S O F I A U N I V E R S I TY

‘ST. K L I M E N T O H R I D S K I’

Faculty of Philosophy
History and Theory of Culture Department

MYTHOLOGY

A S A N A LT E R N AT I V E F O R

M O T I O N O F C R E AT E D W O R L D

Report prepared by:

Sonya Ilieva
 PREFACE

The relationship: ‘man – society – cosmos’ has deeply penetrated into mythology. The
interactive relation in principle could be generally thought as motion. What ensures the
relationship ‘man – society – cosmos’ is the ritual. The ‘narrated’, (the word), creates the
ritual, at the same time it must be and it is thought of during the ‘act of the rite’. In this
‘accomplishment’, the ritual again has a specified position. The myth and the ritual are
two inseparable forms of meaningful explanation. If there is a ritual then a myth should
exist. It is very difficult to restore these myths in the scriptless societies, but it is still
possible. In most of the cases, the sources do not allow us to distinguish cosmogony from
mythology. The mythology needs epos. It generates this epos, goes along with the
formation of the historic consciousness. The subject of historic - cultural analysis is the
entity of all traditions, rituals, legends, and songs.

The main idea, which could be followed throughout the mythology is the creation of the
cosmos i.e. the transformation of the chaos, (the nought or uncontrolled space), into
cosmos, (structured system of objects and symbols), and the position of every man and
the society as a whole in this already created world. Herefrom the global idea for
reiteration of cosmogony originates.

The mentality of the ancient people is so orientated that, every single object in the world,
every single human act has no own existence, but it is reiteration or an archetype of the
heavenly. Every ritual is sacred and time is reborn periodically by it. The New Year is in
the centre of the festal cycle. It is connected with the motive of the death and the revival
of the deity, who dies and revives every year to provide energy for life of the whole
society.

I do maintain that this scheme could be applicable to the majority of the known
mythologies and also for the single myth or motives, which are not part of a unified
mythology system. I dare to apply this scheme also to some motives from the
monotheistic religions, which have borrowed a lot of the motives and rituals of the
proceeding religious’ believes.

Provided that this work is not complete as the facts available are somewhat limited and it
is also a little bit complicated, there is still a distinct structure, which could be used as a
base for more profound research.

2
 INTRODUCTION

The culture is this entity, which includes the knowledge, faith, art, moral, law, custom and
all other abilities and habits that are natural for the man as a member of the society.1

Doing research on a particular element of the culture and trying to explain it, is the only
correct way to do this to explain with phenomena from the same order. In this case I
interpret the religion2 analysing its components – myths, rituals and custom.

The religion is a form of social life. Every culture creates its own religion. Emil
Durkhem’s determination for the religion3 refers to its sources, which are to be searched
for in the society, not in the nature. This means that the actual function of the religion is
not to cause thinking or extend the knowledge, but to direct the man to action.

The religion believes are based on a special experience, which value is not less supreme
of the scientific test, being absolutely different from it. 4 Almost all social truths are born
by the religion. In order to become possible, the forms of social lives had certainly begun
existing as different types of religious life.

The religious thought is mainly focused on phenomena like the mystery of birth and
death, fate, origin of the world etc., which are in the periphery of the science and the
purely logical explanation. This explains the well - known vitality of the myths and the
religion in general.

In the whole approach to the world of mythology does not allow even slightest elements
of chaos. The transformation of chaos into cosmos is the main significant part of
mythology, therefore the myths for creation of the world form an inseparable part of
mythology. By reiteration of this heavenly act at the ritual the ancient man every time
repeats the deities’ actions. The festivity is a peculiar return to the archetypes. Every
single human act, every object on the Earth has its own heavenly archetype.

The ancient man accepts himself as part of the cosmos, therefore the myths for creation of
the people are also included in the mythology. Although some of them are lost in the
years and we no longer fully know them, the rich sources of the folklore and custom
enable the restoration of some of them partially - or just to create an assumption.

The regulators of the social life provide the relationship between the world of people and
the one of deities: priests, cultural heroes, mediators etc.

1
Е. Тailer, refer to White, L., The science of the Culture, Sofia 1988, p. 280
2
By the term ‘religion’ in the whole work I mean the religious faiths and believes in general
3
Durkhem, E., “Inference” in “Les formes elementanes de la vie religiuse”, In: Ideas in the Culturology,
volume 2, p.363-394
4
Refer to White, L., The science of the Culture, Sofia 1988, p.369

3
The cosmos concept of the ancient people is based on the created horizontal and vertical
models of world, their intersection point is thought as the Centre i.e. sacral place, where
the transformation between sacral and ignoramus (profaned) is realized.

The cosmos revives itself by the ritual of the New Year in order to provide new energy for
the life of society.

The main idea I am trying to prove in this work is as follows: The concept of the world in
every religion is based on the eternal cycle, on the dialectical triad: birth – death – birth,
realized in the ritual during the festivity. This is to implement the relationship man –
society – cosmos, wherein the cosmogony myth is reiterated to start a new cycle
determinate by the New Year.

4
 PART I

FUNCTION OF THE MYTHS

There are an incredible number of definitions of the myth coming from different views
for the function of the mythology and its relations with religion, philosophy, art, ritual,
stories etc. All these definitions can be split in two categories: the myth is defined as a
fantastic concept of the world (a system of deities’ and heroes’ characters, that rule the
world) or as a story of the deities’ and heroes’ acts. 5

Harrison and Raglan6 define the myth as a text, going along with the ritual, Fontenrose as
stories in prose, which are considered as absolute truth in those societies, which creates
them.7

The mythology thought, as it was mentioned above, is focused on phenomena like the
mystery of birth and death, fate, origin of the world etc., which are in the periphery of the
science and the pure logical explanation. This explains the well-known vitality of the
myths and the religion in general. People create myths trying to clarify these phenomena.
The mythology renders the less comprehensible by the more comprehensible; it always
gives the best solution for everything. The cognitive pathos of the mythology is
subordinated to the harmonizing and systematizing purposefulness; it is oriented forwards
complete approach, which excludes any chaos.

The mythological symbols function in such way that the private and social behaviour of
the man and the view of life support each other within one system. The myth explains and
penalizes the existing social system from a point of view, which is typical for the
respective culture. The religion explains the world in a way to support the existing
system. One of the practical means for support of this social system is the reproduction of
myths in regularly reiterating rituals.

Myths and rituals are orientated to the individual psychology of the man in connection
with the transformation of human psychological energy into social benefit.

To a great extent the myth is dedicated to the harmony of relations in the social group and
the natural environment. The myth is deeply social, because the value of everything is
deteminated by the publics’ interest.

5
Meletinsky, E., Poetics of Myth, Sofia 1995
6
Harrison, J., A Study of the Social Origin of Greek Religion, Cambridge 1927 ;
Raglan, L., The Origin of Religion, London 1949; refer to Harrison, J., A Study of the Social Origin of
Greek Religion, Cambridge 1927 ;
7
Fontenrose, J., The Ritual Theory of Myth, University of California Press, 1966, p. 54-57

5
All images in the mythology reflect the real features of the surrounding world. This
reflection of the reality is absolutely complete in the mythology because every single
significant social and natural reality originates and finds its explanation and sanction in
the religion.

