There are not so many sources that can be used to judge how exactly pagan religious rites were carried out on the territory of Russia before the adoption of Christianity. In particular, scientists know little about the arrangement of ancient pagan places of worship. The heterogeneity of ancient Slavic beliefs, the mixing of cultural elements of different tribes that existed in a particular territory at different periods of time, significantly complicate research. However, recently, due to the growing interest in the pre-Christian history of our country, scientists have managed to get quite a lot of new information on this issue.
Temple in the open air
To begin with, let's figure out what is a pagan temple? This is one of the varieties of pre-Christian religious buildings, the main purpose of which was the direct communication of a person with the supreme gods. Actually, it is difficult to call a temple a building, since it was an oval or round platform in the open air, often fenced with a moat. At the same time, in the center was the idol of the deity in whose honor it was equipped.
Very oftena pagan temple of this type was located far from settlements and villages. Researchers often find similar cult sites on the tops of mountains, in the middle of forests, swamps, etc. The diameter of the circle could be several tens of meters. Sacrificial bonfires were kindled in the ditches, and various sacred objects (stones, pillars) were placed along their edges. If the temple was dedicated to several gods, their idols could be located around the circumference. Some objects of this kind are called small settlements by scientists, as they are surrounded by low mounds.
Temple in the temple
The Slavs performed their rituals in real temples (from the word "mansions"). In each such building there was a temple. This name was given to the part of the temple located behind the altar. Idols were usually set up here. In some cases, the temple itself is also called a temple. Most often, such buildings had a round shape. However, archaeologists have also discovered square structures.
Archaeological finds on the territory of ancient Russia
As already mentioned, there is very little material evidence and written sources that make it possible to judge exactly how the Slavic religious buildings dedicated to certain gods looked like. The most famous historical monuments are the Kiev and Peryn Slavic temples. The latter was dedicated to the Slavic god of war Perun. It was created by order of Prince Vladimir during the pagan reform in 980. Archaeologists partially managed to restore its original appearance. The object was practicallya perfectly round platform with a diameter of 21 meters. She was surrounded by a meter-deep moat.
As for such a structure as the ancient temple in Kyiv, almost no archaeological finds have been made here. And this is not surprising. After all, the territory on which it is located has been actively used for many centuries. And it is unlikely that too many objects related to the old cult would have been preserved in the capital of a Christian state.
Slavic gods
So, we found out that the temple is, in fact, a pagan temple, located in the open air or representing a cult building. As for the actual object of worship of those who visited these sacred places in antiquity - the Slavic gods, a little more is known about them. During the reform carried out by Prince Vladimir, Dazhdbog, Khors, Stribog, Makosh and Semargl, headed by Perun, were included in the pantheon of the main deities. Their idols stood next to the princely mansions on the Kyiv Hill. The Eastern Slavs especially revered another god - Veles. In The Tale of Bygone Years, in addition to these deities, others are mentioned - Lada, Kupala, Kolyada, Pozvizd.
Slavic idols
Slavic idols were anthropomorphic (humanoid) wooden figures about 2-2.5 m high. At the base, such a pillar could be either round or quadrangular. In the right hand, the god could hold a sword, a ring or a horn. Sometimes the arms of the deity were crossed on the chest. In this case, the right was usually located above the left. In some chroniclesmention is made of the existence of idols made of other materials - copper, marble, gold or silver. Archaeologists have also found stone cult statues.
Natural Sanctuaries
The system of pagan rituals is based primarily on the selection of an effective language of communication with the forces of nature. In any phenomenon that occurred at one time or another of the year, the pagans saw the sacred will of higher powers. Therefore, the Slavs had a very well developed system of veneration of various kinds of sacred places - groves, hotel trees, stones, springs, lakes, swamps, etc.
Thus, a temple is a place where rituals dedicated to pagan gods were practiced. These ancient structures, which have practically not survived to this day, became the prototypes of modern churches. In particular, some researchers suggest that the multi-domed Orthodox churches, as well as such an architectural element as the octagon, have ancient pagan roots.
