Here is an excerpt from a letter of archbishop Adelgot of Magdeburg written in 1108 and urging a crusade against the Polabian Slavs who were rebelling yet again at that time in Havelburg and Brandenburg. This was a propaganda piece designed to stir up the Franks and co. to attack the Slavs so much of the reporting is likely simply made up but the name of a Slavic (?) Deity that comes up appears genuine.

The fragment’s English translation is from Giles Constable’s “Crusaders and Crusading in the Twelfth Century” (though that itself seems to have come from Vita religiosa im Mittelalter by Kaspar Elm, ‎Franz J. Felten and ‎Nikolas Jaspert). The full letter then follows in Latin. The first time this seems to have been published was in the Frenchmen’s Edmund Martène’s and Ursin Durand’s Veterum Scriptorum Monumentorum Amplissima Collectio, vol 1 (pages 625-627). The 12th century manuscript itself apparently comes from the former Benedictine abbey Grafschaft in Westphalia (a fact which was known already to Brueckner) and via the Grossherzoglisch Hessische Hofbliothek ended up at Darmstadt as HS 749.

Note that Pripegala has no known Slavic etymology/explanation (przypiekala – as in “toasted” seems ridiculous) although Brueckner thinks the name actually is Pribyhvali – merely an epithet of some other God – yet that is based solely on Miklosich and there is no reason to think that the former is really the latter. Frankly, the name sounds Baltic rather than Slavic which, again, should be something to think about. (Even the name of the Pripet river may be Baltic). Compare for example Ppegala with the Prussian Peckols who was mentioned in the Sudovian Book (pieklo meaning a place where burning takes place, that is, in the Christian sense, hell).  Perhaps the northern Slavs were more Baltic than we think.  Or, maybe, this is really not about Slavs after all? They are not, for example, mentioned as Slavs in the letter – rather, the bishop talks of pagans. The references to the Franks as Galls are also interesting. Note too that the dramatics of Adelgot rather than applying to specific events are merely citations to various religious texts (like the Psalms) as was typical  of the writing then.

“…The most cruel heathens, men without mercy, have risen up against us and have prevailed, and glorying in the evil of their inhumanity they have profaned the churches of Christ with idolatry; they have destroyed the altars; and they do not hesitate to perpetrate upon us things that the human mind shrinks from hearing.  They very often rage against our region and, sparing no one, they seize, kill, vanquish, and afflict with exquisite torments.  Some they behead and sacrifice their heads to their evil gods. Of others, after their entrails have been removed, they bind together the cut-off hands and feet, and mocking our Christ they say: ‘Where is their God?’ Some who have been raised on a gibbet, in order to increase their suffering, they allow to prolong a life that is more miserable than any dearth, since while still alive they perceive their own suffering as each limb is cut off, and they are finally miserably eviscerated after the stomach is cut open. They skin many men alive, and disguised by the skin cut off from the head (!) they invade the borders of the Christians, and falsely presenting themselves as Christians they carry away plunder with impunity. Their priests, moreover, whenever they giveth themselves to revealing on the appointed days, say: ‘Our Pripegala demands heads. It is fitting to make sacrifices of this sort. Pripegala, as they say, is Priapus and the shameless Belphegor. Then, when the Christians have been beheaded before the altars of their desecration, they hold basins full of human blood and say, yelling with horrible voices: ‘Let us keep the day of joy. Christ is vanquished; our most victorious Pripegala has triumphed.’ In this way, we ceaselessly either suffer or fear afflictions, since we grieve that they always advance and have good success in all things… and in place of the horrible sound of the heathens before Pripegala a song of joy may be sung there, and in place of the sacrifice from the spilling o Christian blood…”

