Serbian folk astronomy

This article describes Serbian folk astronomy.

Sun

In Serbian belief, Sun is anthropomorphised as a man.[1] Sometimes, Moon is described as Sun's brother[2] or uncle,[1] Venus as his daughter[3] or (in one song) wife,[1] or both stars and Venus as his sisters.[1][3] Of Sun's parents, only mother is ever mentioned.[1]

Some common Proto-Indo-European beliefs about Sun are preserved: a belief that Sun is riding in a cart or riding a horse, or that it is God's eye.[1] Various beliefs exist that explain Sun's role regarding day and night: that it travels underground or under the sea during the night to emerge again during the day, or that it dies every sunset to be born anew the next sunrise.[1] Sun is also present in a number of other folk beliefs and customs.[1]

Moon

Moon is also anthropomorphised as a man.[2] Moon is sometimes described as Sun's brother[2] or uncle,[1] and Venus as Moon's sister[3] or wife.[2] Also, sometimes Moon's mother or children (mesečić) are mentioned,[2] apparently not referring to any astronomical objects.

A great deal of attention in folk beliefs is given to Moon phases, with new Moon respected as bringer of good fortune, and full Moon also viewed positively.[2] There are various explanations about the Man in the Moon, which is viewed as a head of an animal, or as a human.[2]

Venus

Depending on how it appears, Venus may be called differently:[3]

Venus is anthropomorphised as a woman, sometimes described as Sun's daughter[3] or (in one song) wife,[1] Sun's or Moon's sister,[3] Moon's wife[2] and in some songs as blood sister (posestrima) of Prince Marko.[3] It is regarded as harbinger of dawn and day.[3]

Meteorites

Serbian mythical creatures called zmaj, usually translated as dragon, are described variously, as either snake-like monsters (see also aždaja), humans with supernatural abilities, or flying fiery creatures; these fiery dragons can be identified as meteorites.[4] They are described as flying across the sky while shining, generally at night, with fire flowing from their wings, and producing a loud noise.[4]

In some regions it was believed that a shooting star indicated a captive, slave or soldier had broken free, or that one man is chasing another to fight with.[5] It was a custom that the person who saw the shooting star remained silent at that moment, as uttering a sound might disclose the fugitive.[6] By another custom the person should say, "Behind a bramble, behind a bush, hide!",[6] "Run to the mountain!" or similar.[5]

Stars

Stars are anthropomorphised as women, sometimes described as sisters of Sun and Moon.[7] A variety of beliefs about them exist.[7]

Sirius

Serbian name for Sirius is Svinjarka, Svinjaruša (svinja = pig), Volarica or Volujara (vo = ox).[8] In some regions, appearance of Sirius signifies that pigs should be released to pannage on acorns.[8]

Asterisms

Big and Little Dipper are called Velika kola (Big cart) and Mala kola (Little cart) in Serbian language. Another Serbian asterism is Porednice (red = queue), identified as Orion's Belt and Sword. Other asterisms are recorded, such as Volovi (oxen) and Trougao (triangle), but it is unclear what stars they refer to.[5]

Pleiades

In Serbian language, Pleiades are called Vlašići or Sedam vlašića (Sedam = seven). While the name is identical to "Little Vlachs" ("Seven little Vlachs"), this is a folk etymology, and it is in fact derived from Slavic god of cattle and underworld, Veles.[9]

A number of stories about the Pleiade's origin exist. The stars are described as seven brothers, or six brothers and a sister. Several sets of their names are recorded, for example:

Pleiades are used to determine appropriate dates for various field works, or to measure time by night.[9] Sometimes, when they appear on the sky, they are called kvočka s pilićima ("hen with chicklets").[9]

Milky Way

In Serbian language, Milky Way is called Kumova slama (kums straw). A legend explains that once, a kum stole straw from another, but as he was carrying it away, he was losing some of it. Then, God put the straw in the sky as a permanent warning not to steal.[10]

See also

Literature

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Kulišić, Špiro (1970). "Сунце". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola. Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. pp. 280–281.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Kulišić, Špiro (1970). "Месец". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola. Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 201.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Kulišić, Špiro (1970). "Даница". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola. Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 103.
  4. 1 2 Pantelić, Nikola (1970). "Змај". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola. Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. pp. 142, 143.
  5. 1 2 3 Božić, Nikola (2007). "Етноастрономија". Vasiona (3/2007): 112–115. ISSN 0506-4295.
  6. 1 2 Plotnikova, Anna Arkadevna (2001). "Звезде". In Svetlana Mikhaylovna Tolstaya; Ljubinko Radenković. Словенска митологија: енциклопедијски речник [Slavic mythology: encyclopedic dictionary] (in Serbian). Belgrade: Zepter Book World. ISBN 86-7494-025-0.
  7. 1 2 Kulišić, Špiro (1970). "Звезде". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola. Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 136.
  8. 1 2 Kulišić, Špiro (1970). "Свињаруша". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola. Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 265.
  9. 1 2 3 4 Kulišić, Špiro (1970). "Влашићи". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola. Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. pp. 71–72.
  10. ↑ Kulišić, Špiro (1970). "Кумовска слама". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola. Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 187.
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