, patron goddess of the unlucky, including orphans. She was the mother of Saules meitas and lived on top of a mountain and flew across the sky on her chariot. At night, she sailed across the sea. She is a beloved Baltic Sun Goddess sometimes recognised as a red apple, setting in the west. Saule is reborn as her daughter, the morning star at the Winter Solstice. Saulė is also a Lithuanian goddess.
20. Zalktis – (Grass Snake) was a god of well-being and fertility, about whom little is known. He was associated with snakes.

Mātes

Many female deities were known by the title mātes, which translates as 'the mothers of'.

1. Ceļa māte – (Mother of the Road) protected travelers on the road.
2. Dārza māte – (Mother of the Garden) was governing gardens. She is described in Paul Einhorn's Historia Lettica, 1649, as one of the 'mothers' presiding over the practical aspects of everyday life.
3. Gaušu mate – (Mother of the Sluggish) was a goddess representing laziness.
4. Jūras māte – (Mother of the Sea) was the goddess of the sea. She was the patron of fishermen, sailors and healers (particularly invoked to heal bleeding). She protected ships, when sailors worshiped her, and sunk those who displeased her.
5. Kapu māte – (Mother of Graves) presided over cemeteries and graves.
6. Krūmu māte – (Mother of Bushes) presided over bushes, shrubs and saplings.
7. Lapu māte – (Mother of Leaves) a goddess who presided over the changing colors of the leaves in autumn.
8. Lauku māte – (Mother of Fields) a goddess of fields. Farmers sacrificed to her in order to ensure a bountiful harvest.
9. Lazdu māte – (Mother of Hazel-Trees) a goddess of hazel trees.
10. Lietus māte – (Mother of Rain) a goddess of rain.
11. Linu māte – (Mother of Flax) a goddess of flax.
12. Lopu māte – (Mother of Livestock) presided over cattle and other livestock. She may have been equivalent to Māra.
13. Meža māte – (Mother of the Forests) a patron goddess of forests, the animals within it and hunters and woodcutters.
14. Miglas māte – (Mother of Fog) held dominion over fog. She was especially venerated by sailors.
15. Pirts māte – (Mother of the Bathhouse) a ruler of bathhouses, which were the scene of many important rituals and ceremonies marking births, deaths, marriages and other occasions.
16. Rijas māte – (Mother of the Threshing house) oversaw the shelling of grain and other threshing-related activities.
17. Sēņu māte – (Mother of Mushrooms) presided over mushrooms and mushroom gathering.
18. Smilšu māte – (Mother of Sands) held dominion over death.
19. Sniega māte – (Mother of Snow) held dominion over snow.
20. Tirgus māte – (Mother of the Market) held dominion over a marketplace and commerce.
21. Ūdens māte – (Mother of Water) presided over small bodies of water such as wells and ponds.
22. Upes māte – (Mother of Rivers) presided over rivers.
23. Vēja māte – (Mother of Wind) a goddess of the wind, forests and birds, as well as a patron of sailors.
24. Veļu māte – (Mother of Veļi) a goddess of the dead and Queen of Viņsaule, the world of the dead. She is clothed in a white, wool cape. Veļu māte is also called Kapu māte ("Graveyard mother"), and is said to receive the dead at cemeteries. She is also identified with the fertility goddess Zemes māte ("Mother of the Soil"). An expression in Latvian stated that "When a rainbow appears in the sky, Veļu Māte is dancing amongst the graves".
25. Zemes māte – (Mother of the Soil) a fertility goddess, who was also identified with Veļu mate, the goddess of the dead.
26. Ziedu māte – (Mother of Flowers) presided over blossoms and flowers.
27. Kuka māte – (Mother of Kuks (ancient name for wine)) presided over drinking and smoking.

