Viadrus is the name of the Roman god of the Oder (Odra) River, and of the river itself. The god gazes north toward the Baltic Sea, although the Romans never get there. Oder is an important trade route, populated by mystic nature spirits and fantastic creatures of lore.
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Rusalka, a malicious female entity, is a Slavic nature spirit associated with fresh water such as rivers, marshes and lakes. It's thought she was murdered or otherwise died by drowning. She sits in trees or by shores, and may sing or comb her messy hair.
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Below, Viadrus, Roman god of the Oder, is a 2009 metalwork of red sheet steel. The artist, sculptor Horst Engelhardt (1951 - 2014) made the figure in nearby Oderberg in 2009, of Danish ship steel. Oderberg is c. 100 km (60 mi) from Berlin in northeast Germany.
This figure is on “Feldherrenhügel” (General's Hill) in Brandenburg, Germany. Originating in the Czechian highlands, the Oder River forms the east border of Brandenburg, running north from runs from the Czechian highlands.
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Like Rhenos Pater or Father Rhine, Viadrus is shown leaning on a gushing water vessel. He holds an oar and gazes upon a river boat. He's looking north, along the River Oder to the Baltic Sea. The Latin word Viadrina means "belonging to, or situated at, the Oder River".
In Slavic mythology, the vodyanoy ('from the water' or 'watery') is a freshwater spirit. In Czech and Slovak tales it's called vodník. Germanized as Hastrman it's equated to the Wassermann or nix of German fairy tales.
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If angered, the vodyanoy breaks dams, destroys water mills, and drowns people and animals. Fishermen, millers, and bee-keepers make sacrifices to appease him. The vodyanoy sometimes drags people down to his underwater dwelling to serve him as slaves.
The civilized Romans are fond of putting up temples, but also make an effort to understand the tradition of nature worship among local people. Roman gods such as Faunus (Pan), Bacchus (Dionysus) and Neptune (Poseidon) originate in nature worship.
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In the first and second centuries CE, Romans Plinius (Pliny the Elder), Ptolemaios (Ptolemy) and Plutarch describe Teutonic Jutland home of Anglos and Saxons. Romans are familiar with the islands to the east.
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One, called Scania by Romans, is assumed to be just a larger island. They don't explore further. The Romans encounter Swedes or Suiones, and the Sitones, who are ruled by women. According to one account:
Upon the Suiones, border the people Sitones; and, agreeing with them in all other things, differ from them in one, that here the sovereignty is exercised by a woman. So notoriously do they degenerate not only from a state of liberty, but even below a state of bondage.
Roman writings call the Baltic Sea Mare Suebicum, after the Germanic Schwabic or Suebi, and mention Estonian coastal tribes. One Roman traveler returns with Baltic amber. The "gold of the north" has already been traded for over 1500 years on the Amber Roads.
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River deities are worshipped in Europe before and after the Romans arrive. Sacrifice is given at swamps. Folklore develops from ancient myths in an oral tradition, as stories pass down through the generations.
Besides vodyanoy and rusalki, Slavic water spirits include bolotnik, a hideous evil male swamp creature. He can be an old man with frog-like eyes, green beard and long hair, covered in dirt, algae and fish scales. He may lurk at the bottom of swamps to pull people in.
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A leshachikha, Leshy or Leshi is a tutelary deity of forests. Leshy rules over the forest and hunting. He can assume any appearance and change in size and height. He may be associated with Porevit, a man with five heads, or with Veles, a major chthonic deity.
The swamp kikimora (mora) is a female spirit manifesting as a small gnarled hag. Her clothes are moss and grass. She likes to frighten people. She knocks travelers off the road or even drowns them. She also kidnaps children.
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One of her malevolent talents is attacking sleepers. The mora comes through the keyhole and sits on the sleeper's chest, causing bad dreams and panic like the Mare. If a house is in order, a kikimora can be helpful. She looks after chickens and does housework.
If not she breaks dishes, whistles sharply and makes noise at night. When fog rises over the swamp, it's said the kikimora Baba Bolotnitsa, is brewing beer. At night the kikimora also spins thread. A species of dwarf spider, Kikimora palustris, is named after her.