Transforming the accepted forms of life, the religion creates a new reality, which is
absolutely accepted as source and perfect image (i.e. archetype of all forms of life) by
any member of the relevant culture. Modelling turns to be a specific function of the
religion and the myth. Everything is projected in the past using a special tense – the
mythology one. Historically transformed together with the reality, the mythological
modelling keeps its orientation towards the past and stays within the story of the past as a
main and specific way of expression.

On other hand the religion justifies human behaviour. People create archetypes of their
own ignorant acts by myths. Battles, conflicts, wars, amoral acts – all these are only
reiteration of deities’ acts. The myth is rather justifying and legalizing then explanatory.8

Refer to Mircea Eliade’s statement; wherein the myth is disclosed as satisfaction of the
human need to stop the running time and to find the meaning of life and death. 9 In other
word: this is rejection of the linear historical time. None of the occurrences, mentioned in
this work happen in linear, they not only happen in different time but also in particular
space – the ritual one which has no place and cannot be found on the sacrifice date and
time. Depending on the respective choice the time could be mythological, cycle, doctrinal
or concurrent.10

8
Malinovski, B., Myth in Primitive Psychology, London,1926
9
Eliade, M., The Myth of the eternal return, Sofia 1995
10
Refer Fol,Al., The man in the different kinds of time

6
 PART II

MYTHS OF CREATION OF THE WORLD

The most typical myths are these about the creation of the world i.e. the transformation of
the chaos (the nought or uncontrolled space) into cosmos (structured system of objects
and symbols).

The acts of first creation could be a result of spontaneous transformation of any beings or
objects into other ones or to have deliberate, purposeful and creative character.

Myths about creation are myths about the beginning of all objects the world consists of.
The act of creation could be realized by one of the above two ways, but these are often
interweaved. It could be said that the intermediate forms between the verbal – magical
and the ordinary – physical even prevail in quantity over the two main alternatives.

In the Egyptian mythology of Heliopolis, that reached its perfection in The Ancient
Egyptian Pyramid Texts – 5th and 6th Dynasty; before development of the known Universe
structure only an endless ocean of still water Nu existed. In the beginning of that time i.e.
the mythological time the God of Sun - Atum comes from Nu. Atum as a deity of Sun is
Monad, that’s why he appears without being created by anyone.11 Other Egyptian deity,
who is self – created is Amun – deity – Sun, who is in the centre in Thebes’s
cosmogony.12

The appearance of the deities Atum and Amun could be considered as verbal – magical
creation. The same is the case with the central figure of the Memphis cosmogony – Ptah,
who creates all the deities and the world by the help of the sun (intelligence) and his
tongue (speech).13 Ptah creates the world with ‘speech’, the word is made in the heart,
then goes to the mouth plays and creates the world.

Far more numerous are the examples of normal – physical birth of the deities. In the
Greek Olympus Cosmogony the Goddess – mother Gaia bears the heaven Uranus and the
sea – Pontus. Cronos copulates his sister Rhea and she bears Zeus. 14 Deities and heroes
were born as a result of Zeus’ copulation with goodness and Earth – borns.

The tendency towards creation through normal – physical birth is considerably more
distinct in the Rome mythology, probably because the ancient Roman authors represented
the mythology as early history of Rome. Romulus and Remus were born by Rhea –
Silvia, their father was the war deity – Mars.15

11
The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts – 5th and 6th Dynasty
12
The Leiden papyrus
13
Shabaka stone – 53rd column
14
Hesiod, Theogony
15
Titus Livius, History of Rome, Book I

7
Often the creation is not realised by one of the two mentioned ways. Sometimes gods
create gods or people in rather unusual way; from parts of the body (head, thigh) or
secretion (sperm, saliva).

The same is the example with Dionysus; Semele lured by Hera to wish Zeus to appear in
front of her in his full deity’s power, and she is struck by his lightning. Zeus saved the
child from the maternal womb and sewed him in his thigh until Dionysus was born.

Other particular example from the Greek mythology is the birth of Athena. After Zeus
was informed from the moirae that Metis the goddess of the wisdom will have two
children and one of them will dethrone him Zeus swallowed before bearing her daughter.
When time passed he felt an awful pain in his head and asked his son Hephaestus to cut
his head and rescue him from the pain. He slogged him and Athena sprang completely -
grown and armed from the head of Zeus.16

There are similar examples in the Egyptian mythology. The deity – Creator Atum
copulated with himself, sneezed and his son – Shum appeared, spat out and his daughter
– Tefnut appeared.17

To the community relations in the Indo-European antiquity corresponds a developed

mythology, which is their form and expression for transferring. In the Ancient India of the
Vedic age, for which we obtain information from the’Rigveda’ epos, there was a three-
level social system. The three deity system corresponds to this order. Each of them
together with his minor surrounding deities completes their own sacred destination to
keep the existing cosmos order.

The idea of the Indian – European triple structure is convincing due to three reasons:
1. It is considered to originate from the so called ‘pre – Indio – European’ society.
2. It was not ruined during the migration of the ethnos groups.
3. It was preserved in the epic and mythological works.

According to the Thracian orphism primary there exists the Great Goddess – Mother. She
is the Universe: she self conceived and bore to her first –born son, who is the sun during
the day and fire during the night, (personified as Zagreus or Sabazius).18 Thracian
orphism is connected directly with Pythagor. He did not like the order of the cosmos
personified with the anthropomorphistic deities of Olympus. Pythagor marked the
elements of Orphic Cosmos with numbers, and later his system was connected with the
tones. The air is ‘re’, the Earth – ‘mi’, the water – ‘fa’, the fire – ‘sol’. The air wraps the
Earth, as it is in the Hesiod’s Theogony, 19 but the fertilizing power in the orphism is the
water, which is also purifying. Then the Energy which is Fire, Sun and Son of the Great
Goddess – Mother was born. Therefore to the first four tones a fifth must be added – ‘la’,
which is its sound.

16
Кun, N.А., Greek legend and myths
17
The Ancient Egyptian Pyramids Texts, fragment 527
18
Fol, А., Тhe Thracian orphism, Sofia 1986
19
Hesiod, Works and Days

8
The cosmos seems to be complete, but it is not yet, because the verbal orphism also
settles the Earth order. The first –born Son will couple with the Great Goddess – Mother
in orphic incest. This indecent act will be made at sunrise or at sunset, when the sunrays
penetrate the Earth. Their merger will sound in the tone ‘si’ followed by ‘do’. The foetus’
grown is coming, sounding in the tone ‘ la’. The Son of the Son is born, his PAIS (child
and servant), the doctrinal king – priest, the keeper of the society, who is Sun – circle.
This mental circle is constantly outlined by the motion of the king through his domains –
sanctuaries. He accomplishes the ritual of death and rebirth and makes sacrifice of a
horse.