Spirits and demons

1. Mājas gari – was the name given to protective household spirits. They brought prosperity and good luck to the family living in the household, if they were properly placated with gifts. Alternative names include Mājas kungs.
2. Pūķis (Dragon)– was a household spirit. Pūķis flew, stealing items for its master. They can be bought, bred or stolen. Alternative names include Pukys, Puhkis. Today word "Pūķis" means dragon or kite (toy).
3. Vadātājs – (literally Leader, Driver) was a type of demon responsible for getting people lost. He can be either visible or invisible. If the vadātājs is in its invisible form, victim realises that he or she is walking in circles. In visible form, the vadātājs appears as friendly being such as a child or dog and leads victim straight toward death. If victim stopped to follow vadātājs they would later realise that they stopped one step from deep water.
4. Veļi – were dead souls, associated with Velns and clouds. The underworld was called Viņsaule. The Veļi visited their old homes during autumn.
5. Velns – (Devil) was a demon. He was married to Ragana. In many stories, the evil Velns was stupid and simply outwitted by shepherds and small boys. Alternative names include Jods.
6. Vilkacis – (Warewolf, literally Wolf-eye) was a type of monster that was originally a person. In Latvian and Lithuanian mythology, Devil was a good hearted creature, who wanted to participate in the folk songs mentioned animal digging of Daugava river. But he failed in every task and upset Dievs. He is described as a clumsy creature, who can be easily fooled by a boy or a farmer. It was similar to a werewolf. Occasionally, a vilkacis brought treasure or was otherwise beneficial. Alternative names include Vilkatas, Vilkatis.

Other terms and concepts

1. Austras Koks – (Tree of the East or Tree of the Dawn) was a tree that grew from the start of Saules' (the Sun's) daily journey across the sky. It is usually considered to be an oak. Austras Koks had silver leaves, copper roots and gold branches and is located on the shores of the Daugava River (Kurzeme), Vidzeme or Latgale.
2. Debeskalns – (Sky mountain) was the mountain upon which the various gods and goddesses lived. Notwithstanding their homes on Debeskalns, it was believed that deities often walked among mortals posing as ordinary people. Debeskalns has many analogues among European myths, including Mount Olympus in Greek mythology and Asgard in Norse mythology.
3. Dieviņš – (Minor god) was an epithet applied to several male deities, including Ceroklis (Dewing Cereklicing) and Ūsiņš (Dewing Uschinge)
4. Dieva dēli – were the sons of Dievs and suitors of Saules meitas. Their number varied in different accounts. Alternative names include Ašvieniai in Lithuanian mythology.
5. Dieviņi – refers to the minor gods, collectively. They were primarily patrons of households and other specific functions. They were more frequently honored by worshippers than the deities of more power and importance, who were only invoked for emergencies.
6. Dievturība – is a modern revival of the traditional religion.
7. Lāčplēsis is an epic poem by Andrejs Pumpurs, a Latvian poet, who wrote it between 1872-1887 based on local legends. Lāčplēsis is regarded as the Latvian national epic.
8. Māte – (Mother) was an epithet applied to some sixty-seventy goddesses. They were clearly distinct goddesses in most or all cases, so the term definitely referred to the mother-goddess of specific phenomena. Alternative spellings include mahte, maate, mate.
9. Saules meitas – were the daughters of Saule, the Sun. They were known primarily from their interaction with suitors, including the Dieva dēli.
10. Viņsaule – (Beyond the Sun) was the land of the dead, ruled by Veļu mate. The shades of people were called veļi. Alternative names include Aizsaule.

External links

Most sites which can be considered an authoritative source are in Latvian.

• Fundamental Latvian ornamental elements and their meaning (in Latvian)
• Dievturība, folklora, vēsture
• Latvian folklore/mythology (in Latvian)
• Latvian cultural calendar (Latvian high-schlool site, in Latvian)
• Peter Schmits' seminal 1940-1941 work, Latvian folk beliefs (in Latvian)

Categories: Baltic mythology | Latvian mythology

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