Photo of an epigraphic dedication to Zberthourdos (sic) and Iambadoule.
Zibelthiurdos is aThraciangod of heaven,lightning and rain, whose name is known mainly from epigraphic monuments. The only known reference to this god so far in ancient literature is inCicero's speech against Pizon, where he is mentioned under the nameJovi Vrii (Iuppiter Urius).[1][2] According to Cicero, Jupiter Urius had the most ancient and venerated of the barbarian temples, which was sacked by invading armies and resulted in diseases from which those afflicted never recovered.
There is not enough information to draw clear conclusions about his cult, worship, or functions. The preserved images give reason to connect Zibelthiurdos with the ancient Greek GodZeus the Thunderer; he is depicted holding a lightning bolt in his raised right hand, and to his right an eagle with wings spread out. Some scholars consider Thracian Zbelsourdos as an equivalent and partially linguistic cognate ofGeticGebeleizis andAlbanianShurdh, all theonyms used to refer to the Indo-European sky and weather god.
In the epigraphic evidence, the deity's name is attested in 12 documents, alternatively written asZbelthiourdes,Zbelthourdos,Zbelsourdos orZbersurdos,Zbeltiurdus,Svelsurdus.[3]
a dedication fromMoesia made by a Mucaporis to a Διί Ζβελθιούρδῳ;
an inscription in Skopia to a DEO ZBELTHIURDO;
an inscription fromPerinthus to a Διί Ζιβελσούρδῳ.
According to epigraphic evidence, the name of Greek godZeus is found in Thracian inscriptions associated withZbelthiurdos and variations: Zbelturd, Zbelsurd, Zbeltiurd, Zpelturd. This combination is believed to attest a syncretism between the Greek deity and a local Thracian god of thunder and lightning.[5][6]
His name speculatively means "Lightning Carrier" or "Thunderer",[7] but it is uncertain whether Zibelthiurdos is his name or an epithet. Dimitar Detschew supposed that Zbelturdos and variations are epithets of the Thracian reflex of theProto-Indo-European sky-god*Dyēus.[8]
Tomaschek interpreted thatZibel- andZbel- were the same word, although he believed the former to be the older form (cf. Thracian king Ζιβέλμιος, orZibelmios).[9] He also derivedZbel- from aProto-Indo-European stem*ģʰeib- "light, lightning".[9][10] Also the Getic theonymGebeleizis has been explained as a compound ofgebele andzis;gebele probably is from the same PIE root*ģʰeib-;zis is a reflex of the PIE day-light-sky god*Dyēus, the same as MessapicZis (cognate and equivalent of the GreekZeus). The Thracian theonym Zibelthiurdos or Zbelsurdos appears to contain the same PIE root, but with a different phonetic development –zebele instead ofgebele.[10] The second part of the theonymZbelsurdos,surdos, has been equated with theAlbanian theonymShurdh used in some regions of northernAlbania to refer to theweather god, worshiped until the 20th century and presumably preserved sinceIllyrian times.[11][12][13] This term has been interpreted as meaning either "water donor"[11] or "bellow, hum".[10]
In another line of scholarship, Dimitar Detschew assumed that the particlesZber- andZbel- derived from aProto-Indo-European stem*ģwer- 'briller, éclairer'.[14] Furthermore, if the second part of the original form of the Thracian theonym wasthiurdos,thurdos, etc. instead ofsurdos, another etymology has been proposed: derived from a stem*twer/*tur 'to have', while*dho would indicate a nomen agentis suffix. In this viewZbelthiurdos would mean 'he who has the lightning'.[14]
Per Tomaschek, further descendants of*ģʰeib- would includeLithuanianžaibas "lightning", verbžibėti "to shine, to glow", and possiblyCroatianzúblja "torch" andSlovenezubelj "flame".[9] In the same vein, Bulgarian linguistVladimir I. Georgiev proposed a connection to LithuanianŽiburys 'light, torch'.[15][16]
Zibelthiurdos shrines have been found near the village ofGolemo Selo in theKyustendil Region – an area inhabited by the ThracianDentellets tribe – as well as near Kapitan Dimitrievo village in thePazardzhik Province. His image was discovered in a relief from theEsquiline Hill, where he is depicted along with Yambadula (orIambadoule), a figure of an unclear nature.[18]
At least three inscriptions to deityZbeltiurdus were found in the ancientDardanian territory: one inKaçanik, another in Ljubanac (near Skopje), and the third in Dovezenac, nearKumanovë.[19]
^abDetschev, Dimitar (1952). "Une triade familiale, dans la religion des Thraces".Bulletin de l'Institut archéologique (in Bulgarian).18: 50.
^Georgiev, Vladimir I.. "Thrakisch und Dakisch". Band 29/2. Teilband Sprache und Literatur (Sprachen und Schriften [Forts.]), edited by Wolfgang Haase, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1983. p. 1207.doi:10.1515/9783110847031-016
^Georgiev, Vladimir I.. "Thrakisch und Dakisch". Band 29/2. Teilband Sprache und Literatur (Sprachen und Schriften [Forts.]), edited by Wolfgang Haase, Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter, 1983. p. 1158.doi:10.1515/9783110847031-015
^Ferri, Naser (2012)."Vjerovanja i štovanje bogova u predkršćanskoj Dardaniji" [Cults and Beliefs in Pre-Christian Dardania].Godišnjak Centra za balkanološka ispitivanja (in Bosnian) (41). Akademija Nauka i Umjetnosti Bosne i Hercegovine: 138 and footnote nr. 23.
Duridanov, Ivan (1985).Die Sprache der Thraker [The language of the Thracians]. Bulgarische Sammlung (in German). Vol. 5. Hieronymus Verlag. p. 69.ISBN3-88893-031-6.
Treimer, Karl (1971). "Zur Rückerschliessung der illyrischen Götterwelt und ihre Bedeutung für die südslawische Philologie" [On the re-development of the Illyrian world of gods and their importance for South Slavic philology]. In Barić, Henrik (ed.).Arhiv za Arbanasku starinu, jezik i etnologiju [Archive for Arbanian antiquity, language and ethnology]. Vol. I. R. Trofenik. pp. 27–33.
Vlahov, K. (1980). "Die thrakischen Gottheiten Zberthourdos, Iambadoula und Asdoula".Bulgarian Historical Review (in German).8:90–96.
Попов, Димитър [bg] [Popov, Dimitar]. "Збелсурд" [Sbelsurd]. In: Годишник на Софийския университет "Св. Кл. Охридски": Исторически факултет, специалност Етнология [ANNUAIRE DE L'UNIVERSITE DE SOFIA "ST. KLIMENT OHRIDSKI", FACULTE D'HISTOIRE – STUDIA ETHNOLOGICA]. Tom 2. София: Университетско издателство "Св. Кл. Охридски", 2012. pp. 113-120.ISSN1312-9406.
Popa, Al; Popa, V. (1982). "Un Intéressant Monument Représentant Jupiter-Zbelsurdos".Latomus (in French).41 (2):353–355.JSTOR41532498.
Tudor, D. (1978). "Deux dieux thraco-phrygiens à Drobeta".Hommages à M. J. Vermaseren. Études préliminaires aux religions orientales dans l'Empire romain (E.P.R.O.) (in French). Vol. III. Leiden: Brill. pp. 1269–1280.doi:10.1163/9789004295452_020.ISBN9789004295452.