The first four tones include the whole cosmos order: 4 includes 1, 2 and 3, and
4+3+2+1=10. The ‘ten’ is composed from three phases 4+3+3. The triad is claimed as a
typical for the Indo – European structure.

From the Slavic folklore and the mentioning in the chronicles an other creation myth is
known. The comparative researches of Mircea Eliade show the wide scope of the myth
with its two motives; pre-ocean and dualistic creation of the world.20

The following version is known from Sheradzko, recorded in 1898. In the beginning
there were only heaven, sea, a God, who sailed in a boat and a devil who appeared from
the sea foam. The devil plunged under the water, took a handful of sand and created the
Earth. The God and the devil lived together on the Earth but they start arguing and finally
the God arose to the heaven and the devil was expelled from the Earth.21

This is a myth with definite dualistic origin, which makes some of the researchers look
for the origin of antagonism in the creation of the world in Iran’s believes.

The sharp contradiction between the Good and the Evil in Zaratustra’s concept of the
world is famous. Other authors consider that the ocean’s motive travelled from India to
Iran and then joined with the dualistic motive.

The existence of the Slavic dualism is well substantiated. We have 24 Balto-Slavic and 12
Fenno - Ugric records for the creation of the Earth by sand brought by the devil from the
sea bottom. These records enable Alexander Geishor to assume that this myth is part of
the ancient substratum probably pre – Indo- European. According to Mircea Eliade its
origin is connected with the large lakes in Middle Asia, where it set off towards America
and India in the 3rd millennium BC. The myth explains the imperfectness of the creation
and the existence of the Evil and also explains the estrangement of the people from the
God.

The myth is such part of the religion, where the relationship between man and heavenly
power is expressed in narrative. We haven’t got any pre-Bulgarian mythological stories,
what we have are only signs of them kept in the Register of the Bulgarian Khans and a
simple mentioning of the mythological creature ‘gryphon’. These appear in one damaged

20
Refer Geishor, A., А., Mythology of the Slavs, Sofia 1986 г.
21
Refer Geishor, A., А., Mythology of the Slavs, Sofia 1986 г.

9
inscription and its image on a pendant of bowl No. 20 from the Nad Sent Miklosh
treasure.22 These records makes V. Beshevliev to propose that the myths of creation have
existed in the pre-Bulgarian society, but unfortunately they were lost.

22
Geishor, A., А., Mythology of the Slavs, Sofia 1986 г., p. 87-98

10
 PART III

MYTHS OF CREATION OF THE PEOPLE

The ancient man accepts himself as part of the cosmos, therefore the myths for creation of
the people are also included in the mythology. Thereby the relation between the world of
people and the one of the deities is realized by mediators.

An extract of Bremner – Rhind papyrus substantiates the creation of people and deities in
the Egyptian mythology. The mediators of Heliopolis created heavenly genealogy by
including the myth for creation of the people. The deities Osiris, Isis, Seth and Nephthys
make the relation between the older cosmos deities and the real political order.

The religion of Olympus proposes an other version for Ellins’ concept for the origin of
people and the change of ages - known by Hesiod’s ‘Works and Days’. He shows five
centuries sharply opposite. The people from the golden (the first) one and those from the
heroes’ (the fourth) one are carriers of ΔΙΚΗ. The golden century is in opposition with
the silver (second) one, in which the people are carriers of ΞΒΡΪΣ. The fifth century (the
iron one) is in the historical time, there the people are carriers of ΔΙΚΗ and ΞΒΡΪΣ.

It is interesting to follow how these different kinds of times function in the relation ΔΙΚΗ
and ΞΒΡΪΣ. In the mythological time of continuous occurrence they are absolute
constants, they always happen and always remain. In the cyclic time during the motion
they can be changed but at the end they will be again ΔΙΚΗ and ΞΒΡΪΣ. Thus their
regeneration is obligatory for the world regeneration.

CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE WORLD OF DEITIES AND THE WORLD OF

PEOPLE

Including myths for the creation of people in the mythology, the man searches for his
own place in the cosmos and also tries to find CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THE
WORLD OF DEITIES AND THE WORLD OF PEOPLE. This connection is realized by
transforming the Earth – born into gods. This process is carried out in specific time – the
concurrent (agone) one – in the own competition ignoring the predetermined of the
destiny.

In the ancient Egypt this was achieved by the cult to the king and his heavenly origin. By
the myths for Osiris in the sun cycle the priests created an archetype of the God on the
Earth, which is expressed through the king’s symbolism. After Osiris’ death his son
Horus takes the rule of Egypt. This makes the king’s power to seem to the ordinary man
to be heavenly. The king is the visible transformation of Horus for his citizens.

From the fourth Dynasty on, the king is additionally indicated as the Son of Ra – God of
the Sun. The temple of Imenhotep III in Luxor shows how the God of the Sun, this time
Amun, transformed and merged with the ruling king. With every new pharaoh a new

11
system of chronology starts. The reign is in connection with three mythological and
historical events; the beginning of prosperity set by Osiris; the victory of Horus and the
unfitting of Upper and Down Egypt. During the festival the pharaoh personally lights a
fire to guarantee the light and the life of the society.

In the Thracian society the connection between the two worlds is realized by the king –
priest. The orphic 4+3+3 phase rhythm is thought of in numbers and tones and it could be
heard and seen by the mystic enlightened only. Another doctrinal polysemy was probably
introduced into it – that is the Pythagoras addition and interpretation. Therein one
(monad) is the absolute entity – it is the male origin. The two (dyad) – it is the female
origin. The three is monad and dyad and also symbol of the first surface. The four (tetrad)
is 2+2, raised to the second power nature i.e. the absolute equation. The five (pentad) 2+3
– sensuality, the six (hexed) – maturity. The seven (heptad) 4+3, raised to the second
power nature and symmetry and also the incest between the Great Goddess – Mother and
her Son. The eight (octad) – the balance, the nine (ennead) – two male origins and 3
multiplied by 3. The ten, (decade), brings the doctrinal cycle to the end with the triumph
of the Son of the Great Goddess – Mother’s Son, who is the total of the male and female
cosmos origins being both their entity and mind. The creation of the world is completed.
The king – priest was born, who is the only mediator between the two worlds. One
inscription known from the Rogozen Treasure ‘ΚΟΤΙΟΣ ΑΡΟΛΛΟΝΙΣ ΠΑΙΣ’ is
undisputable confirmation of Alexander Fol’s thesis, proved to be absolutely perfect by
him.23

Opposite to the Egyptian mythology where the king is the only mediator between the two
worlds, the Greek mythology provides numerous connections realized by the heroes; half
– deities, half – men, born by marriages between deities and Earth-born.

There are a lot of myth cycles for the heroes in the Greek mythology; Argonauts, 24
Heracles,25 Perseus,26 Prometheus27 etc.

To emphasize the heavenly origin of a ruler, town or people, like the Egyptians, the
ancient Greeks created myths where the heroes founded polices and became their rulers.

For example Theseus28, who founded Athena, became the first king of the town and made
the first reforms.

