Jarilo (Kupala)
The god of spring, youth, and the sun; in folk tradition the 'Kupala' night (the midsummer solstice) is a fire-and-water festival. His relationship to the 'Kupala' ritual is well-attested in folk tradition.
Who they are
- God of spring, youth, and the sun [S4]S4 · Vsevolod Miller, 'Slavic God-Concepts' (Slavjanskije bozhestvennye predstavl'enija)1860 (19th c. ethnographic)academic[S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic.
- The 'Kupala' night (midsummer) is a well-attested folk fire-and-water festival [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic.
- The great antagonist of Morana (reconstructed seasonal cycle) [S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic.
- The relationship between Jarilo and the 'Kupala' festival is debated: is Jarilo the 'Kupala' god, or is the 'Kupala' a separate older ritual? [S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic.
- Jarilo's 'sun' role is debated; in some accounts he is the 'spring' god, in others the 'sun' god [S4]S4 · Vsevolod Miller, 'Slavic God-Concepts' (Slavjanskije bozhestvennye predstavl'enija)1860 (19th c. ethnographic)academic[S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic.
Connections
Conflict & enmity
Their corner of the divine world
- parentage
- marriage ♥
far = primordials · medium = all · close = detail — scroll/pan, click a deity to focus
2 stories
The Seasonal Cycle (Jarilo vs. Morana, reconstructed)
In the reconstructed seasonal cycle, Jarilo (spring/youth) and Morana (winter/death) are in opposition. The cycle is expressed in folk ritual: the 'drowning of Marzanna' (the winter-goddess) in spring, and the 'Kupala' night (the midsummer fire-and-water festival) in the height of summer [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic[S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic. The 'spring kills winter, summer peaks, winter returns' is the reconstructed annual cycle [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic[S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic.
The Kupala Night (the midsummer fire-and-water festival)
The 'Kupala' night (the midsummer solstice, around June 23/24) is a well-attested folk fire-and-water festival across Slavic lands: bonfires are lit, people leap over the fire, the 'Kupala' flower (the fern-flower) is sought, and the water is blessed [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic. The 'Kupala' is associated with Jarilo (the spring/youth/sun god), though the relationship is debated [S5]S5 · 19th-20th c. Slavic ethnographic collections (Volkov, Ivanov, etc.)19th-20th c.academic[S6]S6 · Modern comparative reconstruction (e.g., Ivanov & Toporov, 'Theses on Slavic Mythology')1970s-2000sacademic.
Depictions