Zhelya


Summary page for Zhelya, Slavic goddess of mourning, sorrow, and death.


Deity Overview

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Pantheon:

Slavic Pantheon

Deity Of:

Mourning, Sorrow, Death

Archetype:

Destroyer Deity: Embodied the sorrow of death and transition to the afterlife.

Other Names (a.k.a.):

Russian: Zhel (Жель), Zhelya (Желя)

Slav: Zhelya


Known For

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Goddess of sorrow, grief, and lamentation.

Revered as a messenger of death. Announced who would die in battle.

Mourned the fallen warriors after battle.

Guided spirits of the dead to the afterlife.

Carried the ashes of fallen soldiers in a burning horn.

Symbolized compassion, mourning, and funerary rites in Slavic mythology.


Parentage & Lineage

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Parents:

Chernobog: god of Evil, Darkness

Morana: goddess of Nightmares, Disease, Death

Siblings:

Karna: goddess of Mourning, Sorrow

Consorts:

None Known

Children:

None Known


Iconography & Artistic Depictions

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Portrayed as a sorrowful, beautiful woman.

Known for her otherworldly beauty and pale face.

Long, black hair contrasted her pale complexion.

Depicted dressed entirely in black.

Symbolized her connection to death and mourning.

Represented sorrow, grief, and death in Slavic culture.


Deity Attributes

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Weapons:

Carried a burning horn, used to scatter warriors’ ashes.

The burning horn symbolized her connection to death and the afterlife.

Sacred Animals:

None Known

Symbolism:

Symbolized death, sorrow, and mourning.

Pale face, long black hair, and black clothing represented grief.

The burning horn symbolized the transition between life and the afterlife.

Celestial Associations:

No associations with celestial bodies like planets, stars, or moons.

Realms:

Associated with the afterlife and the realm of the dead.

Guided fallen warriors to the otherworld using a burning horn.

Served as an intermediary between the living and the dead.


Worship Practices

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Worship Places:

Slavic people did not worship this goddess in temples. She was encountered on the battlefields.

Rituals & Divinations:

Played a role in mourning rituals for fallen warriors.

After battles, cremated warriors’ ashes were scattered in the otherworld.

This act symbolized their passage into the afterlife.


Mythology Themes & Mentions

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Mythology Themes:

Associated with war, death, and mourning themes.

Connected to the aftermath of battles and guiding the dead.

Flew over battlefields announcing the fate of fallen warriors.

Played a key role in death narratives alongside her sister Karna.

Mythology Story Mentions:

Mentioned in the Russian epic The Tale of Igor’s Campaign.

Flew over battlefields, mourning fallen warriors with her sister Karna.

Participated in rituals of remembrance for the dead.


Explore Additional Details

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References

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  • A. Kononenko, L.P. Virovetz, Encyclopedia of Slavic Culture, Writings and Mythology (Russian Version) Энциклопедия славянской культуры, письменности и мифологии (Folio, Kharkiv, 2013) Желя, Page 221
  • Editors of Drevnerusskiy Slovar, Жель (Drevenrusskiy Slovar (Russian) Древнерусский словарик, 2010-2024)

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