23
Fol, А., Тhe Thracian orphism, Sofia 1986
Fol, А., Одриски и трибалски царе от Рогозенските надписи, Векове, 1986, book 3-4,
Fol, А., Тhe Thracian Dionysus, Book I: Zagraus, Вook II: Sabazius
Fol, A., The Rogozen Treasure, Sofia 1988
24
Appolonius Rhodus, The Voyage of Argo
25
Sophocles, Trachiniare
Pausanias, Description of Greece
Euripides, Heracles
26
Ovid, Metamorphoses
27
Aeschylus. Prometheus bound
Hesiod, Work and Days
28
Plutarch, Theseus

12
The space between the two worlds is quite easy surmountable for the heroes. A hero is
considered as a man (Theseus), but also as a deity (after his death Heracles was accepted
in the circle of the deities of Olympus, as award for his heroic deeds and suffering).

Such a hero – demon in Thrace is Zalmoxis. As a man he became perfect and reached the
second degree of the concurrent time, when transformed into a demon he started to live in
the third one as a perfect. Zalmoxis went though the heroic time and for this he could be
thought as equal to Orpheus. The hero’s time is not over with these three degrees, it goes
on till the whole cycle 4+3+3 is completed.

Another type of hero – the yonak is known by the folklore. The motive for the thrown out
child and the first hero who appeared in the Bulgarian legends is the founder of the
country. Refer to the ‘Bulgarian Apocrypha chronicle’ (13 th century); “ …strong child
carried in basket, three years old, who would be named Ispor tsar…”. The appearance of
Isperih in this description shows several elements of his existence as a child – yonak.
First, he is called strong child, second, his existence is specified as a throw child with the
expression ‘carried in basket’. Linking this legend to one medieval story for the
Bulgarian army which included also women who carried their children in baskets, Ivan
Venedikov concludes29 that the Bulgarian Apocrypha shows this practice. Asparuh was a
child when he began his heroic deeds.

The child – yonak acts for two reasons; as a revenger for caused injustices to his family
or rescue his fiancée or wife. Therefore one of the main characters in the Bulgarian
marriage’s epos is again the yonak. Since he is born, he is surrounded with miracles,
weird sisters predictions - and the thrown out child motive is present everywhere.

One of the first unak’s acts was to find a weapon and mainly a horse. This is done usually
before growing up again by a miracle. One folk song for Krali Marko30 contains the
motive for the thrown out child by his father Valkashin in the River of Vardar, there he
was found and brought up by a shepherd. When the hero grew up he met a wood – nymph
who gave him power, horse and weapon by a miracle. Krali Marko was ready to start his
heroic deeds, to provide the order and wealth for the society.

The main figure that connects the two worlds and controls the relations between them is
the priest.

In the Ancient Egypt, usually the doctors belong to the class of the priests. The legal
officials are ‘Priests of Maat’, the priest of Ptah – ‘Senior of the representatives of the
artists’. A priest hierarchy rules every temple. The obligations of the priests include daily
rituals during which religious texts are read. If these rituals are done properly the deities
are benevolent to Egypt. Every phase of the sacrifices made was recorded in details in the
temple’s papyrus. There is a wall – painting of the pharaoh carrying out the necessary
29
Venedicov, I., Мyths of the Bulgarian lands
Book I: The copper threshing, Sofia 1995, chapter 5,
Book II: The golden pillar, Sofia 1995, chapter 8,
Pre – Bulgarians and the Christianity, Sofia 1995, p. 231-232
30
Collection of Folkor Wisdom (СбНУ), 53, № 143

13
rituals to emphasise that he is personally responsible for the acts of his representatives in
the senior priest society.

The responsibilities of the priests in Greece and Rome in particular are strictly regulated.

The priest hiereus is responsible for the sacrifices in Greece, this position takes the priest
flamen in Rome; 15 in number they serve the cults of the seniors (flamen martialis,
flamen quirinalis) and the secondary (flamen rulcanius, flamen floralis) deities. During
the Imperator age another priest flamen – anqustales, he served the cult to the Imperator
as a deity.

An other important function of the priest in the ancient society is fortune telling. The
priest  tells by the offal of the sacrificed animal (Greece), and the priest augur
(Rome) by the birds’ flying and the sacral hen. The mantic is in the possibilities of the
oracle. In the sanctuary of Apollo in Delphi tells Pythia - a virgin servant and wife of
Apollo. A special priest -  explains Pythia’s predictions. There are women
priests of Apollo in Rome too – the Cibyls, who are famous with the Cumaean Cibyl who
probably wrote the Cibyls’ Books of prophesy.

The ancient man includes in the mythology myths that confirm the heavenly origin of the
priests. Numa Pompilius found the class of the priest fetiales (verbenatus, pater patratus)
and also salium. All priest are supervised by the senior priest pontifex maximus. The six
pontifices hold the cult of all public and personal deities’ adoration.

In the ancient world there were other positions of priests, who served specified temples.
Such kind of priests are Fratres Arvales (Dea Dia), vestalis (Vesta) etc.

The function of a mediator in the pre – Bulgarian world was accomplished by the
shaman. The Arab writer Phseudomasurdi uses the term ‘magi’ to mark the pre –
Bulgarian’s mediators. According to V. Beshevliev 31 they are a special kind of magician
in whom it is believed that ghosts have taken position and in this condition they could
predict, reveal secrets and give advice. To achieve this condition the shaman must do
exact rituals consisting of incantations and dances.

An other notification of the shamanism is known by the Kremon’s bishop Liudprand. He

tells that the Simeon’s son Baian had learnt the witchcraft that he could transform into a
wolf or any other animal.

The belief that man can transform into wolves is famous in the Archaic and Middle Ages
(Germans, Slavs, Lithuanians etc.) and on the Balkan peninsula, (ghoul). It is quite
possible that Baian was introduced into the shamanism.

31
Beshevliev, V., The faith of the pre - Bulgarian, Sofia 1939

14
According to the Byzantium chroniclers Teophan 32 and Ohrid’s archiepiscopate
Theophylacti 33 the pre – Bulgarian khans carried out religious rituals and sacrifices.
Analysing the mentioned sources V. Beshevliev concludes that the Bulgarian ruler had
made these sacrifices acting as a priest.34

32
Theoph. Chronographia, rec. C, de Book I, 503
33
Theophylacti Bulgarie archiep, Historia, XV, 29
34
Beshevliev, V., The faith of the pre - Bulgarian, Sofia 1939 , p. 41

15
 PART IV

REITERATION OF COSMOGONY

The thinking of the archaic man is so orientated that, every single object in the world and
every single human act has no own existence. The object would be sacred because of the
fact that it is part of an exact symbol or because it was touched by the deities in illo
tempore.

HEAVENTLY ARCHETYPES OF TEMPLES, TOWNS AND TERRITORIES.

The temple – one of the most sacred places has its own heavenly prototype. The oldest
document mentioning the sanctuary is the inscription of Gudea, dedicated to temple built
by him in Lagash. The king dreamed of the goddess Hidaba, who showed him a picture
marked with successful stars and a god showing the layout of the temple.

