This article describesSerbianfolk astronomy.
Sun
editIn Serbian belief, the Sun isanthropomorphised as aman.[1] Sometimes, the Moon is described as theSun'sbrother[2] oruncle,[1] andVenus as hisdaughter[3] or (in one song)wife,[1] or bothstars andVenus as his sisters.[1][3] Of the Sun's parents, only hismother is ever mentioned.[1]
Some commonProto-Indo-European beliefs about the Sun are preserved: a belief that the Sun is riding in a cart or on a horse, or that it isGod's eye.[1] Various beliefs exist that explain the Sun's role regardingday andnight: 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] The Sun is also present in a number of other folk beliefs and customs.[1]
Moon
editMoon is alsoanthropomorphised as aman.[2] The Moon is sometimes described asSun'sbrother[2] oruncle,[1] andVenus as Moon'ssister[3] orwife.[2] Also, sometimes Moon'smother orchildren (mesečić) are mentioned,[2] apparently not referring to any astronomical objects.
A great deal of attention in folk beliefs is given toMoon phases, withnew Moon respected as bringer of good fortune, andfull Moon also viewed positively.[2] There are various explanations about theMan in the Moon, which is viewed as a head of an animal, or as a human.[2]
Depending on how it appears, Venus may be called differently:[3]
- Danica -Day star, signifying that it could be seen during the day;[3]Danica is also a female given name.
- Zornjača -Morning star, when it appears in the morning.[3]
- Večernjača -Evening star, when it appears in the evening.[3]
- Sometimes,Prehodnica orPreodnica - literally "crosser over", signifying that it appears on both sides of the sky (Eastern and Western) and the understanding that it crosses from one side of the sky to the other.[3]
Venus isanthropomorphised as awoman, sometimes described asSun'sdaughter[3] or (in one song)wife,[1] Sun's orMoon's sister,[3] Moon's wife[2] and in some songs asblood sister (posestrima) ofPrince Marko.[3] It is regarded as harbinger ofdawn andday.[3]
Serbian mythical creatures calledzmaj, usually translated asdragon, are described variously, as either snake-like monsters (see alsoaždaja), 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 ashooting 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
editStars areanthropomorphised aswomen, sometimes described as sisters ofSun andMoon.[7] A variety of beliefs about them exist.[7]
Serbian name for Sirius isSvinjarka,Svinjaruša (svinja =pig),Volarica orVolujara (vo =ox).[8] In some regions, appearance of Sirius signifies that pigs should be released topannage onacorns.[8]
Big andLittle Dipper are calledVelika kola 'bigcart' andMala kola 'little cart' inSerbian. Another Serbian asterism isPorednice (red = 'queue'), identified asOrion's Belt andSword. Other asterisms are recorded, such asVolovi 'oxen' andTrougao 'triangle', but it is unclear what stars they refer to.[5]
InSerbian, the Pleiades are calledVlašići orSedam vlašića (sedam = 'seven'). While the name is identical to "LittleVlachs" 'Seven little Vlachs', this is afolk etymology, and it is in fact derived fromSlavic god ofcattle andunderworld,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:
- Mika andMioka,Raka andRaoka,Orisav andBorisav and seventhMilisav;
- Vole andVoleta,Rale andRaleta,Mile andMileta and littlePržožak.[9]
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 calledkvočka s pilićima 'hen with chicklets'.[9]
InSerbian, the Milky Way is calledKumova slama 'godparent's's straw'. A legend explains that once, a godparent 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
editReferences
edit- ^abcdefghijKulišić, Špiro (1970). "Сунце". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola (eds.).Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade:Nolit. pp. 280–281.
- ^abcdefghKulišić, Špiro (1970). "Месец". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola (eds.).Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 201.
- ^abcdefghijklKulišić, Špiro (1970). "Даница". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola (eds.).Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 103.
- ^abPantelić, Nikola (1970). "Змај". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola (eds.).Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. pp. 142, 143.
- ^abcBožić, Nikola (2007). "Етноастрономија".Vasiona (3/2007):112–115.ISSN 0506-4295.
- ^abPlotnikova, Anna Arkadevna (2001). "Звезде". In Svetlana Mikhaylovna Tolstaya; Ljubinko Radenković (eds.).Словенска митологија: енциклопедијски речник [Slavic mythology: encyclopedic dictionary] (in Serbian). Belgrade: Zepter Book World.ISBN 86-7494-025-0.
- ^abKulišić, Špiro (1970). "Звезде". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola (eds.).Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 136.
- ^abKulišić, Špiro (1970). "Свињаруша". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola (eds.).Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 265.
- ^abcdKulišić, Špiro (1970). "Влашићи". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola (eds.).Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. pp. 71–72.
- ^Kulišić, Špiro (1970). "Кумовска слама". In Kulišić, Špiro; Petrović, Petar Ž.; Pantelić, Nikola (eds.).Српски митолошки речник (in Serbian). Belgrade: Nolit. p. 187.
Literature
edit- Janković, Nenad Đ. (1951).Астрономија у предањима, обичајима и умотворинама Срба (in Serbian). Belgrade:Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts.