Psoglav - Pasoglavi demon

Psoglav

The Dog-headed Demon

Characteristics

  • Mysterious Entity
  • Balkan Slavic region
  • Lives in caves and ruins
  • Human body with dog's head
  • Single eye on forehead

Abilities

  • Kills with a glance
  • Eats corpses from graves
  • Rides horse backwards
  • Iron teeth
  • Shapeshifting abilities

Description

Psoglav is a terrifying creature from Serbian and Balkan Slavic folklore with a human body and a dog's head. He has a single eye on his forehead and iron teeth. Psoglav digs up graves to eat corpses and can kill with just a glance from his single eye.

Mythology

According to legends, Psoglav lives in dark caves and abandoned places. He rides a horse backwards and can shapeshift. Some tales say he was originally a human cursed for terrible crimes. Protection against Psoglav included wearing garlic or placing iron objects near graves.

Cultural Significance

Psoglav represents Slavic fears of the undead and grave desecration. His figure shows possible influences from Greek mythology (Cyclops) and Balkan vampire legends. Psoglav appears in Serbian epic poetry and continues to inspire horror stories in modern Balkan culture.