Not only the temples have prototypes, but also the towns. All Babylon’s towns have their
own archetypes in the constellations; the prototype of Sipar is in the constellation of
cancer, Ninevia in Ursa Major, Asur in the Arctur’s constellation, etc.

Everything in the men’s surrounding world, every visible object has its own heavenly
archetype. This archetype is understood to be as a duplicate of this world, which always
exists at a superior cosmic level.

Not everything in the world has an archetype from the same order. Deserts, wild animals’
areas, infertile land, unknown seas etc resemble the chaos in its existence before the
creation. Therefore when a man takes possession of such a territory he performs rituals,
which symbolically repeat the act of creation. This uncultivated zone is first ‘transformed
into cosmos’ and then settled.

ARCHETYPES AS A CENTRE

Together with the belief in the heavenly archetypes, there is another range of believes,
referring to their introduction as a Centre. The sacred mountain, palace or temple is
located in the Centre of the world, because the cross – point between the human world,
the heaven and the world of the dead is there.

In Mesopotamian believes the sacred mountain is called ‘ Mountain of the countries’.

This is because it connects huge regions, and also connects the Earth and the heaven. The
Olympus Mountain is perceived also as sacred, because the deities live there.

16
Probably and also sacred is the temple of Ptah in Memphis called Huet – ka – Ptah,
(house of the Ptah’s soul), that gives it’s name to the whole region.

The Heaven – the Centre –Hell are reputed to be located in the one axis, which means
that to pass from one cosmos area into another point is possible only there. Babylon is
Вâb-ilâni, (gate of the deities), because there through the deities go down to the Earth.
Mortally wounded Heracle asked his son Hil to take him to the mountain Oeta. From
there from Athena collects him and takes him to the Olympus world. Orpheus goes down
to the underworld of Hades through the dark mountain Tenar. All these examples taken
from the myths show that there is connection between the worlds, which means that
motion in the created cosmic areas is possible.

All developed forms of common life need a focus point to create them and to provide
them with power and support.35

The Byzantium Empire, as most of the historians determine it, starts its existence in 324
when Constantinople was founded as the New Rome. In the view of the foregoing I dare
to maintain that Constantinople is perceived as a Centre. Although the archaeological
information for the town is quite poor, there are lot sources of literature available. These
enable us to form a hypothesis as follows:

The town of Constantinople was a sacred territory. It has its own duplicate - archetype at
a superior level. Constantinople is a Centre in the meaning of source of energy.

This image of Constantinople was formed by the act of its creation. The topographic
choice for the moving of Rome is not occasional. The analogy with the seven hills is
apparent. The old town’s centre, where the agora was restored, a hippodrome and bath
were built. Near the hippodrome the new palace of the Emperor was built. The road
network was reconstructed and extended. One of the most extraordinary phenomenon
was the introduction of the forum with a central column made of porphyry and the statue
of Constantine as Apollo Helios in the centre.

Together with temples and a senate house, the minern was moved to the new capital, this
undoubtly showed that this was the New Centre, the world started to be measured
therefrom.

The idea for existence of a world at a superior level was known in the Christian
Byzantium. Constantinople is not an exception - it is perceived as an archetype of the
heaven. The Emperor’s Court corresponds to the God’s one. Reading ‘Awesome and
Edifying Vision of the Monk Kosmas’ 36, - abbot in a monastery in Asia Minor, who was
ill, got into a trance and saw the God’s House, where he undoubtly recognized monks and

35
Hunger, Herbert, Reich der neuen Mitte. Der christliche Geist der byzantinischen Kultur, Graz;
Wien, 1965;
36
Awesome and Edifying Vision of the Monk Kosmas, In: Mango, C., Byzantium. The Empire of New
Rome, London 1980, p. 151-153

17
officials. The difference was only that in the Heaven everything is bigger and more
exquisite.

God rules the Universe in the same way as the Emperor rules the mankind. When the
Emperor appears in public a lot of rituals are completed, all these show that he has
heavenly position on the Earth.

The symbol of the Centre is also expressed in the men’s concept for the cosmos models.
The space models of the world are part of the general world’s model. They are just more
abstractive characteristics of this model along the horizontal and vertical planes.

In the horizontal model the world directions are very important. Not less important is the
meaning of the oppositions: centre – periphery; right – left; front – back.

In the ancient concepts the equilateral tetragon is a symbol of the organised world. The
tetragon is the world after the primary chaos, after the separation of the heaven and from
the Earth. It is the Universe finally established and arranged by the deity and ready to be
used by the people. This sacred concept for the world could be found first in the
construction. The representative buildings – palaces and temples usually have
quadrangular form and are orientated by the cardinal directions. This shows that the
horizontal model is in connection with the sacral concept for the cardinal directions; first
East – the place where the sun rises.

The heavenly meaning of the cardinal directions is apparent mostly in the architecture.
The correlation of the directions could be found in the method of construction of the first
Bulgarian capital – Pliska, and also in the buildings in Madara and Preslav. 37 The
strengthened bivouac of Pliska is positioned to the South, the same orientation has the
internal town and almost all of the buildings.38 The town is perceived as a sacred place
and a Centre. A legend – ‘The Copper threshing floor’ 39 - the symbol of the plenty, refers
to Pliska. The copper-threshing floor is a symbol of the paganism as an ideology in its
complete spiritual and political meaning. Its destruction is the aim of the Christian world,
who wants to destroy paganism must stick his pike in the centre of this threshing – floor,
where there is a hidden container symbolizing the religious believes. In another historical
period of the threshing floor, in the hall and the capital of Bulgarians a bloody fight starts.
The king Boris conquers his enemies, who were the leaders of the paganism. This act is
not only political as the destruction of the threshing – floor is in connection with its
function as a Centre.

The Centre has a maximum sacredness40, it is a Centre of the world, axis mundi passes
through it, and here at the beginning of the world in illo tempore the act of the creation

37
Vaklinov, S., The Great Preslav, Sofia 1966
Formationof the Middle Age Bulgarian Culture, Sofia 1977
38
Vaklinov, S., The Great Preslav, Sofia 1966
Formationof the Middle Age Bulgarian Culture, Sofia 1977
39
Venedikov, I., The copper threshing-floor, Sofia 1995
40
Eliade, M., The Myth of the eternal return, Sofia 1995

18
was completed. The axis of the world connects the horizontal and the vertical models and
forms the most important cross – point in the space characteristic of the world.41

The ancient settlements have a special organization – usually concentric where the
Centre has an important role.42 The Slavic settlements are orientated from periphery to
the Centre. The yurta (pre – Bulgarian tent) is also a model of the world, it is round with
fireplace in the centre and the cardinal directions orientate it. The plans of the Bulgarian
sanctuaries are inscribed into each other tetragons43. This scheme was also applied to the
sacrifice stones and the figure ‘dame’. It could be assumed that the ‘dame’ is directly and
genetically connected with the quadrangle space model of the world, but bearing profane
content.44

The quadrangle horizontal model is typical for the Slavic societies. The so called
‘Zbrutchki Sventovid’ is orientated towards the four directions of the world. The four
images of the deity on the four sides of the stone column are orientated: East – West;
South – North.

