Calendar myths and ideas of the ancients about the cyclical nature of life

2024 Author: Miguel Ramacey | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 06:11

Mythology is a reflection in the minds of people of complex and often inexplicable phenomena of the surrounding reality. Calendar myths are associated with one of the most mysterious laws of the world - the cyclical nature of life.

In the cycle of being

Birth, development and death are the stages that not only every living being goes through, but also any object or phenomenon of the surrounding world. The cyclicity is most clearly manifested in the change of day and night and in the movement of the sun across the sky: the day is replaced by evening, then the night comes, when it seems that the sun has died, but then morning and a new day necessarily come. And after winter, with its short day and dying sun, spring always comes.

Calendar myths dedicated to the dying and resurrecting good solar deity exist in many cultures. They symbolically expressed the idea of the revival of nature, and hence life.

These myths occupied a special place in the beliefs of agricultural peoples. Their whole life was subject to natural cycles, and the time of sowing and harvesting is closely related to certain seasons. And the change of these seasons was so important that the most important gods were responsible for this order. And they oftensacrificed themselves so that the cycle of nature would continue, and the cold winter would give way to spring.

Ancient calendar myths

Most myths are about gods or powerful heroes. Calendar myths are no exception. The most ancient of them - solar - are associated with the cult of fertility. In them, the solar, life-giving deity dies in battle with the forces of darkness and cold. But after a while, he revives again and wins.

Calendar myths tell us about the victory of the sun over darkness, life over death, examples of which are in the beliefs of Ancient Egypt (the myth of Osiris), Phoenicia (the myth of Tammuz resurrected from the dead); ancient Greece (the legend of Demeter and Persephone), in the mythology of the Hittites (Telepin), Scandinavia (Balder) and many others. All these myths, born in the cultures of different peoples, have much in common. But the main thing is that in them the deity, personifying the fertile power of the sun, dies, and then is reborn in a new capacity.

The idea of cyclical life in the mythology of the ancient Slavs

The solar cult and various agricultural rituals were also reflected in the beliefs of the ancient Slavs. Their myths are well studied, including calendar myths, examples of which can be found both in solid scientific works and in popular literature.

The beliefs of the Slavs are diverse, but the idea of cyclicity is most clearly manifested in the myth of Yaril.

Yarilo - a solar deity, the embodiment of the fertile, life-giving, male power of the sun - was one of the most revered gods among the Slavic peoples. CultYarila was so significant that some of its elements have survived to this day, have become part of Christian rituals and favorite folk holidays, for example, Shrovetide.

Calendar myths say that in early spring, when the snow begins to melt, young Yarilo descends to the ground. He rides a white horse, barefoot and simple-haired, in one hand he has a human skull - a symbol of death, and in the other - a bunch of ears of corn, personifying the rebirth and continuation of life.

Young man Yarilo grows up, becomes a handsome and strong man. He gives his strength to the earth, into which the seed has already been thrown. But the seed dies to give life to the green sprout. And Yarilo, having spent his ardent strength, grows old, decrepit and dies. At the beginning of summer, when the fields were green with sprouts, Yarilin days were celebrated, the mermaid week, so named because in ancient times mermaids were spirits of fertility.

And on the days of the summer solstice, Yarila was buried, and this rite was preserved in the 19th century. But it was a fun holiday, because Yarilo died for the sake of prolonging his life. After the winter solstice, he will be born again as a little Kolyada, so that next spring he will descend to earth giving love and life to Yarila.

Slavic solar calendar

Slavic calendar myths are reflected in the ancient agricultural calendar, which, in turn, was associated with important seasonal events for humans.

The Year of the Farmer began in the spring, when people eagerly awaited the release of the land from snow. At this time, the farewell to winter was celebrated with a symbolicburning her effigy and fiery cart wheels that rolled from the steep banks of the rivers.

While spending the winter, they called spring-Lelya, burned bonfires, led round dances, praised Yarila, so that at the beginning of summer after the festivities and dances of the mermaid week, without sadness and regret, bury him.

In autumn, the gods of the harvest and offspring of livestock Mokosh and Veles were honored, they cooked honey and baked loaves. And they were waiting for the arrival of winter, so that on the day of Karachun they would warm the souls of their ancestors at the fires and drive away the forces of evil with fire. And then they happily met the birth of a new sun, a baby - Kolyada.

Calendar myths, holidays and rituals are part of the national culture of all East Slavic peoples. Described by historians and ethnographers, they still have not lost their relevance, people remember and love them.