User:Matt Heard/Latvian mythology/Source mining/Marija Gimbutas - The Balts - Chapter 8

Mined from Marija Gimbutas - The Balts - Chapter 8

Introduction

1. Baltic pagan religions practices included:
   1. cremation rites;
   2. the belief in reincarnation;
   3. the veneration of holy groves, trees, fields, waters and fire;
   4. the existence of many gods and spirits; and
   5. bloody sacrificial offerings and soothsayings.
2. While bringing Christianity to Prussia and Latvia, the Teutonic Order were more effective politically than spiritually.
3. Prussian and Latvian paganism lasted until the 17th century, despite all pagan rites and customs being forbidden since the 13th century.
4. Prussian and Latvian villagers officially accepted baptism in the 13th century.
5. Lithuania joined the Christian church in 1387.
6. In 1387, the Lithuanian Grand Duke was Jogaila, son of Algirdas.
7. In 1387, Jogaila married Polish princess Jadwiga and became king of Poland.
8. After 1387, the villages retained their old religion for centuries longer than the cities and palaces of nobility.
9. Lithuanian and Latvian folklore and folk art are useful for the reconstruction of the Proto-Indo-European language.
10. Elements of Lithuanian and Latvian folklore and folk art appear to date back to the Iron Age and some elements appear to date several millennia earlier.
11. Folklore is the main source for reconstructing the ancient Baltic religion.
    1. Gimbutas appears to refer to "the ancient Baltic religion" as a singular religion.

"Domos Sacros," "Sacras Villas" and "Sancti Viri"

1. Like all northern European architecture, Baltic architecture was entirely wooden.

Notes by Xil

• There is a sub-chapter on sacred villages, but I haven't hear about such being found in Latvia
• In "The Dead" it mentions Curonians, one of tribes living in what is now Latvia
• Discusses the Aesti, which she says is Prussians, but, depending on whom you ask, it can refer to any ethnic group from Baltic States
• Then up to page 189 seems irrelevant (although it mentions Latvians also killing family members of the dead - never hear anything like it elsewhere)
• Then from there it goes on to discuss variety of deities - seems there is a distinction between Latvian and Lithuanian terms, but still to be safe this probably should only be used to confirm what's allready in the article, not to expand it