Summary page for Krodo, Baltic Slav’s god of sacrificial altars and renewal.
Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Sacrificial Altars, Underworld, Sun, and Renewal
Archetype:
Underworld Ruler: Fish symbolized his connection to the underworld.
Sun God: Wheel symbolized the sun and eternal life.
Protector: Guarded sacrificial altars and funerary rites.
Death and Rebirth Deity: Symbolized life cycles and renewal.
Other Names (a.k.a.):
Baltic Slavs: Krodo (Кродо)
Other Pantheons:
Roman = Saturn: Associated with the Roman pantheon as a Saturn-like figure.
Related to Germanic deities, particularly the Saxons.
Revered by Baltic and Polabian Slavs near the Harz mountains.
Protected sacrificial altars, particularly for funerary rites.
Associated with life and death through symbolic elements.
The fish represented the underworld, the cup of fruits symbolized earthly life.
The wheel in his hand signified eternal life and cosmic renewal.
Linked to the Roman god Saturn and elemental forces.
Believed to hold power over natural elements and life cycles.
Parents:
None Known
Siblings:
None Known
Consorts:
None Known
Children:
None Known
Depicted as an elderly man with an uncovered head.
Wore a white woolen girdle, possibly signifying purity or ritual importance.
Stood barefoot on a large fish, symbolizing the underworld.
Held a wheel in one hand, symbolizing the sun and eternal renewal.
The fish, wheel, and symbols were interpreted as representing the four elements.
Held a cup of flowers and fruits, symbolizing earthly life.
In The Saxon Chronicle, he held a bucket of roses and a wheel.
A replica statue of Krodo was erected at Harzburg Castle in 2007. The statue featured bronze, gold-plated details, enhancing its divine nature.
Weapons:
No traditional weapons were associated with Krodo.
His wheel symbolized power over time and life.
Sacred Animals:
The fish beneath his feet was considered Krodo’s sacred animal.
The fish symbolized the underworld and his connection to the realm of the dead.
Symbolism:
Wheel: Represented the sun and the eternal renewal of life.
Fish: Symbolized the underworld and his influence over life and death.
Bowl of fruits and flowers: Represented earthly life and abundance.
Celestial Associations:
Wheel symbolized the sun and eternal life renewal.
Compared to the Roman god Saturn, linked to the planet Saturn.
Connected to the solar cycle and cosmic renewal.
Realms:
Associated with the underworld, symbolized by the fish under his feet.
Connected to earthly life, represented by the bowl of fruits and flowers.
Spanned the underworld and earthly realms through his symbols.
Worship Places:
Harzburg Castle, where a statue of Krodo once stood.
Harz Mountains, near Harzburg, a sacred site for Slavic worshippers.
Goslar collegiate church, linked to the Krodo Altar, possibly transferred from Harzburg Castle.
Imperial Palace of Goslar, where the Krodo Altar may have been moved by Emperor Henry III.
Rituals & Divinations:
Krodo was honored through sacrificial rituals at altars called Крада.
Offerings, especially funerary sacrifices, were made to honor the dead.
Krodo protected sacrificial altars, focusing on rituals linked to life and death.
Mythology Themes:
Associated with life, death, and renewal through his symbols.
Linked to the underworld via the fish beneath his feet.
Represented the cyclical nature of life, death, and the afterlife.
Connected to the sun’s eternal cycle and the realm of the dead.
Involved in themes of descent to the underworld and life after death.
Mythology Story Mentions:
Saxon Chronicle mentions Julius Caesar’s conquest and Krodo’s statue dedicated to Saturn.
Charlemagne destroyed Krodo’s statue during the Christianization of the Saxons in 780.
Krodo’s statue was worshiped by Slavs near Harzburg.
Visit All Slavic Gods & Goddesses
- A. Kononenko, L.P. Virovetz, Encyclopedia of Slavic Culture, Writings and Mythology (Russian Version) Энциклопедия славянской культуры, письменности и мифологии (Folio, Kharkiv, 2013) “”Кродо”” Pages 232-233
- Multiple Authors, Krodo (Wikipedia Free Encyclopedia, 4 September 2024)