Mitologija Slavena

The author connects historical sources, linguistics, ethnology, and archaeology to reconstruct the spiritual world of the ancient Slavs. Instead of a romantic attempt to build a systematic pantheon structure, Gieysztor carefully analyzes the fragments of tradition that have survived in chronicles, rituals, and folklore.

The central part of the book is devoted to the most important deities: Perun as the god of thunder and celestial order, Veles as his rival and lord of the underworld, and various regional divine figures whose names and functions vary among Slavic groups. The author shows how the mythological model is based on the opposing principles of heaven and earth, order and chaos, drought and water—a bipolar structural pattern that shapes both myth and social order.

Gieysztor also explores the cult of ancestors, demonological figures, sacred topography (forests, springs, groves), and ritual practices that continued after the adoption of Christianity. The book also considers continuities in folk culture, including annual rituals, the symbolism of plants and animals, and the role of magical formulas.

Karol Modzelewski's introduction places the work in the broader framework of research into medieval Slavic culture, while Leszek P. Słupecki's afterword emphasizes the influence of Gieysztor's approach in modern Slavic studies. Editor Aneta Pieniądz provides editorial context and additions.

The whole works as a fundamental manual for understanding the Slavic mythical imaginary, of which only fragments have survived, but which, through Gieysztor's analytical reconstruction, are transformed into a convincing and coherent account of the religious system of the early Slavs.