In the swirling skies of Slavic mythology, Pozvizd Slavic god reigned as the fierce god of storms, winds, and destructive weather. Known for his wild and untamed nature, he commanded the violent forces of rain, hail, snow, and the biting northern winds. While his presence brought chaos and fear, ancient peoples revered him, praying for mercy from his storms and pleading for calm skies.
Pozvizd, the Slavic god of tempests, controlled the elemental forces of wind and storm. With a beard that unleashed torrential rains and a voice that called forth the fog, his power was both feared and revered. Among the Eastern Slavs, he was the god responsible for stirring destructive storms, bringing hail, and uprooting forests. His influence stretched across the skies, shaping the very weather that determined the fate of cities and crops. Ancient prayers called out to him not just for good weather, but to avoid the fury of his devastating tempests.
Pozvizd was known by many names, each capturing an aspect of his turbulent nature. Among the Slavs, he was also called Pohvist, Pokhvist, Posvist, and Posvistach. These names reflected the different dialects and regions that feared and revered him.
Related Archetypes and Pantheons
As the god of storms, Pozvizd fit the archetype of a Destroyer, a deity whose power brought devastation and upheaval. He also stood as a Storm God, a ruler of winds and tempests, capable of bringing both harm and benefit through his control of the skies. He was recognized as the leader among the gods of the winds, with a host of other wind deities under his command. His sons, equally fierce, spread storms and destruction alongside him, wreaking havoc across land and sea.
In the vast pantheon of Slavic deities, Pozvizd held a unique place as the god of destructive winds. However, parallels to him appear in other cultures.
In Greek mythology, Pozvizd was compared to Aeolus, the god of winds, who likewise ruled over the skies and stormy weather from his mountain abode. Both deities embodied the raw, uncontrollable forces of nature and the mysteries of the heavens. These connections to other pantheons further underline the timeless reverence for those who held sway over the skies.
Born to the winds, Pozvizd was the son of a “Strong God.” The identity of this divine parent is shrouded in ambiguity, but some scholars believe his father was none other than Stribog, the Slavic god of wind, air, and storms. Stribog’s breath stirred the skies, and in his son, this power raged even fiercer. Pozvizd, with his command over violent tempests, was an embodiment of his father’s raw, untamed power.
Though no myths explicitly mention his siblings, whispers of the wind gods suggest that Dogoda, the gentle goddess of the west wind, may have been his sister. If true, this pairing created a fascinating balance—the sister brought soft breezes and warmth, while Pozvizd, unleashed chaos and destruction through gales and storms. Together, they formed a contrast as old as the skies themselves.
Consorts and Children of Pozvizd
The skies may have been Pozvizd’s domain, but the stories of his heart remain silent. No ancient tales speak of a consort or partner by his side. Like the storm he embodied, Pozvizd seemed to move alone, an untethered force of nature.
Yet, from his fierce winds came a lineage of destruction. Pozvizd was not alone in his chaos. He had many sons, all as wild and unforgiving as he. These sons carried the legacy of their father, wreaking havoc wherever they went. With each storm they raised, trees shattered, ships sank, and buildings crumbled. They were his true legacy—these children of the storm—unstoppable forces that swept across the land, echoing their father’s fury.
When Pozvizd unleashed his sons, the world trembled under the weight of their power. Storms would rise without warning, forests would fall, and cities would be swallowed by the relentless winds and waves. Just as their father shook the earth, his children continued his reign of destruction, ensuring that his name would be feared for generations.
Pozvizd was always portrayed as a fierce, imposing figure. His hair, wild and disheveled, flowed like a storm itself. His beard, chaotic and untamed, could release torrential rains with a shake. His face, often frozen in a grim expression, was wrinkled and covered with frost, symbolizing the harsh northern winds he commanded.
He wore a cloak made of deer skin, its wings spread wide, giving him mastery over the skies. This cloak allowed him to soar through storms, a symbol of his control over wind and weather. Upon his head, he wore white bear fur, a sign of his connection to strength and cold. His feet were wrapped in the skin of the eider duck, a creature of both sky and water, further emphasizing his dominion over natural elements.
Weapons of Pozvizd
Pozvizd did not wield a sword or spear, for his true weapons were far more powerful. The elements themselves were his tools of destruction. With a batog (whip) in hand, he could direct the winds and storms. His whip acted as a rudder, allowing him to sweep across the earth, guiding tempests with a mere flick.
