Mokosh

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Summary page for Mokosh, the Slavic goddess of fate, weaving, and fertility.

Pantheon:

Slavic Pantheon

Deity Of:

Fate, Weaving, Fertility, Harvests, Earth

Archetype:

The Earth Mother: Mokosh was a nurturing figure who symbolized the life-giving forces of the earth. She was responsible for fertility, harvests, and the well-being of the community.

Sage: Mokosh held wisdom and knowledge, particularly in matters of fate and domestic tasks. She was akin to other deities of fate, like the Moirai and the Norns.

Harvest Deity: Mokosh ensured bountiful harvests and agricultural success. She was revered as the provider of food and abundance.

Protector: Mokosh safeguarded women’s work, marriages, and family happiness. She protected the household and ensured the well-being of those under her care.

Group:

Rozhanitsy: Mokosh associated with the Rozhanitsy, female goddesses linked to birth and fate. People often venerated her in rituals alongside these figures.

Other Names (a.k.a.):

Russian: Makosh (Макошь),  Makosha (Макоша), Mokosh (Мокошь), Mokusha (Мокуша), Pyatnitsa Paraskeva  (Параскева Пятница)

Slav: Makosh, Mokos, Mokosh, Mokosha, Mokosi, Mokusha

Ukrainian: Makosha (Макоша), Mokosha (Мокоша)

Other Pantheons:

Roman = Fortuna: Goddess of fortune, mirrors Mokosh’s role in determining fate and prosperity.

Norse = Frigg: Goddess of fate and weaving, similar to Mokosh.

Greek = Hecate: Goddess of magic and crossroads, related to Mokosh in her mystical and earth-bound aspects.

German = Norns: Weavers of fate, similar to Mokosh’s connection to spinning and destiny.

Greek = Tyche: Goddess of fortune, parallels Mokosh’s influence on fate and prosperity.

Spinning and Weaving: Mokosh was the goddess of spinning and weaving. She protected women’s work and was known for guiding the fate of those she favored.

Fate and Destiny: Mokosh controlled the fate of individuals, particularly young women. She was seen as a protector of their destinies and was often invoked in divination practices.

Fertility and Harvest: Mokosh was the goddess of fertility and the harvest. She ensured bountiful crops and brought abundance to homes.

Domestic Activities and Protection: Mokosh watched over household duties, particularly those involving spinning, weaving, and other women’s work. She also protected marriages and family happiness.

Water and Rain: Mokosh was associated with water and rain. She controlled these elements to ensure fertility and growth in the land.

Transition to Christianity: After the Christianization of the Slavic lands, many of Mokosh’s attributes were absorbed into the figure of St. Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa. However, her worship persisted in folk traditions.

Spinning and Weaving: Mokosh often appeared as a goddess of spinning and weaving. Artists depicted her holding a spindle or thread, symbolizing her role in weaving people’s fates. People offered her yarn, wool, and cloth, sometimes throwing them into wells.

Fertility and Harvest: Mokosh symbolized fertility and the harvest. Artistic portrayals often showed her as a motherly figure, responsible for ensuring a bountiful yield. She was associated with the earth, which she nurtured to produce crops.

Cornucopia: In some depictions, Mokosh held a cornucopia, representing abundance and prosperity. She provided blessings and the fruits of the earth.

Symbols of Fate: Mokosh was closely connected to the concept of fate. She was portrayed as a protector of young women’s destinies. In artistic representations, symbols of fate, like thread and spindles, often accompanied her.

Earth and Water: Mokosh was depicted as a goddess connected to both earth and water. She represented the nurturing aspects of these elements, which were essential for life. Her iconography often included natural elements like trees and rivers.

Sacred Animals: The cat was Mokosh’s sacred animal. In art, she appeared with a cat, symbolizing her protective nature over the home and domestic life.

Sacred Objects: Silver and crystal, particularly “moonstone,” were sacred to Mokosh. These materials often appeared in her iconography, representing purity and connection to the divine.

Cultural Representations: Mokosh appeared in Slavic embroidery, often between two moose or elk, symbolizing her connection to the earth and fertility. Her head was sometimes adorned with a horned headdress, linking her to ancient earth deities.

