The ancient temples of the Slavs are places of worship on which our ancient ancestors erected pagan temples and idols of pagan gods. In the Eastern Slavs, in the classical period, the temple was separated from the treasure - the so-called platform in front of the altar, a sacred curtain. It could be a light sliding wall or heavy carpet curtains. As excavations proved, the curtain was not installed everywhere. When the persecution of pagans among the Slavs began, the curtain was used extremely rarely. In this article we will tell about the history of the emergence of these places of worship, related traditions and rituals.
Paganism
Only the priest and his closest assistants had access to the ancient temple of the Slavs. In some cases, it could be combined with the altar, it was in the open. Otherwise, it was placed under a common roof.
Ancient temples were extremely common at a time when world religions did not yet exist. Our ancestors were pagans, worshiping numerous gods. Among them were deities associated with the sun, water, trees, love, fire, fertility, almost everything that surrounded a person in ordinary life.
The ancient Slavs were convinced that their whole life, family well-being, harvest, prosperity depended solely on the will of the gods, on how they were disposed to a person. So it is not surprising that the gods were constantly tried to appease in order to earn their favor. For this, they performed sacrifices, performed the appropriate rites, and besides, special structures were built for them, similar to modern temples.
If today gods are worshiped in churches, mosques and pagodas, then in the old days this was done in ancient temples. The appearance of these structures dates back to the V-VII centuries of our era.
External and internal device
As a rule, the temples of the eastern Slavs were located outside the crowded residential settlements. For construction, a site located on a hill was usually chosen. The building had its own characteristics, which could depend on local traditions, the area of residence, and natural conditions. The diameter of the sacred site in most cases ranged from 7 to 30 meters.
The ancient temples of the Slavs, sacred sacred places had a common feature, regardless of what region of the state they were located in. It was a fence that performed not only a defensive function, but was also a receptacle for sacrifices. Outwardly, it was a ditch or ditch up to five meters wide. Moreover, their depth was relatively small.
In the very center of the temple of the eastern Slavs was a sculpture, which was the central cult figure. It could also be an idol. They addressed him with requests and thanks, bowed in every way. Mostly idols were made of wood, but in some cases there were also stone sculptures for worship. Of course, wood was more common, as carving a trunk or features from this material was much easier.
The height of the figures was, as a rule, from two to two and a half meters. Mostly idols were adorned with all kinds of divine attributes, often majestic headdresses appeared in their quality. It was believed that these figures represent a particular deity, in whose honor this temple is a temple in Ancient Russia, and was built. Idols were located in the very center of the building on a small podium - elevation from the ground.
If we could imagine that we were entering the temple of the Slavs, then first we would have to cross the moat on the bridge, and then through the narrow gate to go to the sanctuary itself. It was divided into two halves - female and male. The idol was located in the center, and benches were placed around the perimeter.
The cults of the ancient Slavs, Slavic sanctuaries and temples occupied an important place in the life of our ancestors. At the same time, the temple was divided into several types.
- Temples. They looked like wooden buildings with an idol in the center.
- Round sanctuaries in the form of a platform covered with clay or paved with stones. The idol stood in the center, and the temple was surrounded by a moat. In some cases, a shaft was also made as an addition.
- A large sanctuary could combine several cult centers or smaller sanctuaries. Holidays were often held in such places, since they could accommodate a fairly large number of people.
- Shelter cities. They, first of all, had a cult mission. Their main distinguishing feature was the presence of oak wall fencing or stone and paved.
Shrine Features
In fact, in ancient times in Russia there was a huge number of all kinds of pagan sanctuaries. The temple in Ancient Russia was a cult place, without which not a single large settlement could do.
It performed a lot of various functions. In addition to direct worship of the gods, festivals, cult rituals and sacrifices, a community or clan meeting was organized here to make decisions on any important issues. In addition, the magi predicted the future in them, guessed.
Places of ancient temples today are of great historical interest. Some of them are well known, have their own names, are well studied from numerous archaeological finds. Mostly, some buildings have been preserved since ancient times. However, this is a small part of all the shrines that existed many centuries ago. There were a huge number of them in all corners of Ancient Russia.
With the advent of the Christian religion in Russia, a fierce struggle began with supporters of paganism. The adherents of the old faith were persecuted, and the sanctuary was destroyed, they were practically compared to the ground. In part, descriptions of how to destroy idols and burn sacred temples were partially preserved.
Structure
By itself, the temple had a certain structure, which was almost never violated. The underground part was called the cobbler. Fire rituals were held here, a place was organized for the storage of victims or treb, as they were also called.
The first floor was called the lower temple. It was constantly open, it held secret divine services, funeral dinners, as well as the usual daily services.
On the second floor was the upper temple. It necessarily had 16 walls, exactly so many halls were in the Svarozh circle. For this reason, the temple was usually called a round structure. In this place there were services dedicated to the Highest gods.
Finally, there was a celestial temple, which in shape was a 9-pointed star. It held special holidays and some rituals. In some cases, the temple may differ, depending on the immediate purpose and its function.
