RUSS 0090 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Most Evil, Poltergeist, Kikimora
Document Summary
2-18, 51-63, 169-177: pagan gods, until the end of the 10th century, russians were pagan a. i. many gods a. i. 1. worshipped stone/wooden representations a. ii. little evidence is left about these belief systems a. ii. 1. a. ii. 2. Most leftover documentation was propaganda created by the christians: perun: chief god b. i. Appealed mainly to royalty: dozhbog and stribog: gods of the sun c. i. They really liked the sun: simargl and mokosh": fertility gods d. i. One male, one female: veles: cattle, death, commerce, etc e. i. Russia followed orthodoxy: 1325 moscow became the center of christianity in russa, dvoeverie a. Ivan kupalo (summer solstice, became st. john the baptist"s day) a. v. He viewed the nudity as carnal, not loving. 9/10 recitation and readings on russian spirits: domestic spirits, domovoi a. i. Never actually addressed by name among peasants a. iv. Usually invisible; made creaks and other noises around the house a. v. Acted as poltergeist when angered by something happening n the household a. vii.
