Svetovid
Four-Faced God of War and Divination
Domains
- War & Victory
- Divination & Prophecy
- Fertility & Abundance
- Light & Power
Symbols
- Four Faces
- White Horse
- Sword & Horn
- Oak Tree
Description
Svetovid was the supreme deity of the West Slavic tribes, particularly worshipped on Rügen island. His four faces represented his ability to see in all directions and his dominion over the four seasons.
The main temple of Svetovid was in Arkona, where a massive wooden statue showed him with four heads facing the cardinal directions. He was associated with a sacred white horse used for divination.
Mythology
Svetovid was believed to ride his white horse at night to battle evil forces. His four faces allowed him to watch over the entire world simultaneously, protecting his worshippers from all directions.
According to legends, Svetovid's priests would interpret the future by observing the behavior of his sacred horse stepping over crossed spears. The god communicated his will through these omens.
Worship
Svetovid's temple in Arkona was one of the last pagan strongholds in Europe. The god received a portion of all war spoils and one-third of all loot from successful raids, making his temple extremely wealthy.
Annual festivals involved human sacrifices (often war captives) and the drinking of sacred mead from Svetovid's horn. His worship was violently suppressed by Danish Christians in 1168 when Arkona fell.