The ancient vertical model is a three – part, it is composed of three space zones. The
upper one is the territory of the deities, the middle one – the world of the people and the
lower one the world of the dead. The archetype of the Centre is also a vertical model.
Examples for this statement are the pyramids – symbol of the power of the pharaohs.
Their form resembles a mountain and in most of the cases the pharaoh was laid in the
grave in its underground.

Going back to Constantinople: town, archetype and Centre. The more important is to
show that the town is a Centre by both horizontal and vertical.

The foundation of the town the moving of Rome. Constantinople is the new relation
between the world now and Rome, the place where the Christian church was found.
Constantinople is the New Rome, the new Centre; it is new because the Holy Scripture is
the New Testament. As Apostle Paul realized the relation between the Old and the New
Testament to create a complete ideology, Constantinople continued and unified the idea
of Rome.

The idea, which is also connected with the end of the world. According to the Andreas
Salos Apocalypse45 Constantinople would be destroyed when the world ended. The last
thing that would remain was the column in the Forum, which was located in the Centre
and was the connection between the worlds.

41
Топоров, В., О космогических источниках ранеисторических оприсаний
42
Stoinev, А., Bulgarian’s concept of the world, Sofia 1986
The Bulgarian Slavs. Mythology and religion, Sofia 1988
43
Aladjov, J.The world symbol in some of the pre – Bulgarian monuments, Аrcheaology, 1980, book.1
44
Aladjov, J.The world symbol in some of the pre – Bulgarian monuments, Аrcheaology, 1980, book.1
45
The Andreas Salos Apocalypse, In: Mango, C., Byzantium. The Empire of New Rome, London 1980,
p. 210

19
The cosmos is understood also as a big tree “arbor mundi”. Ceremonially, mythologically
or symbolically the tree is the real cosmos in the process of eternal renewal. This is
proved by numerous images of deities around a tree perceived as a Centre. In the
Egyptian and Greek mythology the ensemble Goddess – tree is very common. The big
ring from Mycenae represents a cult scene showing the Goddess sitting on the tree of life
surround by a lot of cosmological elements, as Labyrinth, Sun, Moon, and Water.

Close to the cave where Capitoline she - wolf looked after Romulus and Remus there was
a fig tree called ficus rominalis. Considering the heavenly origin of Romulus and Remus
the fig tree could be perceived as a Centre i.e. axis of the world.

The tree as a world concept probably appeared because the mythological man considered
the flora as eternal, it renews itself periodically during the seasons. 46 Separate
representative of the flora as oak, sycamore, willow are assumed as eternal, they live
more than a human being and also visibly symbolize the relation up – down. The tree is
the best natural model to symbolize the arranged cosmos in its horizontal and vertical
dimension.

The world tree is located in the Centre, in the most sacral place, where the motion from
chaos to cosmos is carried out. Later the symbol of the tree is replaced with the column
temple or throne.

Horizontally the world tree unites the four directions of the world and is also in
connection with the ritual. The directions are four, the same number as the seasons, the
parts of the twenty-four-hour period and the stages of the human life. Vertically the tree
symbolizes the three levels of the world, the human body, the time. Briefly it is in relation
with the mythology – the cosmogony and the separation between the heaven and the
Earth vertically, and sanctifies these concepts by the ritual horizontally.47

At the Slavic the vertical space model is reflected first in the deities hierarchy. Perun is in
the up most level, Veles in the lowest. Up – down is the relation between Dazhdbog and
Savarog.48 The struggle between the Thunderer and the underground deity (snake,
dragon) is a fight for salvation of the world of people.

Pre – Bulgarians also respect the world tree as a symbol of the organised cosmos. Such a
tree is shown on a ceramic container from the village of Vokil in Silistra region.49

The same role in the mythology plays the mountain, which is also located in the Centre.
Therefore the choice of the Bulgarians for their cult place – Madara is not occasional.
The symbol of the vertical model supposes three – level social structure. A picture of a
shaman on a tile from Madara proves this, and also one model of a yurta from Devnia
and images of the complex – tree, bird and mountain.50
46
Топоров, В., О космогических источниках ранеисторических оприсаний
47
Топоров, В., О космогических источниках ранеисторических оприсаний, с. 66
48
Geishor, А., Мythology of the Slavs, Sofia 1986
49
Аngelova, S., A ceramic vessel from the village of Vockil, Distinct Silistra, Аrcheaology, 1964, book.4
50
Vajarova, V., Slavs and Bulgarians, Моskow, 1976

20
In the Thracian society the tumulus is such Centre. The round shape includes the four
cardinal directions and also its solar – fire nature shown in life – death – life of the dual –
solar – chthonic Son of the Great Mother – Goddess. At the same time the pits around the
tumulus show the relation between the horizontal and vertical model. The second stage is
landing over the pits of the tomb place. According to the Orphism the death is thought
over, it is transformation into an other category. During the funeral is made a sacrifice of
a horse, which is sacrally equal to the man and is the sun sign and also a ritual showing
the beginning of a new life leading to the heroic category is performed.

ATTAINMENT TO THE CENTRE IS EQUAL TO INITIATION

The Centre is in a superior stage in the sphere of the sacral and the absolute reality. The
way leading to the Centre is difficult and all levels of the reality confirm this; difficult
curved stairs in temple, travelling of heroes, wandering in labyrinths. The way is painful,
full of dangers, because this is actually the ritual for the transformation of profane into
sacral, from the transient into real, death into life, human into divine (Heracle’s heroic
deeds and the act of his acceptance in the circle of deities in Olympus).

The initiation is not attained easy; its attainment is concentrated in a tree of life, usually
located in a remote place and guarded by a monster. The hero must succeed to reach near
the tree and also fight with the monster and win. The struggle has initiation meaning.

The Gilgamesh Epic retells how he wants to reach immortality. He knows that only one
man could help him – the wise man Utnapishtim, the one who survived the flood and was
granted immortality by the deities. The way to his dwelling is long and dangerous, full
with obstacles as every way to the Centre. Utnapishtim lives on an island, surrounded by
the water of the death. Gilgamesh did not overcome the obstacles, he showed his
weakness and he would not achieve immortality.

Usually gryphons and monsters keep the ways. To reach the golden apple in the
Hesperides’ garden Heracles must put to sleep or kill the dragon. It is not important
whether Heracle or Atlas lifted the heavenly globe; the most important is that the hero
succeeded to go over the heroic test and take the golden apples.51

Dragon also guards the Golden Fleece from Colchis, Jason has to kill the monster to take
it.52

Snakes guard every Centre, every place, where the sacral is focused. Gryphons guard the
golden mines of Apollo in Skytia. They guard every symbol of the sacral that gives power
and life.

