Slavic Mythology · deity

Morana (Marena)

Morana

also: Marena · Morena · Marzanna · Zimna Matushka (the Winter Mother)

deitydeathwinterthe coldthe 'drowning of Marzanna' (the winter-ritual)attested (folk)

The goddess of death and winter; in folk tradition the 'drowning of Marzanna' (an effigy of the winter-goddess) is a spring-ritual that 'kills' winter and 'calls' spring. Her pre-Christian status is debated.

Effigy of Morana (Death) · Matěj Baťha · undated · Wikimedia Commons (institution in source file) · CC BY-SA 3.0

The account

Who they are

Morana (Marena, Morena) is the goddess of death and winter [S4][S5]. In folk tradition, the 'drowning of Marzanna' (the 'Marzanna'/'Morana' doll) is a spring-ritual: an effigy of the winter-goddess is made, carried around, and drowned in a river to 'kill' winter and 'call' spring [S5]. This is a well-attested folk ritual (the 'proshchanie s zimoi' = 'farewell to winter') [S5]. Morana's status as a formal pre-Christian goddess is debated: the 'Marzanna'/'Morana' is more clearly a folk death/winter figure than a member of the formal Kiev pantheon [S6]. She is the great antagonist of Jarilo (the spring/youth god) in the reconstructed seasonal cycle [S6].

Worth knowing

Goddess of death and winter [S4][S5].
The 'drowning of Marzanna' is a well-attested folk spring-ritual [S5].
The great antagonist of Jarilo (reconstructed seasonal cycle) [S6].

Uncertainties & variants

Morana's status as a formal pre-Christian goddess is debated; she is more clearly a folk death/winter figure [S6].
The 'Marzanna'/'Morana'/'Marena' are regional variants of the same winter/death figure [S5].

Relationships (3)

Connections

Conflict & enmity

ENEMY_OFJarilo (Kupala) — Jarilo (spring/youth) and Morana (winter/death) are the great antagonists of the seasonal cycle.[S6]

FOUGHTJarilo (Kupala) — Jarilo and Morana are in opposition (the spring vs. the winter).[S6]

Alliances & rule

ALLY_OFCherd (Chert) — (Reconstructed) Morana (death) is associated with Cherd (the underworld).[S6]

Local graph

Their corner of the divine world

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Myths featuring Morana (Marena)

1 story

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][S6]. The 'spring kills winter, summer peaks, winter returns' is the reconstructed annual cycle [S5][S6].

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