Prussian Romuva decoded
LTReikšminiai žodžiai: Baltai; Krivis; Krivūlės; Petras Dusburgietis; Prūsijos Romuva; Romuva; Sueigos; Šventos vietos; Assemblies; Balts; Krivis; Peter of Dusburg; Prussian Romuva; Romuva; Sacred sites.
ENThe description of Romuva in the Chronicle of the Prussian Land (Chronicon Terræ Prussiæ) written by Peter of Dusburg in 1326 has been the subject of debate by scholars for decades. There is hardly any work on Baltic religion without at least a reference to the sacred site called Romuva. Researchers have usually focused on one aspect of Romuva, that is, whether it was a real or fictitious temple or what the competence of the chief priest Krivis was, etc. This article probably for the first time presents parallels to Romuva in the region of the Baltic Sea and draws the conclusion that the subject-matter of the Romuva legend cannot have been invented. The institution of assembly (in modern Lithuanian called sueiga) was very well known in the lands of the Prussians and other Balts. There is a strong presumption that the Prussian Romuva actually existed in the thirteenth century. [From the publication]
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