Celestial Associations:

None Known: There are no specific mentions of planets or constellations associated with Mokosh.

Realms:

Otherworldly Realm: People considered Mokosh a guardian of transitions between this world and the underworld.

Worship Places:

Kiev Hill: Worshippers honored Mokosh on a hill in Kiev, alongside idols of other major deities like Perun. She was the only female deity in Prince Vladimir’s pantheon.

Old Kiev Hill: In Novgorod, her cult persisted until the 19th century. Priestesses, fortune-tellers, and healers worshipped her here.

Rituals & Divinations:

Offerings: Followers offered spun wool, linen, and embroidery to Mokosh by throwing them into wells or leaving them nearby. Silver, moonstone, and spindles were also sacred offerings.

Prohibitions: Women refrained from performing household handiwork on Fridays, as they dedicated this day to Mokosh.

Community Feasts: Girls prepared porridge and chicken together, inviting boys for a feast. This tradition was tied to predicting their future fate.

Patroness of Fate: Mokosh protected maiden’s fate and guided divination practices about the future.

Festive Week Divinations: During festive weeks, girls performed rituals that aimed to predict their future, often linked to marriage and prosperity.

Festivals:

Friday Celebrations: Mokosh’s day was Friday. There was a prohibition on women’s work to honor her.

Prophecy of Mokosh: Celebrated on the Friday closest to April 8.

Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa: Celebrated on October 27, honoring Mokosh after her syncretism with St. Paraskeva.

Harvest Festival: People dedicated an entire week to Mokosh, likely in early November, after gathering the harvest.

Fertility and Harvest: Mokosh ensured the fertility of the land and the abundance of crops.

Domestic Protection: She protected household duties, marriages, and family happiness.

Love and Relationships: Mokosh safeguarded love, marriages, and the harmony of relationships.

World of Ghosts and Spirits: Slavic people linked her to the spiritual realm, particularly through her association with underworld deities.

Comparative Deities: Mokosh was compared to Frigg, the Norse goddess of fate and weaving, and the Greek Moirai, the Fates who controlled destiny. She also shared similarities with the Germanic Norns.

Mythological Calendar: Mokosh’s day was Friday. There was a prohibition on women’s handiwork on this day, dedicating it to her. People also celebrated a whole week in her honor, likely in early November.

Historical Texts: Mokosh was the only female deity in Prince Vladimir’s pantheon. She appeared in historical texts, including the “Tale of Bygone Years,” where she was mentioned last among the gods.

Christianization and Syncretism: With the rise of Christianity, Mokosh’s roles merged with those of St. Paraskeva-Pyatnitsa. Despite this, her cult remained active in certain regions, such as Novgorod, until the 19th century.

Cultural Continuity and Folklore: Mokosh’s worship continued through folklore and traditions, even after her syncretism with Christian figures. She remained a significant figure in Slavic culture, particularly in the protection of domestic life and fertility.

• A. Kononenko, L.P. Virovetz, Encyclopedia of Slavic Culture, Writings and Mythology (Russian Version) Энциклопедия славянской культуры, письменности и мифологии (Folio, Kharkiv, 2013) “Мокош” Pages 246-247
• A. N. Nikolayeva, Slavic Myths (Russian) Славянские мифы Мифы мира. Самые сказочные истории человечества (Bombora Izdatelstvo, 2023) Pages 48-49, 89
• Alexandra Barkova, What gods were worshiped before christinization? (Russian) В КАКИХ БОГОВ ВЕРИЛИ ДО КРЕЩЕНИЯ РУСИ? (Культура.РФ, 2013)
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• J.A. Coleman, The Dictionary of Mythology: An A-Z of Themes, Legends, and Heroes (Barnes & Noble, Inc., 2007)
• Mayevska Svitlana Vasilivna, Pantheon of Slavic Gods (Ukrainian) Презентація ПАНТЕОН СЛОВ’ЯНСЬКИХ БОГІВ – ТО НАШЕ НЕБО. (Na Urok (Ukrainian) «НА УРОК», April 01)
• Yaromir Slushni, All Slavic Myths and Legends (Russian) Все славянские мифы и легенды (ACT, Moscow, 2021) Pages 5-6