In Finnish mythology, the underworld is known by many names including Tuonela, Tuoni, Manala, Vainajala, and Mana, but Tuonela is the most commonly used, and is also sometimes used to refer to graveyards. The realm is ruled over by the god of death Tuoni and his wife Tuonetar. They also have several daughters who are... Continue Reading →

Svarog is a Slavic deity about whom we actually know very little, but a modern myth has been created about him based on a single passage surviving in the Primary Chronicle, scattered folklore references, and comparative religious studies. He is most often described as a sky god, who may have been a creator, and was... Continue Reading →

The truth is that we know very little about Slavic paganism because the ancient Slavs left no written records of their own religion. What we think we know is reconstructed from fragments of archaeology, comparison with other Indo-European religions, and Slavic folk stories and songs. So, while years of research and much ink has been... Continue Reading →

Perun was the principal Slavic god in the pre-Christian period. He is the supreme god and the ruler of the mortal world and the heavens. Among the Slavic gods, he has dominion over thunder, lightning, and storms, making him a god of fertility and agriculture. Perun is a powerful protective deity and the god of... Continue Reading →

Ukko is the Finnish god of thunder. He carries an axe (and many other weapons) that was considered a symbol of protection among the Finns. It was similar to Thor's hammer, Mjolnir, which was a symbol of protection among the Norsemen. But while Ukko has many similarities with Thor, the Norse god of thunder, he... Continue Reading →