The story of the origin of the ancient Slavs is one of the topical issues of modern science. How many now remember where I went to the Royal family, the Rurik? And the fact that the Rus and Slavs — they are different people. Let us recall the legendary past, celebrate ancient heroes for their exploits, by which the Ancient Rus ' have been preserved, and the descendants proudly remember about their roots, plunging into the mists of time.

The Slavs are the peers of the current era. For a long time it was believed that the Slavic culture began to take shape at the turn of V — VI centuries. This is confirmed by archaeological finds. Modern historians have gone further, was found ancient artifacts, testifying that, at the turn of the II — IV centuries, was born the so-called new culture, which was formed in the early sixth century.

Solar calendar

Ancient Slavic tribes worshipped the sun, the priests carefully watched the main source of life and warmth. Slavs believed that during the year the sun was on the ground in four guises:

• Christmas carols.
• Yarila.
• Kupala.
• Svetovid.
  

In celebration of the Winter Solstice at dawn was supposed to be the "young light" is the Christmas Carol. And on the day of the vernal Equinox to replace the carols came over the young God Yarilo.

At the Summer Solstice there is a "Mature" sun bathed. On the day of the autumnal equinox came the wise elder Svetovid — weak sunshine. In the Solstice Svetovid was dying, and at dawn appeared the baby to Carol.

Gods of the ancient Slavs

The Pantheon of gods of the ancient Slavs are diverse, people worshipped natural or cosmic forces. There were tribes that recognize the spirits of deceased ancestors or worshipped totem animals. But there was "official" the gods believed all Slavic tribes.

• The gods in heaven, the highest hierarchy.
• Earth was responsible for the forces of nature.
• Evil spirits of the underground.
  

Slavs "did not restrict" gods, such as Veles has successfully combined the duties of "breeder" and was in charge of the afterlife realm, the latter is not bothered to care about a rich harvest.

Few people know that the young the sun, Yarilo, not only the ground covered. Jari is a "Slavic" Eros, he was responsible for the reproduction, physical love and fertility.

The cult of fire

Svarog opened the Slavs secrets of farming and blacksmithing. By Svarog the Slavs received the plow and blacksmith tongs, the people melted the copper and forged iron.

But the most valuable gift was the fire. The power of fire, at that time, represented the life, was the center of the world in which lived the Slavic peoples. The fire drove away evil spirits, but at the same time, the flames swept away everything in its path. In pagan times there was a tradition to jump over the fire. The lovers took an oath, and a witness of this communication was the Fire. When juvenile people, holding hands, jumped over the fire and managed to release the hand, it meant that the fire took a vow, lovers will live happily ever after. Interesting fact that historians still have not figured out how popping called fire. The name of God known to all, but to say it aloud was forbidden under pain of death.

The cult of the snake God

Appeared to people in different ways:

• Hair.
• Veles.
• Could.
  

It could be a huge fire-breathing Serpent was in the image of the hairy bear, was the master of disguise.
Eternal Spanic Perun. In it he liked to make a mess of people to wreak havoc and chaos. Despite the negative response of Veles, respected, he was not "the world" evil. The serpent God is not only doing that to pit neighbors, he cursed Pets, patron of trade and wealth. If you divide the old Slavonic word wealth, you get protected by God. Poor, poor, forsaken by God.

The cult of seinegald tried to cajole the "underground master". Left in the fields and caves of fresh milk. By the way, one of the many names of the serpent God — Smog (Smog old Slavic) is translated as "sucker".

Farmers left Veles the last sheaf on the field "to the tooth". In his honor, arranged the funeral feast, the bratchina.

The eighteenth Brumaire

Few people know that the familiar from childhood fairy tale about the fairy Kingdom, the Slavs saw something else. The Slavs believed that after death they will live in "the fairy Kingdom". As in a fairy tale remember far far away, over wide rivers, blue seas, where the bird will fly, the wanderer and the horse will not come, " all made of pure gold mountains, trees, and Brega and there milk and honey flow endless rivers of milk.

The Slavs did not commit human sacrifice. Who first came up with this the legend of bloody pagan rituals of the Slavs? First started talking about this Christian preachers entering against the dark of the Gentiles.

Scientists have proved that in some otdelnyh wild tribes in the primitive stage of development, they offered bloody sacrifices. But in the late paganism of such phenomena has not been observed.

Slavs sacrificed to the gods exclusively "the fruits of their labor." Feasts in honor of the gods. They have breaks, during holidays, the gods share in the feast. By the way do something of the sort today, remember the relatives, the image put a symbolic meal. By the way "eat" comes from the old word ZHRETI, translated as sacrifice.

Food of the ancient Slavs

Slavic cuisine, could not boast of pickles, there filled spices and vegetables. People ate porridge, bread, fish and meat. Ancient porridge different from the modern, for example, a simple figure in those days was worth its weight in gold, sorochinskoe millet, serve the knights. Buckwheat, cooked only on holidays. Krupa came to Russia from Greece, undercarriage wash was porridge made from oats.