The main object of worship was the idol, which was a divine sculpture. As a rule, the whole temple was dedicated to this god. All rituals and sacrificial rites were devoted to him without exception. It was believed that the established idol has a direct connection between God and man. At the same time, outwardly, the sculpture was very similar to the human figure, sometimes it had several faces (usually four).
In most cases, the idol had a sword or ring in his right hand. Also, the arms could be crossed on the chest or one of them raised up. If based on the finds of those sculptures that have come down to our time, often idols were pillars with voluminous heads, rectangular in shape. A prerequisite was that the idol occupy a central place in the sanctuary. What did the Slavic altar look like on the temple? Below you can see a fragment of an ancient altar found during excavations.
Ritual bonfires were often used during rituals.
Moscow
The ruined temples of the ancient Slavs are preserved in different parts of the Russian Federation, as well as in the neighboring republics of the former Soviet Union. Moreover, there is even an opinion that Moscow is built on an ancient temple. For example, some researchers claim that the seven hills on which the city stands are not really seven hills, but sacred centers of the ancients. Some historians are sure that these are the ancient temples of Moscow, in which the Slavs worshiped first pagan and natural gods, and then Orthodox saints.
Specialists represent these temples with a ritual fire in the center, around which there was a cemetery, a place where people were located during the holidays, and a treasure house - a place where people demanded blessings from the gods for their tribe.
Despite the fact that Moscow itself is a relatively young city that has not existed for thousands of years, these places are saturated with ancient pagan temples. They existed even before the Romanovs came to power. Ancient traditions were alive here. This is explained by the fact that the city was actually founded on a place in which initially there were much more shrines than usual.
Today you can find references to where the ruined temples of the ancient Slavs existed. For example, on Vasilyevsky Descent there was a temple of Perun, the patron saint of princely power and soldiers. It looked like an octagon in shape. It was located almost in the center of the modern city, in the Vasilyev Descent area. Later on this place appeared the Church of the Protection of the Holy Virgin.
In Zamoskvorechye, the goddess Makoshi was worshiped. She was responsible for fate, an analogue of the Roman park and the Greek moira. In Moscow, she was worshiped on the site of modern Pyatnitskaya street. When Christianity came to Russia, this place remained under the auspices of a female cult, only Paraskeva Friday replaced Moshi.
On the Borovitsky hill there was a temple of Yarila. His cult occupied a special place in the pantheon of Slavic gods. He was responsible for fertility, the arrival of spring and male power. In the minds of the ancient Slavs, the image of this god was strongly associated with the sun. Later on this site was built the Church of St. John the Baptist.
Veles temple was located on Kotelnicheskaya embankment. This deity provided our ancestors with the necessary knowledge, well-being, was responsible for cattle. It is believed that the place of worship was in the area of the current Verkhneradischevskaya street. Many centuries ago, this place was called Bolvanova Mountain because of the large number of Slavic gods at its peak. Some even accurately determine the place of this temple - the courtyard of the famous house on Kotelnicheskaya embankment, on the site of which the Spaso-Chigasov Monastery was previously located. Confirmation of this version is that in 1997, during archaeological excavations, clay figurines dated to the 14th century were discovered, among which were figures of men with wolf heads. At the same time, ethnographers know that the wolf was considered a totem of professional warriors, and in paganism Veles was considered its patron.
The clan in Slavic mythology was the father of God. His temple was a feature that separated the dark and light worlds. In Moscow, the place of worship of the Rod was located in the area of the current streets of Volkhonskaya, Chertolskaya, Vlasyevsky Lane and Sivtsev Vrazhek. It is believed that the name Chertollie did not come from the word "devil," as some believe, but from the line that separated Yav and Nav, that is, the world of people and the world of their ancestors, who keep traditions. Most likely, this temple was at the bottom of the ravine, along which flowed a stream called Chertory. Now in this place Sivtsev Vrazhek just intersects with Small and Big Vlasyevsky lanes.
The temple of Kupala found refuge on Kropotkinskaya Square. The image of this deity has traditionally been surrounded by rituals associated with fire, water and herbs. Most Kupala rites were performed at night. It was believed that on the shortest night of the year, the line between the inhabitants of Navi is erased, and the line between people and spirits is erased. Some ethnographers are sure that Kupala is the name of the more ancient deity Marena, whose image is closely connected with the agricultural rites of dying and resurrection of nature and human death. Today, the place where the Chertoryya stream flows into the Moscow River claims to be the temple of this deity. It is known that the place is considered damned by the people, since temples were constantly being built here that had a sad and short-lived fate.
Troyan’s temple was located in Zaryadye. This is the patron saint of the earthly, heavenly and underground worlds. It is also called Tribogue and Triglav. The place of his temple was supposedly in place of the oak grove in Zaryadye, as the oak is considered the sacred tree of Troyan.
Moscow region
Many temples of the ancient Slavs in the suburbs still attract the attention of numerous researchers. One of the most famous is the mysterious ancient building of unknown purpose, which is located in the town of White Gods in the north-east of the Moscow region in the territory of Sergiev Posad district.
