Trigla Slavic goddess of earth and cosmic balance, ruled the realms of heaven, earth, and the underworld. She embodied creation, preservation, and destruction, overseeing the flow of time itself. Revered as a protector of travelers, she was deeply connected to nature and the rhythms of the universe.
In the ancient world of the Slavs, one goddess held the power of creation and destruction. Her name was Trigla, a deity of the earth, the sky above, and the underworld below. Trigla governed the forces of life, death, and time itself, ensuring the cycles of existence moved in harmony.
Trigla was not a distant deity. She embodied the land, the waters, and the air. Her triple nature mirrored the essential layers of existence, much like the Hindu Trimurti—creating, preserving, and ultimately bringing everything to an end. Slavic peoples saw her not only as the mother of the world but also as its protector.
What Trigla Slavic Goddess Was Known For:
Trigla’s most sacred role was tied to the earth. She was worshiped for embodying the balance between creation and destruction. Ancient Slavs looked to her for the cycles of nature and life itself. Trigla also governed the passage of time. Her connection to the past, present, and future gave her the power over cosmic continuity. Time flowed through her hands as the moon guided her, symbolizing the eternal rhythms of existence.
Travelers honored her as a protector of roads. Like Diana Trivia in Roman mythology, Trigla guided those on journeys. Among the Lusatian Slavs, she watched over travelers, ensuring their safe passage through the unknown.
Related Archetypes and Groups:
Trigla carried the essence of multiple archetypes. As the Earth Mother, she was the nurturer, embodying the feminine spirit of the land and water. As the Creator/Preserver/Destroyer, she mirrored the divine cycles of birth, life, and death, like the Hindu Trimurti.
Her symbolism also extended beyond her role on earth. She was a Moon Goddess, with her crescent moon symbol representing time and its phases. Time was hers to control, and her lunar connection tied her to the natural world’s cycle of night and day.
Other Names Used for Trigla and Connection to Other Pantheons:
Trigla was sometimes called Triglava among the Slavs. This name echoed her triple nature, much like her three-headed depictions. These three heads symbolized the layers of existence—heaven, earth, and the underworld. The name Triglava reflected her widespread reverence, though it was often shortened to Trigla.
Trigla’s story didn’t stand alone. Her functions as a creator, preserver, and destroyer drew clear parallels to other pantheons. The Slavs connected her to the Hindu Trimurti, showing the universality of these divine forces. The Roman goddess Trivia, a protector of roads, shared Trigla’s role as a guardian of journeys. These connections placed her at the heart of cosmic balance, not just in the Slavic world but across other cultures.
In the ancient lore of the Slavs, Trigla’s origins remain shrouded in mystery. Unlike many other deities whose parentage is well known, the stories of Trigla give no clear mention of her mother or father. She seemed to have sprung from the very earth she ruled, embodying the land, the sky, and the underworld. This absence of a defined lineage made her presence even more mysterious, as if she had always existed alongside the cosmic forces she controlled.
Trigla was most often depicted as a woman with three heads. Each head represented an essential element of the world: earth, water, and air. These three heads also symbolized different aspects of nature—mountains, valleys, and forests. More abstractly, they reflected time itself: the past, present, and future. This imagery made her a powerful symbol of cosmic balance.
Trigla was often shown holding a crescent moon in her hand. This lunar symbol reinforced her control over time and the cyclical nature of existence. The moon’s phases, like time, always returned, and Trigla ruled over them.
Weapons Associated with Trigla
There are no known weapons connected to Trigla. Her power did not stem from force but from her connection to the natural world and the balance of time.
Sacred Animals of Trigla
Trigla’s most sacred animal was the black horse. This creature represented the dark, mysterious aspects of time and the unknown. Priests used the black horse in rituals of divination. When uncertainty loomed, they consulted the horse for guidance. Its movements and behaviors were interpreted as prophetic signs, revealing truths hidden within the darkness.
Symbolism of Trigla
Trigla’s three heads symbolized the elements of earth, water, and air. They also represented the flow of time: past, present, and future. Her crescent moon further emphasized her connection to time, marking her as a goddess who controlled its cycles.
The black horse, a key symbol, represented the unknown and the mysteries of time. Through it, Trigla communicated during prophetic ceremonies. Finally, the natural elements—earth, water, and air—embodied her role as a deity of nature and cosmic order. Time, darkness, and mystery defined her, and through these symbols, her timeless power endured.
Trigla’s deep connection with the moon was unmistakable. She was often depicted holding a crescent moon, its silvery glow symbolizing her power over time. The moon itself reflected her control of the cycles—past, present, and future. As the moon waxed and waned, so too did the rhythm of life and death. Trigla embodied these endless cycles, guiding the passage of time as surely as the moon pulled the tides.
This lunar connection was not just about light and darkness. It tied her to the very fabric of existence, showing her role in the natural order. The phases of the moon marked the passing of time, a celestial clock that Trigla governed with silent authority.
