After last week’s post about the chief of the Slavic gods, Perun, this Slavic Saturday we’re covering the eldest god in Slavic mythology: Swaróg/Svarog (Сваро́г/Сварог in Cyrillic) god of celestial fire, blacksmithing, sky, and (perhaps) creation.
(June 2021 Updated) Note: If you enjoy Slavic mythology, check out A Dagger in the Winds, the first book in my Slavic fantasy series called The Frostmarked Chronicles. You can also join my monthly newsletter for updates and free novellas (such as the prequel, The Rider in the Night) set in the world of the series.
The Eldest God, Creator of the World
Swaróg is an interesting figure in Slavic mythology. Along with Perun (god of thunder, war and justice) and Weles/Veles (god of the underworld, lowlands, and cattle), he is a member of the powerful triad of gods. His stories vary widely by region, and through his worship was strongest among the east Slavs, his presence was known to some in the south and west as well. This variation meant he was thought of as the highest deity by some tribes and little more than an afterthought by others.
It is difficult to find the consistent story behind Swaróg because of these regional differences, but there are some themes that prevail.
In nearly every tale, Swaróg is the eldest of the gods. Only when the god called Rod (whose presence in Slavic mythology is debatable) appears is Swaróg demoted from this role. He was the one who created the world and the three realms of the gods, living, and dead (Prawia/Prav, Jawia/Yav, Nawia/Nav), but how that happened varies widely. A few of the stories are quite interesting (though I cannot attest to their accuracy, they are an entertaining read nonetheless).
One tale talks of the Alatyr stone: a rock that was the father to all others. It had been carried by a duck for a long time, and when Swaróg forced the duck to drop it, the Alatyr stone turned into a mountain. He felt the power within the stone. This scared him, and he slammed his mighty hammer against it, hoping to split the stone and break its power. Instead, the stone survived. Sparks flew from it, creating the gods. The duck hated the destruction Swaróg wished to cause against its stone, and it transformed into a serpent. With its tail, it knocked the Alatyr stone from Prawia down into the realm of the living. The impact of the stone against the ground caused sparks that created dark forces throughout the world. They attempted to block out the sun, but Swaróg defeated them in the end.
This tale is very different than others I’ve found, but its connections draw to that other stories in an odd way. The battle between a god and serpent is common is Slavic myth. Typically, though that battle is between Perun and Weles (who often is depicted as a horned snake). To see a duck brought into the picture is new to me, and I though it worth sharing. Do note, however, that this isn’t the most common Slavic creation story, nor does even the most common one have much strong evidence in the story’s roots.
The second tale is that more often used one: the cosmic egg. This story as well connects with mythologies all across the world as an egg as the creation of the world. But note again, there isn’t much evidence at all to claim this was the Slavic creation story.
In this story, there was the World-Egg (sometimes pictured as golden), created by either Swaróg or Rod. Swaróg rests within the egg in the latter case or simply opens the egg himself in the first. Regardless, as Swaróg’s power grew the egg cracked opened. From its shell came the earth and sea. Then, the world tree grew from the egg, pushing the shell up into the heavens and down into the underworld. With the egg’s golden powder and his fire, Swaróg then created mankind, all living things, and then the sun and moon.
Father of the Gods
As the eldest of the gods, Swaróg is often connected, particularly among the east Slavs, to the goddess of love, Łada/Lada, with whom he had his children in some stories. Those children vary, but Dadźbóg/Dazhbog (god of the sun) is the most commonly mentioned as well as sometimes Perun and Swarożyc/Svarožič (a speculated minor fire god, particularly from Slovenia, whose name is a diminutive of his father’s).
Since Perun was more often worshipped as the head of the gods, Swaróg’s fatherly role begins to seem similar to that of Uranus from Greek mythology. He often acts as the distant god of the sky, also taking up roles in celestial fire and blacksmithing, depending on the story.
Swaróg is much less spoken of after creation myths. His sons often hold the important roles in the myths, though he is thought to help Perun in his battles against Weles. Reverence was still given to Swaróg at certain festivals, just less often. In the end, despite the many mentions of the god, his passive role in tales takes away any change to know more about his impact.
Appearance
Unlike some of his stories, Swaróg’s appearance is fairly consistent in art and folklore. He is pictured as an old man with long white hair and beard. Often, he holds a smithing hammer in his hand and is strong, despite his age. Fire is also prevalent in many depictions of him due to his role with the element, and his status as creator deity means he can also be pictured on a throne with a halo behind him.
The theme of Swaróg is his wisdom and power – both which come through in his appearance. He is respected and honored for his creation. With that power comes fear as well, though, and he is shown as a fearsome foe to those who do him wrong.
In The Frostmarked Chronicles
Swaróg’s perceived distance is present in my stories as well. Though worshiped by some as the highest god, he often falls into the background as the younger gods duel for power in Jawia. His strongest follower we see in the first book, A Dagger in the Winds, is Dariusz, high priest of the Tribe of Krowik and father of Otylia (one of the protagonists). His stringent following of Swaróg ahead of Perun draws him into conflict with the high chief, but Dariusz is firm in his beliefs. And he has good reasons for doing so.
That’s all for this week’s Slavic Saturday. Be sure to keep a lookout for more posts next week, and if you haven’t seen the full series of posts, be sure to check them out.
*As always just a quick disclaimer. Slavic mythology is broad and not written in many if any primary sources, so there’s a variety of interpretations. The interpretations I’m using here are from the sources I’ve found to be reliable and as well as some creative freedom for my book series.