But his greatest weapon was the weather itself. Pozvizd held a fur sack filled with the forces of nature—rain, hail, frost, and snowstorms. Whenever he untied this sack, chaos followed. Storms would descend upon the land, tearing apart trees and toppling cities. His control over the skies made him a fearsome force, capable of bringing ruin wherever he chose.
Sacred Animals of Pozvizd Slavic God
Though no animal was worshiped as sacred to Pozvizd, his connection to nature was undeniable. The creatures that adorned him were symbolic of his raw power. The white bear fur he wore symbolized his ties to the cold northern winds and strength. Bears, often seen as rulers of the wild, mirrored Pozvizd’s own dominance over the elements.
The eider duck, whose skin covered his feet, represented his control over both air and water. Ducks travel through both realms, much like Pozvizd, who commanded the storms in the sky and the raging floods on earth. These creatures, though not sacred in the traditional sense, were a reflection of his wild and untamed nature.
Symbolism of Pozvizd
Everything about Pozvizd’s appearance and actions was tied to the chaos he controlled. His cloak, with wings spread wide, symbolized his dominion over the winds and storms. It represented his ability to rise above the earth, directing the skies with ease.
His fur sack, filled with rain, hail, and frost, was a powerful symbol of his capacity to unleash destruction. It held within it the very essence of his power—the elements that could bring devastation in a moment’s notice.
But perhaps the most striking symbol was his disheveled hair and beard. With a shake of his hair, Pozvizd could send hail crashing to the earth. His beard, often frozen and covered in frost, released torrential rains, connecting him directly to the weather he ruled. This wild, chaotic appearance was a constant reminder of the storm that brewed within him.
Pozvizd, the god of storms, carried the essence of chaos with him. His symbols, his clothing, and the animals that surrounded him all told the story of his power over the winds and weather. As the skies darkened and the winds howled, ancient peoples would look to the heavens, knowing that the fierce, untamed force of Pozvizd was at work.
Pozvizd’s dominion over storms connected him to the sky in poetic and mystical ways. One legend spoke of him waving his cold cloak, causing star-like snowflakes to fall gently from the heavens. These snowflakes, described as having the sparkle of stars, hinted at a deeper, symbolic link between Pozvizd and the celestial realm. Though the stars themselves were not his domain, his mastery over the snow and the swirling skies evoked their ethereal beauty.
His true domain, however, lay in the clouds. Pozvizd could stir the sky with ease, sending storms racing across the lands. He moved the clouds like pieces in a celestial dance, guiding them as they gathered and unleashed their fury. As he flew through the clouded lands, the noise of wind and whistling followed him, announcing his presence. His ability to control the atmosphere tied him indirectly to the celestial forces, a reminder of his power over the very air.
Realms Ruled by Pozvizd
Pozvizd made his home in the high mountains, where the winds howled, and the storms brewed. These towering peaks, shrouded in mist and cold, were the perfect throne for the god of tempests. From these heights, he unleashed his storms upon the world below, watching as the winds carved through forests and the hail shattered cities. His high mountain abode mirrored that of the Greek god Aeolus, both gods ruling the winds from lofty, distant peaks.
But it was the north that truly belonged to Pozvizd. The icy winds of Scandinavia, with its turbulent and frigid weather, echoed his wild and fierce nature. In the far northern lands, where snowstorms ruled and the sun barely touched the earth, Pozvizd’s presence was strongest. The cold winds that tore through these regions carried his breath, and the storms that lashed the mountains were his to command. It was a fitting home for a god of destruction and chaos, far from the warmth of the southern lands.
Pozvizd, master of winds and tempests, had no need for the stars or planets to mark his power. His connection to the skies lay in the clouds, in the storms that brewed in his mountainous realm. High above the world, from the snowy north, Pozvizd watched and commanded, his influence stretching across the heavens and down to the earth below.
Pozvizd’s myths centered on the destructive forces of weather. He embodied the untamed elements, and his stories reflected the constant struggle between humanity and nature. His storms were not gentle rains; they were violent tempests that shattered cities, uprooted forests, and flooded rivers.
This chilling proclamation highlights a recurring theme in his mythology—destruction on an immense scale. Pozvizd’s power came not from creation, but from the chaos he unleashed. His influence stretched across the sky, where his storms led to the downfall of entire kingdoms. People feared his wrath and prayed for his mercy, knowing that once his winds began to howl, devastation followed.
Another common theme in Pozvizd’s mythos was the people’s dependence on his mood. They prayed for fair weather and begged him to hold back his destructive power. Pozvizd was not only the bringer of storms, but also the guardian of atmospheric balance, controlling not just tempests, but all changes in weather.