Adelgo[t]us dei gratia Magadaburgensis archiepiscopus, Albuinus Merseburgensis, Walera[m]us Nuenburgensis, Herewigus Misnensis, Hecil Havelbergensis, Harthrath Brandeburgensis [episcopi], Otto comes, Ludovicus et universi Orientalis Saxonie majores et minores Reginhardo venerabili episcopo Halberstetensi, Erkamberto Corbeiensi abbati, Heinrico Paderbrunnensi, N. Mindensi [episcopis], Friderico archiepiscopo Coloniensi, N. Aquensi, 0[tberto] Leodiensi [episcopo], G[odefrido] Lutaringorum duci, Ruotberto gloriosissimo Flandringensium comiti, Lamberto archidiacono, Buricholdo circumspectissimo preposito et Tanchrado insigni philosopho et omnibus Christi fidelibus, episcopis, abbatibus, monachis, eremitis, reclusis, prepositis, canonicis, clericis, principibus, militibus, ministerialibus, clientibus omnibusque maioribus et minoribus, dilectionem, orationem et in id ipsum salutem. Multimodis paganorum oppressionibus et calamitatibus diutissime oppressi, ad vestram suspiramus misericordiam, quatenus ecclesie matris vestre nobiscum sublevetis ruinam. Insurrexerunt in nos et prevaluerunt crudelissimi gentiles, viri absque misericordia et de inhumanitatis sue gloriantes malitia ecclesias Christi idolatría prophanaverunt, altaría demoliti sunt, et quod humana mens refugit audire, ipsi non abhorrent in nos perpetrare. In nostram regionem sepissime efferantur nullique parcentes rapiunt, cedunt, fundunt et exquisitis tormentis affligunt, quosdam decollant et capita demoniis suis immolant; de quibusdam visceribus extractis manus abscissas et pedes alligant; ubi est, inquiunt, deus eorum? Quosdam in patibulo sublatos permittunt ad maiores cruciatus omni morte miserabiliorem vitam p[ro]trahere, cum vivi aspiciant se per abscissionem singulorum membrorum mortificari et ad ultimum ceso ventro miserabiliter eviscerari; quam plures vivos excoriant, et cute capitis abstracta, hoc modo larvati in christianorum fines erumpunt et se christianos mentientes predas impune abigunt. Phanatici autem illorum, quotiens commessationibus vacare libet, ferus in dictis capita, inquiunt, vult noster P[ri]pegala; huiusmodi fieri oportet sacrificia. Pripegala, ut aiunt, Priapus est et Beelphegor impudicus. Tunc decollatis ante prophanationis sue aras christianis et horrendis vocibus ululantes, agamus, inquiunt, dies letitie! victus est Christus, vicit P[ri]pegala victoriosissimus. Huiusmodi afflictiones sine intermissione vel toleramus vel formidamus, quoniam eos semper progredi et in omnibus ingemiscimus bene prosperari. Itaque, fratres charissimi, totius Saxonie, Francie, Lutaringie, Flandrie episcopi, clerici et monachi, de bonis sumite exemplum et Gallorum imitatores in hoc etiam estote, clamate hoc in ecclesiis, sanctificate ieiunium, vocate coetum, congregate populum, annunciate hoc et auditum facite in omnibus terminis prelationis vestre! Sanctificate bellum, suscítate robustos! Surgite, principes, contra inimicos Christi, arripite clipeos, accingimini filii potentes et venite omnes viri bellatores! Infirmus dicat, quia fortis sum ego, quoniam dominus fortitudo plebis sue et protector salvationum Christi sui est. Erumpite et venite omnes amatores Christi et ecclesie et sicut Galli ad liberationem Ierusalem vos preparate! Hierusalem nostra, ab initio libera, gentilium crudelitate facta est ancilla. Huius muri propter peccata nostra corruerunt. Sed ruina hec sub manu vestra, quatenus lapides pretiosi omnes muri eius et turres Ierusalem gemmis edificentur, platee eius sternantur auro mundo, et pr[о] horrendo sonitu gentilium in conspectu P[ri]pegale cantetur in ea canticum letitie et pro immolatione de christiani sanguinis effusione carnem et sanguinem edant pauperes et saturentur, ut laudetis dominum, qui requiritis eum, vivantque in seculum seculi corda vestra, ut non deficiat de ore vestro alleluia, alleluia! Ad hoc bellum devotas offert manus cum populo suo rex Dacorum et alii principes per circuitum. Ipse etiam rex noster, huius belli auctor, cum omnibus, quos poterit adducere, promptissimus erit adiutor. Sabbato in hebdomada rogationum erit conventos noster Merseburch et ubicumque in Orientali Saxonia opportuna habemus loca. Sanctissimi patres monachi, eremite atque reclusi, optimam partem cum Maria elegistis; sed quia nunc tempus ita exigit, de contemplationis quiete cum Martha surgendum est vobis, quoniam fratribus vestris plurimum turbatis cum Martha admodum necessaria est Maria; vobis loquimur, imo in nobis Christus loquitur vobis: Surge, propera, amica, columba mea, et veni! Flores bone operationis apparuerunt in terra principum nostrorum, tempus putationis advenit idololatrie; vox turturis audita est, quoniam casta mater ecclesia ingemiscit de idololatrie spurcitiis. Nemo accendit lucernam et ponit sub modio, sed super candelabrum, ut, qui ingrediuntur, lumen videant; luceat lux vestra coram hominibus, ut videant opera vestra bona. Surge itaque, sponsa Christi, et veni! Sonet vox tua in auribus Christi fidelium, quatinus omnes ad Christi festinent bellum, Christi militibus veniant in adiutorium! Gentiles isti pessimi sunt; sed terra eorum optima carne, melle,….. farina, avibus et, si excolatur, omnium de terre ubertate proventuum [referta], ita ut nulla ei possit comparari. Sic aiunt illi, quibus nota est. Quapropter, o Saxones, Franci, Lutharingi, Flandrigene famosissimi et domitores mundi, hic poteritis et animas vestras salvifacere et, si ita placet, optimam terram ad inhabitandum acquirere. Qui Gallos ab extremo occidente progressos in brachio virtutis sue contra inimicos suos in remotissimo triumphavit oriente, ipse tribuat vobis voluntatem et potentiam hos affines et inhumanissimos gentiles subiugare et omnibus bene prosperari!

