Character History
Horsa is a Solar God, the cult of worship whom in ancient Russia was spread on a par with Dajibor and Yaril. The day of reverence of this pagan character coincided with the winter solstice. And the hero himself personified hope, fighting the black and wild animal protection.History of character creation
The God of Slavs in Slavic mythology was responsible for managing daily luminaries. Despite the fact that in the pantheon there was another 3 of the celestial with similar tasks, differences are traced between them.
In the understanding of the ancestors, Horsa was a symbol of the cold winter sun. He had to fight with the actions of the Black Bog so that the Earth would not have become a frozen lifeless planet. In this regard, in culture, the character was identified with the hope of ambulance, the offensive of spring and a good harvest.
Other names of the Divine - Chore, Khoros - have one root. Scientists argue that he occurred from Iranian languages and translates as a "shining sun." The proof of such a hypothesis is that until the sequestment of the shores of the Dnieper Rus, they did not know about this mythological person. And only Prince Vladimir placed the image of the winter patron next to Perun.
But the cult of celestial was distributed among the Aryan peoples. There he was named Horset. As can be seen, all the names of the hero legend are somehow consonant. Squeezing to them can be traced in words: dance, good, choirs and choke. And all of them reflect certain characteristics of the Valves Slavic character.
So, the concept of "dance" means movement in a circle. Good - it means joyful, light. Choofing - here there are two root "choir", the meaning is to behave too bright, excitedly. Interestingly, in antiquity, even the name of the city of Korsun sounded like Horsun.
By analogy, the concept of "good" symbolizes something pleasant. In addition, the essence of the name of the hero is explained by emotional overtones, you can see the connection with agriculture. Thus, with sunlight, shoots turn into an ears, and the fruits ripen. Therefore, mythological character was also considered an assistant in the agricultural sphere.
The image and biography of God Horsa
The key solar god in the Eastern Slavs was considered the son of the kind, but the information that he was Brother Veles, did not find official confirmation in the sources. It is preferable to consider it a creation of a kind, like sister Divia, Mother of all living things.Phantic Character's wife - Zarya-charge. This couple had a son Dennica and her daughter Radunitsa.
Bully cheeks became a recognizable feature of the exterior. He appears a man of middle-aged with a constant smile. Dressed easily - in shirt and pants of a light shade. He has azure, like the color of the sky, cloak.
With all the forces, Horsa tries to protect the inhabitants of the Earth from Yarya Morozov, but it is difficult for him to cope alone, so people ascended the praise of the defender. The Lord of the Winter Sun is able to calm the snow buran. If it were not for him, then the black would install on the planet eternal darkness and cold.
Another hypostasya of the hero was to defend wild animals. Despite the fact that this is the function of Veles, it was Horsa who was called to escape from bears-connecting rods and hungry wolves. He was not difficult to drive the beast from man and calm him.
The patron saint was honored by those whose work was related to the Earth. And it does not surprise, because in his jurisdown there were winter crops.
Before the morning, Horsa is resting. It wakes up the matinee - the horse is white. After the rise, God cast his vehicle, the chariot, and drove into the sky, taking heating the frozen planet. By evening, the "alarm clock" was becoming an evening, and the sun went to bed.
One Slavic myth describes the story as Dennica asked for a permission from his father to control the chariot instead (similar to the plot traced in ancient Greek legends). Horsa tried to dissuade the Son, but subsequently lost him.
The God of the Winter Sun warned that the heavenly road is not so easy as it seems. Dennica boldly sat in the chariot, harmed with fiery horses. Mythical animals immediately felt the inefficiency of the venge.
The lack of a strong hand led to the fact that the fire began to burn the earth. Dennie could not return the chariot on the path and collapsed down.
Another legend says that Horse participated in the liberation of Perun. The Supreme God kidnapped the Skiper-beast and sharpened in the dungeon under the ground. Thunder found, and the hero, personifying the winter sun, was resurrected by drinking live water. When Maya Zlatogorka moved to the kingdom of Navi, the Zarya-charge with his spouse was taken under guardianship to the guard and Avsen.
Thus, the patron saint of farmers in the cold season was given heat and the light of the Slavs, fought with the consequences of the influence of the Black Bog and in every way I prevented frost and blizzards.
With such a positive image of the hero mention his dark side. In mythology there is another character - Black Horse, originally from the kingdom of Navi. According to legends, he sends people with tall blizzards, severe cold and avalanches. However, the lord of the Sun always comes out the winner from the fight against this divine essence.
Slavs brought him demand: honey, kunt, porridge, pancakes. On the tables necessarily attended Kournica - cake with chicken. On the day of the winter solstice, big festivals were arranged. Slavs drove dance, since this dance carried a sacred sense, symbolizing the heavenly shining.
This holiday was considered to be right in the hole. Such a rite in the presentation of the people had a cleansing force. He endowed a man with cheerfulness, got rid of the negative, even from damage.
There were symbols that were associated with the winter patron. Among them allocate the fire, Sol Coart and Call. They laid as the basis of amulets and facing, designed to defend and help. In addition, these signs embroidered on clothes and cut out on wooden household subjects.
Horse in culture
Description of the image of the Sun God is traced in the "Tale of Bygone Years". Nestor pointed out that the idol, who personified the celestial, stood on a hill in Kiev - beside Perun and next to Dazhbog. Mythological character is also mentioned in the "Word about the regiment of Igor": Vyslav Polotsky turned into a wild wolf, running the path of Great Horsu.
The cult of the deity was so popular in ancient Russia, which is not ugas even with the abolition of paganism. In the apocryph "Battery of the Virgin on the flock", researchers reveal references to Great Veles, Perun and the Winter Patron.
The name of the hero was often mentioned in Russian chronicles. This list includes works: "On Vladimirov's Idolats", "The Word of a Some Christulto", "Talk of the three saint".
Interested in the identity of the defender from the blizzard and cold weather and abroad. A researcher from Germany, Winner, under Pskov met idol Horsa and later described the sculpture in travel notes. According to German, in the hands of Horsa there was a sword and the "fiery beam".
In the pictures, the character appeared traditionally in bright shirt and pants and in the blue raincoat. However, pictures were popular with separate hero heads - surrounded by bright fire.
Interesting Facts
- The sacred animals of this mythological defender believed a horse of light suit.
- The subject of life, which was associated with the Lord of the Winter Sun, - Horseshoe.
- Amulets and the patron charmings should be made from black silver.
- Religious science Andrei Beskov believed that Dazhbog and Horse were the twin brothers.
Bibliography
- 980 - "Tale of Bygone Years"
- XII century - "The Walking of the Virgin on Muffle"
- XII century - "Word about idols"
- XV century - "Conversations of the three saint"