In a completely remote forest, here stands a hemisphere of regular shape, made of stone. It is about three meters high and about six meters in diameter. According to legend, a pagan altar was located here.
The place itself is located near the town of Radonezh. On this basis, some researchers conclude that the temple was dedicated to the god of advice Radegast.
St. Petersburg
There were ancient temples of the Slavs in St. Petersburg. It is believed that it was on the Obvodny Canal section from the mouth of the Volkovka River to the Borovsky Bridge. The place among the people is not good, even the damned.
The history of this find is rooted in 1923, when, during the laying of the heating main, workers stumbled underground in a stone building. These were granite slabs arranged in a circle. Their surface was covered with unknown signs and inscriptions, and even human bones were found under the central plate.
Archaeologists then came to the conclusion that this is the temple of the 11th-12th centuries. True, then it was not possible to suspend the work, full-fledged research was never conducted. Some are sure that this is an urban legend, others tend to believe it.
There is an ancient temple of the Slavs in St. Petersburg dedicated to the god Perun. Presumably in Kupchino, where then it was recreated by neopagans already at the end of the 20th century. Priests and pagans held different rites, but in 2007 it was decided to demolish it.
Samara
An interesting place is near Samara. In a small clearing in a dense forest there is a real pagan temple. It is believed that the Slavic god Veles, the patron saint of medicine, knowledge, magic and sorcery, was worshiped here.
It has become famous since the 80s of the last century. At one time, this ancient pagan temple in Samara was very popular: someone came to touch history, and someone with the purpose of conducting ceremonies. Neopaganism was popular in these places.
A small meadow in this place is now dotted with idols, pagan symbols and cow skulls.
Mtsensk
There are several ancient Slavic temples in Mtsensk at once. This is the territory of the modern Oryol region.
Two of them are located on the Chern River: six kilometers southeast of the city near the village of Gamayunovo and ten kilometers in the same direction near the village called Krasnaya Gorka.
In the area of the village of Vlasovo (it is 28 kilometers to the southeast) there is a sanctuary, supposedly dedicated to Veles.
Ufa
On the territory of Russia you can meet the ancient sanctuaries not only of the Slavs, but also of other peoples. For example, Bulgar. This is a Turkic tribe that lived in the steppes between the Caspian Sea and the Northern Black Sea Coast, as well as in the North Caucasus, starting from the 4th century AD. In the second half of the 7th century, it migrated to the Middle Volga region and several other regions of modern Russia.
In the area of the Torah Tau mountain, there is an ancient Bulgar temple. The city of Ufa, according to some versions, was previously called exactly the same as this mountain. Today, local residents claim that this is one of the most abnormal and mysterious places in the republic.
This large mountain is visible from the highway, if you go by car in the direction of Ishimbay, Salavat and Sterlitamak. From a distance it looks more like a mound of sand of light color. This is one of the unofficial symbols of the Ishimbay region, and the whole of Bashkiria. This mountain is very unusual. It is believed that about 280 million years ago, it was a coral reef located in the center of the vast ocean. - , .
The height of the Torah Tau mountain is about 275 meters above the Belaya River and 402 meters above sea level. She attracted the attention of our ancestors in ancient times. Researchers and ethnographers believe that local tribes revered this mountain as sacred. For example, among them were Yurmatians, who, along with the Bulgars, came to the banks of the Volga River from the steppes of the Azov region.
At the very foot of the Torah Tau is a small karst lake. It is noteworthy that the shores of this lake and the mountain itself, according to popular beliefs, were forbidden by local residents. Only priests could come here, and then only at a certain time of the year. The ban was so strict that it remained in the people's memory for centuries. Old-timers say they stuck to it until the October Revolution.
On this land, which was considered sacred, it was also forbidden to graze cattle, engage in agriculture and even gathering.
Today, this mountain has become a very popular place for recreation among residents of surrounding cities and villages. For example, it is popular among paragliders. Some of those who have visited there claim that the hill really has magical powers, as if at its peak you feel some positive energy. Some believe that the mountain is capable of fulfilling wishes, and people climb it in order to make contact with higher forces. The local karst lake enjoys similar fame.
Many legends are kept about these places. It is believed that the Bulgars here had their own temple, and in one of the caves the evil father kept his daughter Diaphet in custody in order to prevent her union with the Russian hero. The entrance to the cave was guarded by a gigantic serpent, with whom the knight had to fight.
Many believe that the ancient temple, on which even human sacrifices were made, existed in the area of Mount Iremel, one of the most famous natural monuments in the entire Urals. Now some argue that there is a portal to another world, a kind of energy center, where people come to charge from different parts of the country. This place is also attracted by ufologists who claim to regularly see flying saucers, and under the mountain itself is an underground UFO base. Psychics and sorcerers in these places collect medicinal plants for their rites. For example, this is one of the rare places where pink Rhodiola Iremelis grows. This plant, which is an ingredient in many alchemical magic recipes of immortality, is now listed in the Red Book.
Many believe that most of the mysterious and mysterious legends associated with this and other places are based on the fact that in ancient times Slavic temples existed here. The places of worship and rituals have a special energy that has been preserved for centuries.