Dievų pėdos

LTVisi esame matę ir su nuostaba apžiūrinėję kokių nors pėdos žymę akmenyje. Atpažįstame jas kaip žmogaus ar gyvūno paliktus pėdsakus, bet įspūdis, kad visoje Lietuvoje yra nesuskaičiuojama daugybė tokių akmenų, klaidingas. Pėduotieji akmenys yra reti ir brangūs baltų religijos ir mitologijos paminklai — dievų buvimų liudijančios ir, svarbiausia, įvaizdinančios šventvietės. Per pastaruosius metus nežinomų akmenų su pėdomis Akmenės krašte rado kraštotyrininkas Egidijus Jaraminas, naujų vertingų žinių surinkta įvairiose Aukštaitijos vietovėse. Po ilgos pertraukos sugrįžtu prie šios temos ir su „Būdo“ žurnalo skaitytojais dalijuosi naujausiais atradimais. Straipsnyje aprašoma akmenų su pėdomis vieta kraštovaizdyje, tikslinama jų mitologinė reikšmė, pirmų kartų plačiau pasakoju apie tai, kuriuos baltų dievus ir deives pakeitė krikščioniški akmenyse įmintų pėdų vardai; šiandien jau daug aiškesnis prie pėduotųjų akmenų vykusių apeigų pobūdis ir prasmė. [Iš leidinio]Reikšminiai žodžiai: Akmenys su ženklais; Dievų pėdos; Baltų šventvietės; Baltų mitologija; Krikščionybės ženklai; Apeigos. Keywords: Footprint stones; Footprints of Gods; Holy places of Balts; Baltic mythology; Signs of Christianity; Rites.

ENThis article summarises the data collected over nearly three decades on about 231 footprint stones in 32 of the 60 municipalities in Lithuania; four dozen footprint stones are today stored as objects of archaeological and/or mythological value. The article describes the location of footprint stones in the landscape, refines their mythological meaning, and draws a picture of the rites that took place near the footprint stones. The conclusion is that footprint stones rarely belong to the complexes of mythological and archaeological sites, basically they are independent, significant holy places for the Balts. Their connection with water, usually swamps, streams, and springs, the size and shape of the footprints leads to the idea that the footprints are left in stones by deities and/or beings of the lower world - on earth and under the water. From the abundance of footprints believed to come from God, the Virgin Mary, Christ, the evil spirit the Devil, there are a few with the footprint of Laumė or Witch. In Lithuanian folklore and also in the legends about footprint stones, Laumė has no husband, is depicted with a child Laumiukas, which corresponds to the structure of the Christian Mary and the baby Jesus. Therefore, the footprint stones called by Marys name are to be regarded as the footsteps of the goddess of the earth, known to us in the name of Laumė. The fact that Laumė herself may appear as a mare, a goat, a swan, or a hen, and her children were depicted as being crooked and limping, suggests that at least part of the animal footprint stones can also be associated with Laumė.Footprint stones are also reminiscent of the journeys of gods and ghosts using their paths from one world to another. However, footprint stones are not just mythological monuments. They were the locations of religious ceremonies that do not leave more prominent archaeological markers: the stones are touched by peoples lips, fingers dampened with rain or dew water in the stones hollows. In addition, the footprint stones are decorated with flowers, the stones moss and even small broken-off pieces were taken home. In essence, the image of Laumė, a forest and water deity, which has the features of the earths fertility goddess, is in harmony with the nature of the rites performed at the footprint stones. The universally known sacrifice of flowers in these sanctuaries can be seen as gratitude to the deity for growth and abundance; in praying for health and vital powers, people used holy water gathered in footprint stones, would stand and sit on the stones, and the fact that herbs were sanctified here and carried home are important. [From the publication]