51
Sophocles, Trachiniare
Pausanias, Description of Greece
Euripides, Heracles
52
Appolonius Rhodus, The Voyage of Argo

21
THE SACRAL TERRITORIES ARE INTERITED

The sacral territories are inherited because if their role as a Centre. The pre – Bulgarian
pagan cult places are derived from the Thracian sanctuaries. After the Christening the
pagan temples were destroyed and churches were built there. The same happen when
Turkey conquered all Bulgarian lands.

A cult place that functions like this is Madara. First approvals for this are the marble
votive relieves and Greek ceramics – these suppose that the caves in Madara’s rocks are
used as Thracian sanctuaries. Later under Daultash a pagan temple was built, transformed
later in church. Taking the risk to repeat myself I will mention again that the deriving of
the sacral places is in connection with their role of the Centre.

ARCHETYPES OF THE SYMBOLS AND THE RITUALS

In the Egyptian religion the lotus is a sacral blossom, because from Nu together with the
first hill appeared a lotus too. The deity of the sun came form this lotus. In the Book of
dead there is a spell for transforming the dead Nepfertum (deity respected in Memphis),
because he is the lotus, which the deity of the sun smelled.53

In Rome the priests salium wear a shield which felt from the heaven in Numa Pompilius’
age.

The Earth plants (herbs) have a magic power, because in illo tempore the deity touched
them. The deity cured, which means the men could cure too. The man could rile, kill,
because the deities had done these. The opposite and the fights between the people is
reiteration of the struggle between Osiris and Set in the Egyptian mythology.

The ancient man doesn’t know any act, which is not established by the deity. The gesture
has a meaning only when it repeats any first act. Such act is the dance. From the very
beginning all dancing were sacral, they had a heavenly archetype. The ancient man’s
dance always repeats or reminds a myth element. Athena created the dancing with the
weapon – pirika, Theseus54 dances in the labyrinth. The dancing is a part of the
initiations, the magic – religious ceremonies, marriages etc. Briefly the dance is
reiteration and re – actualisation of the ‘illo tempore’.

The marriages also have a heavenly archetype. Didona and Eneus married in a storm the
connection between them are equal with connection between the natural elements.55 The
marriages imitate Zeus and Hera. Demetra connects with Jason on the sowed soil 56 the
meaning of this unit is clear – it helps the fruitful.

53
Book of the Dead, Chapter 81
54
Plutarch, Theseus
55
Vergilius, Еneida
56
Homer, Odiseus (V, 125)

22
The orgy and the marriage are created the rituals to imitate the deities’ act and to justify
the human ones. The fact that the myth sometimes follows the ritual (it is created after
something has already done) does not reduce the sacral meaning of the ritual.

When the ancient man enters in a possession of a territory he does rituals, which
symbolize the creation – briefly; sanctify of the territory. This sanctify is made usually in
the Centre.

In India before starting to build any building the astrologer shows exactly the spot where
the foundation to be based, located upon the snake, which support the world. The builder
makes a post from the tree khadira and hammers it in the Earth by a coconut exactly at
the pointed spot on the snake’s head. A foundation stone is put on the post, it is located
exactly in the Centre. All these imitate the cosmogony act of creation and the act of Soma
or Indra.57 This provides the durability and the reality of the building by the
transformation of the chaos into cosmos and the historical time into mythological. Every
single ritual is act in the sacral place and time.

Every new building is reconstruction of the world. Romulus digs a ditch, fills it with
fruits, makes an altar and draws the protected walls of Rome by plough. The ditch is the
cross – point of the three levels.58 The conquest of any territory is possible only when the
ritual of possession is done. The Roman priest fetialis slays a pig with a stone knife when
they contract peace, the war is just only after the fetialis throw a blood shield in the
foreign land.59

57
Refer M. Eliade, Tractate for the history of religions, Sofia 1995, p. 421
58
Ovid, Fastes, (IV, 821,825)
59
Batakliev, G., Ancient Mythology

23
 PART V

REBIRTH OF THE TIME

REBIRTH OF THE TIME BY THE RITUAL

The general meaning of the feast is the ending of one and the beginning of a new interval
of time. New Year begins the time from the beginning or briefly repeats the cosmogony
by the death and rebirth of the deity.

The ritual and the myth are two inseparable forms of meaningful explanation. If there is a
ritual then a myth should exist. The time is reborn periodically by the ritual. The festival
leads to the archetypes and their act every time.

Acceptance of the solar year as a unit of time was done first in Egypt. Most of the
historically registered cultures use the solar – moon year which includes 360 days, (12
months with 30 days), and to these 360 days are interpolate 5 days in addition. The end of
one and the beginning of another interval of time are very important, as the beginning of
the year is movable and its prolongation is different. The necessity of periodical rebirth
supposes a new creation, which means a new repeat of the cosmogony act.

The Register of the Bulgarian Khans60 gives us information for the calendar of the pre –
Bulgarians. It is based on a 12 months (named with numeral ordinals in Turk language).
The sacral meaning of days and hours (good and bad, taboo) is thought of in the calendar.
Considered sacral are also the natural season cycles. Undoubtly the most sacral meaning
is the New Year, which is ceremonially in connection with the beginning of the world and
the order of the Universe. Determined by the moving of the sun and moon the New Year
shows the completion of the previous and the beginning of the new cycle.

The range of festivals could be divided into two groups; feasts for the periodically chase
of demons, sicknesses and sins and the rituals in the days before and after New Year.

The ritual chase of demons is brought to some main elements – fasts, put out the light of
fire, the chasing of demons by noise and cries and ritual drive out of animal or man from
the dwelling. The Roman festival Marmurali (14th March) represents a ritual drive out of
a man dressed in furs called “Marmuri Verturi” , which means they sent away the winter
and the sicknesses. The Egyptians similar to the Romans, sent away a goat, which is the
personification of the sins and sicknesses of the dwelling.

60
Моskov, М.,Register of the Bulgarian Khans, Sofia 1988

24
The act of the chase of the Evil almost everywhere coincides with the celebration of New
Year. It is rare to find all these elements in one festival. Somewhere dominates the ritual
actions with the fire, elsewhere driving out demons. The general meaning of the feast is
the finishing of one and the beginning of another interval of time.

Inhabitation of the rituals and customs is approval for the typical similarity of the
religions. Specified by the moving of sun and moon the New Year shown the renewal of
the society. Christmas day has a pagan origin. It is the day of Christ’s birth and here the
symbolism is clear.

The celebration of New Year repeats the ordering of the world; the transmition of the
chaos into cosmos, which proceed during the last days of the old year and the first of the
new one. Not accordantly the celebrations of the New Year sometimes coincide with
ritual that symbolized the death and the rebirth of the deity.

REBIRTH OF THE TIME BY THE DEATH AND THE NEW BIRTH OF THE DEITY

Dionysus – Zagreus is a deity of the vertical structure of the world and master of the
thunder. Zagreus keeps his solar – king aspect, because he is created by the spirituality of
the Thracian orphic doctrine. The main companion of the deity and his symbol is the
dragon (snake). The Thracian Dionysus – Zagreus is the deity – bull, who comes
periodically with thunder to be sacrificed and tasted raw by the initiated.61

The transformation of Dionysus – the bull born as a snake with horns is torn exactly to
seven pieces – head, limbs, falos and torso, is tasted half – raw and brought into the
initiated where he is transformed again in Energy. That’s why the Zagreus myth continues
with the scene when Apollo (the equal to Dionysus as the Sun is equal to the Fire)
connects again the parts and bury it under the tripod at Delphi.

