Could anyone give me information on Russian Mythology and Gods?

Question

Hey!
I've to create a poster dipicting the Russian Gods for a project in Uni and I've been looking everywhere on the internet for information but i can't seem much, just wondering if anyone could help me?
Cheers!

Sorry just realised my spelling mistakes!
*can't seem to find much information!

Answer 1

You may also want to widen your search by looking for Russian mythology, Russian legends, Russian folk tales, Russian folklore, Russian fairy tales, Russian gods. Russa was mainly of slavic ethnicity to you may want to try the same searches with Slavic substiuted for Russian.

You may want to check out this site: http://www.chlive.org/pbeck/eastlibrary/MYTHOLOGY.htm

This site discusses Baba Yaga: http://www.anthroglobe.ca/docs/Sergei/scythian-sarmatian-Russian-mythology-fairytales.htm

Here is another site for Baba Yaga: http://www.bookrags.com/research/baba-yaga-eorl-02/

This site lists Russian gods, you will have to look them up seperately: http://clover.slavic.pitt.edu/~tales/pagan.html

This site lists Baltic and Slavic gods. Many of them listed are on the Russian gods list. Click on the links for the description of that god: http://balts.bravepages.com/

This site is about Dazhdbog: http://www.ibiblio.org/sergei/Dazhdbog.html

Here is a site for Svarog, he was the chieftan of all the Russian gods. He ruled the sun, fire, rain and sky: http://www.marvunapp.com/Appendix/svarog.htm

The Russian word for god is rog, so you will find many of the names will have rog attached.

Answer 2

Russia encompassed different cultures. For centuries it was strongly Christian, with the Russian Orthodox Church. So, icons would be the strongest image for this period.

During the communist era, of course, worship of anything more powerful than the state was not encouraged(!) so I suppose the hammer and sickle would be as good an image as any.

To the north of Russia, which was for a long time uninfluenced by "civilisation", there was a tribal shamanistic culture. Like many ancient religions, the most powerful image was that of the earth mother figure. In Russia she was Slata Baba, the Golden Old Woman. I don't know any legends about her, but I believe that there was at one time a statue of her somewhere at the confluence of some rivers, which was worshipped.

Hope this helps.

Answer 3

You need to look up Slavic mythology. Wikipedia has a pretty good article on it. You could base your work on the story of Rus and his brothers who were said to have founded Russia, Poland and the Czech republic.

The most well-known Russian mythical character I am aware of is Baba Yaga. She could have been a wilderness goddess, like the Greek Hecate, a fairytale witch or a spirit. Baba yaga is mentioned in several Russian fairy-tales. She was often feared, but was known to treat good people fairly. She was known to eat wicked people and fly across the countryside in her pestle and mortar.

Neil Gaiman mentioned the gods Chernobog and Bielebog in his book "American Gods". According to him, Chernobog (the black god) controlled the winter months and was concerned with death. His brother, Bielebog (not sure if Gaiman embellished this character) was the god of spring. He also described the three Zoryas, a trio of sisters based on the goddess of the dawn. In Gaiman's book, each sister ruled over a portion of the day. Again, I'm not certain how historically accurate his information is.

Good luck with your project.

Answer 4

Go to websites like Google or Wikipedia, and look up works by Alexander Pushkin (a poet and writer) and Nikolai Tolstoy (a historian). Pushkin, especially, wrote many Russian legends and myths. Most of the Russian Gods were the seasons, like Father Winter.

Answer 5

Extremely large question! Google Russian Gods and you can start there, more than that I can't help with sorry. If you find anything really fascinating post it here, OK...d

Answer 6

Type Russian gods into google and there is information for you.

Answer 7

I guess you look for info on googles

Answer 8

you have to contact my proffesor Рыбаков Б.А.
(Reebakov B.A.) He wrote nice book:
Язычество древних славян
there you can fin answers to your questions

Answer 9

It depends on what era you are thinking about. During Communism, U.S.S.R had no god.