Summary page for Zosim, the Slavic god of mead, beer, and bees.
Pantheon:
Deity Of:
Bees, Mead, Beer
Archetype:
Animal Deity: Connected to bees and beekeeping.
Protector: Guardian of drinkers, especially in drinking contests.
Other Names (a.k.a.):
Cheremis: Kugo-jumo
Russian: Kors (Корс)
Slav: Kors, Korsh, Zosim
Other Pantheons:
Paralleled with Dionysus (Greek) and Bacchus (Roman), gods of wine and revelry.
Known as the “bee-god” and protector of mead makers.
Revered as a god of beer, mead, and drunkenness.
Guarded those who indulged in alcohol, especially beer and mead drinkers.
Invoked during drinking contests, symbolizing strength through excess.
Played a key role in drunken duels, honoring those who could outdrink others.
Represented indulgence, revelry, and honor in ancient Slavic traditions.
Parents:
None Known
Siblings:
None Known
Consorts:
None Known
Children:
None Known
Iconography highlighted themes of drunkenness, indulgence, and celebratory excess.
Shown overweight and bloated, representing overconsumption and excess.
Depicted naked, symbolizing indulgence and vulnerability to drunkenness.
Wore a wreath of hop tendrils and leaves, linking him to beer.
Draped with a hop vine sash, further emphasizing his connection to alcohol.
Held a bottomless drinking cup (kovsh), constantly drinking from it.
Sat atop an overturned barrel, surrounded by broken jugs and pitchers.
Weapons:
None Known
Sacred Animals:
Bees: Sacred to Zosim, symbolizing mead production and fertility.
Symbolism:
Hops: Wreaths and sashes of hops symbolize Kors’s connection to beer and fermentation.
Ladle (Kovsh): A bottomless ladle represents endless indulgence in alcohol.
Overturned Barrel and Broken Jugs: Symbolize the aftermath of drunken excess and celebration.
Celestial Associations:
None Known
Realms:
Tied metaphorically to spaces of revelry, feasting, and drinking contests.
Worship Places:
No temples or specific worship places were dedicated to Zosim/Kors.
Worship occurred in social and communal settings, especially during drinking events.
Rituals & Divinations:
Drinking contests and communal rituals were common in his worship.
Drunken Duels (Pyanye Poedinki): Ritual contests where participants invoked Kors for success in out-drinking others.
Alcohol Competitions: Kors was worshiped during communal feasts, honoring strength through excessive drinking.
Kors appeared in cultural rituals, especially drinking duels, but not in grand myth narratives.
Drunkenness and Indulgence: Central theme around excessive drinking and revelry.
Drinking Contests: Known for helping participants in contests to out-drink others.
Strength and Honor: Alcohol consumption symbolized social status and prowess in Slavic culture.
Visit All Slavic Gods & Goddesses
- 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) КОРС, Page 49
- A. Kononenko, L.P. Virovetz, Encyclopedia of Slavic Culture, Writings and Mythology (Russian Version) Энциклопедия славянской культуры, письменности и мифологии (Folio, Kharkiv, 2013) “Корс”, Page 232
- Editors of Drevnerusskiy Slovar, Корс (Drevenrusskiy Slovar (Russian) Древнерусский словарик, 2010-2024)