The Egyptian deity Osiris received the power of the Earth from his father. His brother Set
feels jealous and lures him in a chest and throws him in Nile. According to the same verse
of Plutarch Osiris is cut in to 14 pieces, his rebirth refer to Isis and Ra.62

THE RITUAL

Zagreus is the object of the big New Year Dionysus’ performance in March, which is in
connection with the Christian Cheese Shrovetide and Easter after the christianisation
period. The ritual is a symbolic change of the old with the New Year. This is the
performance of the Thracian orphic re – organization of the world.63

61
Fol, A., Тhracian culture – said and concealed, Sofia 1995
62
Plutarch, About Isis and Osiris
63
Fol, А., Politic and Culture in Ancient Thracia, Sofia 1990

25
During the change of the old with the New Year a special person – the kuker, reinacts
the main ritual. He doesn’t know the name of Zagreus or his hard doctrinal task to be
the bearer of the binary oppositions of the cosmological, mythological and religious –
social level. The actor performs the ritual with his group for the goodness of the New
Year. The most archaic ritual in Strandja is the nestinary custom (fire dancing). The
name includes the Thracian toponim ‘asta’, ‘asti’ or ‘esti – nari’ that means ‘ dancing
in fire’. The sacral act is performed by a virgin – priest. The sinister orgiastic that the
priest transforms to all participants, doesn’t have a doctrinal character, but what is sure
here is the mystery. The mystery ensures that the deity’s cosmos body will join with
every participant, i.e., will be separated before being made into a whole part again.

The Zagreus’ myth could originate from Asia Minor as well, set under the translation –
signification – Sabazius.64 Sabazius is a deity first identified with the stone, which
means he is a chthonic deity and has the power to rule the dead and the live matter,
because of this he could be separate and unite again. The chthonic characteristic of
Sabazius is not in opposition with his solar nature because the two natures create the
cosmos that is universal.

Because the Thracian reality is scriptless the cosmogony myth could be restored only
by a cultural – historical analyse of the ritual – ceremony complexes. The Christian
feast of St. Constantine and St. Elena on 21 May is still respected in the village of Agia
Eleni.65 The festival starts in the evening of the previous day when the anastenaries
gather together in Agia Eleni. The leader of the ritual acts is the teletarh who maintains
the ‘sanctuary’of the anastenaries (‘konak’) and the spring throughout the whole year.
The nestinary’s playing (drum and rebeck) starts one week earlier to call on the deity
for the days of culmination.

On the 20th of May the teletarh, anastinaries and the musicians gather together in the
konak. In the evening two women with lighted candles in their right hands stand on
both sides of the main south entrance in the fireplace room. From there they meet and
lead forward all processions. The first procession is with roses and candles lead by
musicians. The procession goes forward to the house where the icon of St. Constantine
and St. Elena is kept. There they receive the sacral ‘shirts’ and ‘cloths’. Only those who
had received the cloths are allowed to dance in the performance. The procession goes
on to another house where the second icon is kept and then goes on to the monastery.
Every motion of the procession is in circle in an opposite to the direction of the sun.
The sacral acts around the four sacral springs are followed. The teletarh incensed by the
spring and opens the lid, fills one vessel with water and then pours it out in all
directions starting from west. All participants wash themselves in front of the entrance
but only the anastenaries wash themselves inside.

When they go out of the chapel, the procession goes towards a round place specified for
the ‘glowing embers’ dance and then on to the ‘konak’. They leave the sacral objects to
their place where special rituals are carried out. The dance of an anastenary then starts.

64
Fol, А., The Thracian Dionysus, Book I, Zagraus, Sofia 1991
65
Fol, А., The Thracian Dionysus, Book II, Sabazius, Sofia 1994

26
She dances with a candle while the others dance with sacral objects. Later, after
midnight, when the dance finished the icons are covered and left in the houses.

On the next day, 21st May, the icons are taken back to the sanctuary - again with the
same rituals. The sacrificial animal a three, five or seven year old bull (lamb) is adorned
with a wreath of roses. The place for the sacrifice is set by the teletarh. At noon the
anastenary starts to dance around the sacrificial place. The slayer takes away the wreath
and throws it in the sacrificial hole, where the blood flows. The meat is given out to all
participants who bring it home not cooked. At midnight the ‘glowing embers’ dance
starts, the main dancer bears an icon.

The symbolic of the ritual is clear. The deity Apollo – Dionysus called Sabazius is torn
into pieces. Sabazius is the greatest opportunity to understand the pure ritual, because
there is no myth. It seems that Zagreus is the nights and Sabazius is the days
personification of the Thracian Dionysus where, most important, is their unification in
one deity.

The deity died and is reborn again at New Year to provide energy for the whole society.
The ritual repeats the cosmogony myth and a new cycle is started.

The Greek meaning of Zagreus / Dionysus is done by the secondary aetiology of the
foreign name. Zagreus now is a son of Zeus and Persephone. The Moiraes lures Hera’s
jealousy and Zeus is forced to give the child to Apollo who looks after him. The
literature interrupts the ancient orphic line of mythology creating, but it keeps the main
elements of the verbal story. The solar origin, Apollo unites with the chthonic in Parnas,
but again Hera finds him and order to the titans to kill him. During the chasing
Dionysus is transformed and torn into seven pieces (half – eaten by the titans almost
raw) into image of a bull. Athena (in her personification as the Mother – Goddess)
manages to save his heart. Apollo collects the other seven pieces and buries them at
Delphi or refers another version where Semele swallows the heart and then gives birth
to the Greek Dionysus.66

Later the cosmos deity is lectured by the Greeks in Delphi and the priests unite him
with his solar brother finally calling him Dionysus. The unification is act of syncretism
that provides the cosmos order. The science that represents this is the killing of the
Python by Apollo.

The Dionysus’ celebrations in Athena67 (December – April) symbolize the transformation

of the old year into new. In December they celebrate the Little Festival of Dionysus
where the theatre performances are acted out. In January - the Lyaeus, but the most
festive are the Big Celebrations of Dionysus, (March), which continue for several days
and the raved song about Dionysus is sung by choirs.

66

Fol, А., The Thracian Dionysus, Book I, Zagraus, Sofia 1991

67
Bogdanov, B., History of the Ancient Greek culture

27
The secondary nature of Dionysus as a deity of the fertility is consequence and the same
as the Osiris’ one. That is symbolized by the grain – the sowing of (funeral), the resting
in dark (heaven) and germ (birth).

The New Year here means the lifting of taboo’s for the new crops, which become
suitable for the consumption of the whole society. If numerous corn plants are
cultivated then several New Year Festivals are observed. This means that the time
intervals are regulated by rituals for the revival of the food reserves.

28
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32