The Mystery of the Ancient God Roguszys
Mar. 5th, 2019 10:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
crapulousIt is a common knowledge in English and American cooking literature that Lithuanian pagan mythology had a special deity for pickles and sauerkraut - Roguszys. Which is quite amusing.
It seems, that the only source of this is the English translation of Elena Molokhovets' A Gift to Young Housewives by Joyce Toomre. In the Introduction there is a quote by the Polish ethnographer Anna Kowalska-Lewicka that the Lithuanians even "worshipped a god of pickled food called Roguszys".
Indeed, in Baltic mythology mentioned a god, or a nature spirit Rūgutis (spelled ru-gu-chi-s, methinks), also known as Raugų Žemėpatis, or Raugupatis. He breathes life into dough and beer malt. Therefore, he is also considered the deity of holidays and fun. An equivalent of Roman Bachus, not Solenya.
Rūgutis has a consort, Ragutiene, the goddess of beer, mead and other alcoholic beverages.
Rūgutis with a horn in his hands via
During the Autumnal Equinox celebration there was a custom: the beer is poured into all four corners of the house, and the foam is sealed on the doors and windows. Closing the road to evil into the house for the cold season.
Pickling and fermentation are quite different things, even the ancient Balts knew it.
It seems, that the only source of this is the English translation of Elena Molokhovets' A Gift to Young Housewives by Joyce Toomre. In the Introduction there is a quote by the Polish ethnographer Anna Kowalska-Lewicka that the Lithuanians even "worshipped a god of pickled food called Roguszys".
Indeed, in Baltic mythology mentioned a god, or a nature spirit Rūgutis (spelled ru-gu-chi-s, methinks), also known as Raugų Žemėpatis, or Raugupatis. He breathes life into dough and beer malt. Therefore, he is also considered the deity of holidays and fun. An equivalent of Roman Bachus, not Solenya.
Rūgutis has a consort, Ragutiene, the goddess of beer, mead and other alcoholic beverages.
Rūgutis with a horn in his hands via
During the Autumnal Equinox celebration there was a custom: the beer is poured into all four corners of the house, and the foam is sealed on the doors and windows. Closing the road to evil into the house for the cold season.
Pickling and fermentation are quite different things, even the ancient Balts knew it.
no subject
Date: 2019-03-06 09:20 am (UTC)Я совершенно не разбираюсь в темы язычества балтов и славян, так, не более чем слухи. Но по моему скромному пониманию, с языческими богами священники как раз боролись, да так успешно, что и имена их уже неизвестны, а Перун в финском языке и вовсе стал основным ругательством.
При этом у балтов процесс проходил не так радикально, остались знания про Перконса, Мару и прочих товарищей
no subject
Date: 2019-03-06 09:30 am (UTC)