Reconstructed Lithuanian pantheon

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Reconstructed structure of Lithuanian pantheon

Supreme deity:

  • Dievas-the supreme god, other his names are Praamžius (19-20th ct.), Prakorimas (16th ct.), Aukštėjas (16th ct.), Andajus and Nonadievis (13th ct.). Dievas created universe and gods (some sagas tell that he created gods).

Second level:

  • Perkūnas - god of thunder, announcer of Dievas will. Found in various sources from 13th to 20th centuries. Other names are Lietuvonis (16th ct.), Diviriksas (13th century, etymology unclear), Dundulis (20th ct.)
  • Velnias – chthonic god, enemy of Perkūnas, bringer and creator of disasters and disharmony in world. Connected with hell fire and smiths, there is possibility that this image came from Christian hell fire. Velnias participates in creation of world. Some folklore sagas tell that he was brother of Dievas, other sagas tell that Dievas created him. Usually demons, similar to satyrs are called Velnias.
  • Laima was goddess of fate, luck, marriage and childbirth, her other name is Dalia (from folklore). She is connected with fairies that make clothes of human life.
  • Gabija – godess of fire, has a lot of euphemisms found in various sources, like Pelengabija (Gabija of ashes)
  • Žemyna – feminine, sometimes appears as masculine deity according to 16th ct. sources, but this appearance could be doubted. She is goddess of earth fertility.
  • Teliavelis – mythical hero, smith who made sun and threw it to the sky, worshiped by elite and smiths. Teliavelis was worshiped by craftsmen. His functions similar to Velnias functions in folklore, although individual mythical smith sun-maker figure is found in folklore too, his name found in 13th ct.

Third level:

  • Krūminė was a household deity of brushes, bushes and husbandry and an inventor of agriculture. Also she was protector of new crop.
  • Sutvaras was god of home animals (16th ct.).
  • Bubilas and Austėja was twoness of masculine and feminine deities worshiped by beekeepers.
  • Rūgutis – god of fermentation, fermented foods and drinks, similar to Dionyzus.
  • Medeina was goddess of hunting and forests (found in 13th and 16th ct. sources),

alternative name – Žvorūna (13th ct.).

  • Ganiklis – god of herds.
  • Kauriraris (Chaurirari) – unclear etymology, probably from *Karorius or *Kauraris. He was god of war and horses. It’s possible that earlier (13th ct.) war deity functions belonged to supreme deity, because warriors were screaming something similar to Andajus in battles.
  • Upinis was god or spirit of rivers.
  • Ežerinis was god or spirit of lakes.
  • Gardaitis, Bangpūtys – angry god or spirit of sea, worshiped by fishers.
  • Kelių dievas was god of travelers, roads and traders (16th ct.).

    Lithuanian mythology

    List of Lithuanian gods