Realms Associated with Trigla
Trigla ruled over not just the earth, but the entire cosmic balance. She embodied and controlled three distinct realms: heaven, earth, and the underworld. The Slavs believed that these three layers of existence were intertwined, and Trigla stood at the center of it all.
Her power was most closely tied to the middle realm—Earth. She governed the land and the water, nurturing all life upon it. In this role, Trigla embodied the feminine essence of the world, a force of nature, growth, and renewal. While the sky often symbolized a masculine celestial force, Trigla ruled the ground beneath and the waters that flowed across it.
Yet, her influence didn’t stop there. Trigla extended her reach into the heavens above and the underworld below. She held the balance of these realms, ensuring the flow of life and death, growth and decay. Her presence was felt in the untouched fields and the open hills, where worshippers built outdoor shrines to honor her. These sacred spaces, far from the settlements, connected her to the pure and wild aspects of nature.
Trigla, the goddess of creation, preservation, and destruction, held a powerful role in Slavic cosmology. Her presence was woven into the very fabric of the world. Like the Hindu Trimurti, she balanced the forces that shaped the universe. Creation began with her hands, life thrived under her watch, and when it was time, she ushered in the inevitable end. She embodied the cycle of life, ensuring the world’s continuity.
Trigla’s association with time stretched beyond the physical world. She governed the flow of past, present, and future, maintaining the cosmic order. Time was not just a measure of days and years to her—it was the pulse of existence. Her role extended to the three realms of existence: heaven, earth, and the underworld. These realms represented the full scope of reality, with Trigla holding the balance.
Trigla was never confined to stone temples or bustling cities. Her worship took place in the open, under the sky, where the earth and natural elements surrounded her followers.
The Fields of Kiev were one of her sacred spaces. Here, in the untouched wilderness, the Slavs built open-air shrines. Three-headed idols of Trigla stood tall, watching over the land, representing her connection to the earth, air, and water.
Eastern Slavs held her in high regard, worshiping her in natural locations. Her presence was felt in the fields, not within towns, as if she could only truly be reached in the untamed world.
Far to the west, near Brandenburg on Harburg Mountain, another shrine stood. This distant place echoed her influence beyond the Eastern Slavs, reaching the Western Slavs who also revered her. The shrine on the mountain linked her to both the land and the heights of heaven.
Trigla’s shrines were always placed in open fields and hilltops. These sacred spaces reflected her bond with the natural world, far from the noise of settlements. Here, in the quiet and peace of nature, her followers gathered to honor her in the simplest of forms—surrounded by the elements she governed.
Rituals and Divination
The rituals dedicated to Trigla were as mysterious as the goddess herself. Central to her worship was the use of a black horse in divination. Priests, or жрецы, would consult this sacred animal during uncertain times. In moments of doubt, they turned to the black horse for answers. The horse’s movements were watched closely, its behavior interpreted as divine prophecy.
The black horse symbolized the unknown and dark aspects of time, much like Trigla herself. When asked, the horse would respond with subtle signs, its actions revealing glimpses of the future. This practice mirrored other Slavic traditions, such as consulting the horse of Svetovit, another powerful deity.
All of Trigla’s rituals took place outdoors, in the open-air shrines built on hilltops and fields. Nature itself became her temple. Her three-headed idols stood under the sky, and the worshippers performed their ceremonies in harmony with the earth. Through these rituals, Trigla’s followers sought balance, wisdom, and a deeper understanding of the natural forces she controlled.
In the ancient Slavic world, Trigla stood as a powerful symbol of balance and creation. She was the goddess who embodied the earth, sky, and underworld. Each of her three heads represented these realms, showing her control over the cosmic order. Trigla’s role extended beyond nature. She governed time itself, ensuring the cycle of past, present, and future flowed smoothly. Her presence was deeply felt in the rhythms of life, creation, and destruction.
Worshippers honored her in open fields, far from cities. Her sacred places were found in nature, where shrines stood under the sky. She was not just a goddess of the earth but also a protector of travelers. As time passed, Trigla’s influence echoed through the rituals performed in her name. Priests consulted the black horse, her sacred animal, in times of uncertainty. The horse’s movements were interpreted as divine signs, revealing the future.
The legacy of Trigla extended far beyond her direct worship. Her symbolism of balance, time, and nature continues to resonate. She reminds us of the cyclical nature of existence—of birth, life, and death. In today’s world, her message of harmony with nature holds even more importance.
Visit The Deity Summary Page
TRIGLA: Goddess of Earth, Air, Water, Heavens, Underworld, Time (Past, Present, Future)
References
- G. Glinka, V. Zhukovskiy, A. Gilferding, Slavyanskaya Mifologia (Beliy Gorod, 2020) ТРИГЛАВА, Page 43
- A. Kononenko, L.P. Virovetz, Encyclopedia of Slavic Culture, Writings and Mythology (Russian Version) Энциклопедия славянской культуры, письменности и мифологии (Folio, Kharkiv, 2013) Тригла, Page 280
- Editors of Drevnerusskiy Slovar, Триглава (Drevenrusskiy Slovar (Russian) Древнерусский словарик, 2010-2024)
