Summary page for Ud, the Slavic god of fertility and love.
Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Fertility, Love
Archetype:
Love and fertility archetype, connected to love and natural cycles of birth and life.
Group:
Associated with deities of fertility and natural cycles.
Powers shared later with Yarilo, Lada, Kupala.
Other Names (a.k.a.):
Slavic: Ud (Уд)
Protector of love and fertility.
Revered for his connection to childbearing.
Invoked in secret rituals to promote fertility.
Associated with phallic symbols used to ensure fertility.
Used to ward off evil spirits and attract good fortune.
His name became a symbol of satisfaction and good luck.
Parents:
None Known
Siblings:
None Known
Consorts:
Unknown
Children:
Unknown
Depicted as a handsome young man with curly hair.
Often shown riding a wild bull (tur).
The bull’s horns were adorned with a wreath of viburnum berries.
Held a wooden spear with two attached rattles.
Phallic symbols commonly represented him in art and household items.
His imagery symbolized fertility, maidenhood, and protection against evil spirits.
Weapons:
Held a wooden spear with two attached rattles.
The rattles symbolized fertility and protection in love.
Sacred Animals:
Tur (wild bull) was Ud’s sacred animal.
Frequently depicted riding the bull, symbolizing strength and virility.
The bull’s horns were decorated with a wreath of viburnum berries.
Symbolism:
Bull’s horns: Decorated with viburnum berries, symbolizing maidenhood and purity.
Wooden spear: A symbol of fertility and love’s protection.
Kokoshnik: The traditional headdress used in rituals to attract Ud, symbolizing love at night.
Phallic symbols: Represented fertility and warded off evil spirits. Widely used in art and amulets.
Celestial Associations:
Associated with the full moon, especially in fertility rituals.
Women performed secret fertility rites under the full moon, invoking Ud’s powers.
Realms:
Forests and bodies of water were important for rituals honoring Ud.
Worship Places:
Worshipped in secluded forests and near bodies of water.
Sacred sites (kapishcha) were hidden and used specific symbols to worship the deity.
Stakes were driven into waterbeds at worship sites.
Rituals & Divinations:
Women seeking children performed secret fertility rites under the full moon.
They entered water and caressed stakes while praying for children.
Only priests or Slavic wise people knew of these secret rituals.
Kokoshniks were placed under beds to invoke Ud’s favor in love.
The kokoshnik was wrapped with “lubka grass” the butterfly orchid, symbolizing love blossoming at night.
Festivals:
Full moon nights were important for fertility rituals in Ud’s honor.
Central theme of fertility, particularly for women seeking to conceive.
Rituals under the full moon focused on invoking fertility through secret rites.
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) Pages 284-285
- Editors of Drevnerusskiy Slovar, Уд (Drevenrusskiy Slovar (Russian) Древнерусский словарик, 2010-2024)