Mythology Story Mentions: Pozvizd’s Role in the Vladimiriada
One of the most vivid mentions of Pozvizd comes from the Vladimiriada, an epic narrative where his boastful nature is on full display. In this tale, Pozvizd reveled in his ability to summon storms and lay waste to the earth. He proclaimed:
“I will move the clouds and disturb the waters, rain and hail I will send down. In the storms, I will unleash my ferocity; I will destroy cities, overthrow the king’s court…” (Source: Slavyanskaya Mifologia)
In this story, Pozvizd’s role was clear—he was the storm itself. His pride in his destructive abilities reflected the fear that humans had of the uncontrolled power of the weather. The myth painted him as a god who relished the devastation he brought, a being whose strength lay in tearing down what humans had built.
This story, and others like it, solidified Pozvizd’s place as a force of nature—one that could not be reasoned with or controlled. His storms were not merely weather; they were acts of divine will, reminders that even kings could fall before the winds of Pozvizd.
Pozvizd, the god of storms and tempests, had few dedicated temples, but his presence was felt in sacred spaces across the Slavic lands. One of the most notable places where he was honored was the Temple of Svetovid, a grand shrine dedicated to a major Slavic deity. Within this temple, on the northern side, stood a fierce statue of Pozvizd. This placement on the north side reflected his deep connection to the cold, stormy winds that swept down from the northern mountains.
High in the remote and snowy regions, particularly in Scandinavia, Pozvizd’s name was whispered in prayers. Though no specific temples were dedicated solely to him in these lands, his spirit was venerated in the mountains, where the weather was wild and uncontrollable. These high peaks, where snow and hail ruled, became natural shrines to this god of storms. The people believed that from these lofty heights, Pozvizd sent his tempests down upon the world, shaping their fate with every gust of wind.
Rituals and Divinations: Calling to the Storm God
The rituals performed in Pozvizd’s honor were rooted in both fear and hope. His worshipers did not seek his blessings for prosperity or fortune, but rather for survival. The ancient Slavs prayed to him, not for abundance, but for protection—protection from his own wrath. They feared the storms he could unleash and sought his mercy to avoid the devastation he could bring.
Rituals to Pozvizd often involved prayers to prevent destructive weather. In times when the skies darkened, and the winds began to howl, people would gather and offer their petitions, pleading for good weather. They prayed for “red days”—calm, sunny days free from storms. These rituals, steeped in urgency, were meant to avert the powerful tempests and hailstorms that could tear apart their homes and destroy their crops.
Pozvizd’s role as both destroyer and protector was a delicate balance. His ability to control the atmosphere made him a god not only of storms but of all weather. Thus, his followers did not just ask for protection from storms—they also petitioned him to bring fair weather when needed. Every gust of wind, every cloud in the sky, was believed to be under his control.
Pozvizd was not a gentle god. He was a force of nature, a god whose very presence summoned destructive winds and violent storms. His wild, disheveled hair symbolized the chaos he unleashed. His cloak, made from deer skin, stretched like wings, allowing him to soar through the stormy skies.
He controlled the rain, hail, snow, and biting northern winds. When he shook his hair, torrents of rain would fall, fields destroyed by his fury. Yet, he was also a protector—people prayed to him, begging for fair weather and the calming of his tempests. Pozvizd embodied both destruction and salvation.
The Legacy of Pozvizd Slavic God
Though Pozvizd’s name may have faded over time, his influence remains. His storms shaped the way ancient peoples viewed the forces of nature. The rituals performed in his honor reflected humanity’s deep connection to the weather and the uncontrollable elements that governed their lives.
People prayed to him for survival, understanding that nature’s forces were beyond their control. Pozvizd left behind a legacy of reverence for the wild, the unpredictable, and the powerful. His storms became symbols of change, teaching people to respect the forces that could build or destroy in an instant.
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References
- J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
- G. Glinka, V. Zhukovskiy, A. Gilferding, Slavyanskaya Mifologia (Beliy Gorod, 2020) ПОЗВИЗД, Page 49-51
- A. Kononenko, L.P. Virovetz, Encyclopedia of Slavic Culture, Writings and Mythology (Russian Version) Энциклопедия славянской культуры, письменности и мифологии (Folio, Kharkiv, 2013) “Посвист” Page 258
- Editors of Drevnerusskiy Slovar, Позвизд (Drevenrusskiy Slovar (Russian) Древнерусский словарик, 2010-2024)
