Ožys baltų pasaulėjautoje: nuo aukos aukščiausiems dievams iki velnio gyvulio

LTMitologų, folkloristų, etnologų darbuose randame prieštaringų nuomonių apie ožio įvaizdį XIX–XX a. papročiuose, tautosakoje, tikėjimuose. Vieniems tyrinėtojams ožys – velnio gyvulys, kitiems jis neatsiejamas nuo baltų dievo Perkūno. Ir vieni, ir kiti dažniausiai remiasi tik vėlyvojo laikotarpio, t. y. XIX–XX a. pr., folkloro tekstais, papročių aprašymais, tikėjimais. Vis dėlto, norint suprasti šio laikotarpio papročiuose, įvairių žanrų tautosakos tekstuose aptinkamų įvaizdžių kilmę ir prasmę, būtina ištirti ankstyvuosius, t. y. XIII–XVII a. pab., rašytinius šaltinius, kurie teikia duomenų apie senąją baltų religiją. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Aukojimas; Ožys; Papročiai; Perkūnas; Ritualas; Tautosaka; Customs; Folklore; Goat; Perkūnas (Thunder); Ritual; Sacrifice.

ENIn the works of mythologists, folklorists and ethnologists we find conflicting opinions about the image of the goat in the 19th–20th-century customs, folklore and beliefs. For some researchers, the goat is the devil’s beast, for others it is inseparable from the Balts’ god Perkūnas (Thunder). Both often base themselves only on the late period, i.e. folklore texts, custom descriptions and beliefs of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th century. However, in order to understand the origin and meaning of the images found in the customs and folklore texts of various genres of this period, it is necessary to investigate the early, i.e. the 13th to the end of the 17th-century written sources that provide data about the ancient Baltic religion. The selected and analyzed written sources of the 13th to the 17th century allow to come to the conclusion that the goat in the 13th–17thcentury rituals is inseparable from Perkūnas. Such a conclusion is possible due to several things: a) the goat during that period was sacrificed to the highest gods (including Perkūnas), to all the gods (including Perkūnas), only to Perkūnas, to the fertility gods that in the sources are identified by euphemisms (Nosolum, Nuosetas,) or do not identified at all; b) by the offerings the people wished for a victory in the battle (?), successful childbirth, crop management, to stave off plague (and other diseases), etc., and the total meaning of all these wishes is every kind of fertility; c) these functions and also all atmospheric phenomena management are attributed to Perkūnas. The conclusion is also supported by the18th century to the beginning of 20th century beliefs, customs, folklore, and even dream interpretations, in which are distinguished parallels between the goat and Perkūnas, but the goat is inseparable from all kinds of fertility. [From the publication]