The evidence of Semitic-Indo European contacts is plentiful.  Here is a little brain teaser.

Jerusalem holy city in ancient Palestine comes from the Greek Hierousalem which comes from the Hebrew Yerushalayim. This means literally “foundation of peace,” from base of yarah “he threw, cast” plus shalom “peace.”

Hierapolis, εράπολις – Greek “holy city” – ἱερός ‎(hierós, “holy”) plus‎ πόλις ‎(pólis, “city”).  

As to the “polis” its origins are in the “ancient Greek city-state,” 1894, from Greek polis, ptolis “citadel, fort, city, one’s city; the state, community, citizens,” from PIE *tpolh- “citadel; enclosed space, often on high ground, hilltop” (source also of Sanskrit pur, puram, genitive purah “city, citadel,” Lithuanian pilis “fortress”). So much the Online Etymological Dictionary.

But what of the “hieros“? I hate to resort to the Wiktionary but it is marvelously helpful this time telling us that the word comes from “Proto-Indo-European *ish₁ros. There are a number of candidate cognates with this word. Compare Sanskrit इषिर (iṣirá) and Oscan 𐌀𐌉𐌔𐌖𐌔𐌉𐌔 (aisusis).”

How about other languages?

Well, we know, strangely enough, the Gothic spelling of Hierapolis. It is Yairupulai:

If the ancient Jews did not call this city a “holy” city, why would the Greeks have?  There are several possibilities, of course.

source of the above Gothic version – translation

An immediately more interesting observation for us is that the Gothic version of the Greek holy becomes Yairu. Yet the Goths, as all Germanic language speakers, were certainly aware of and capable of pronouncing the letter “H”. And so we come to this:

“year (n.) Old English gear (West Saxon), ger (Anglian) “year,” from Proto-Germanic *jeram “year” (source also of Old Saxon, Old High German jar, Old Norse ar, Danish aar, Old Frisian ger, Dutch jaar, German Jahr, Gothic jer “year”), from PIE *yer-o-, from root *yer- “year, season” (source also of Avestan yare (nominative singular) “year;” Greek hora “year, season, any part of a year,” also “any part of a day, hour;” Old Church Slavonic jaru, Bohemian jaro “spring;” Latin hornus “of this year;” Old Persian dušiyaram “famine,” literally “bad year”). Probably originally “that which makes [a complete cycle],” and from verbal root *ei- meaning “to do, make.”

Note too that the Gothic above is listed as jer not Yairu.

Or recall Jericho for that matter.

As regards Jerusalem, it has also been suggested that the name comes from the Canaanite god Shalim who was the god of the setting sun – Shahar being the god of the rising sun. The name may have been Urusalim – in which case it would mean the foundation of Shalim – perhaps the word shalom came to mean peace because of the association with the setting Sun. Shahar is also interesting as similar to Oster/Osiris/Ashur.

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A few interesting ethnographic pieces on the life of the Slavs (or life in Slavic lands) are also found in the work of Eliezer ben Nathan of Mainz (1090–1170).  Here is the entire set from the “Hebrew Sources…” compilation by Franciszek Kupfer/Tadeusz Lewicki with translation of those relevant to the Slavs.

“And so during my stay in the land of Canaan I saw how they they brewed mead to be used in the Pesach.*”

* It’s not clear whether he suggests that this was mead used by local Jews at Passover or whether this was mead used by Slavs.  If by Slavs then the question has to be posed whether this was an element of Christian Easter or of pre-Christian Easter.

“Sibta [is] an evil spirit. When a woman comes from the river or from the privy,* or returns but does not wash hands and then gives her child bread or milk or breastfeeds it, not having washes hands, then an evil spirit comes, which is called sibta and harms children, bends and breaks their backbone. And this disease they call in the language of the foreign nation *t s r n i j d u s i and there is no treatment for it, except perhaps by burning with fire.”

* given the context, presumably by coming “from the river” the author meant someone who went to a stream/river for purposes of urination/defecation.

“But the people of Ruthenia and in the land of Iauan* are surely very pious, for they make heathen signs on their gates and on the doors of their dwellings and on the walls of their dwellings.”

* The editors think this means the Byzantines but that is not at all clear. The custom of leaving protective signs/etchings on the doors or on ceilings/walls was and even today continues to be present in Slavic lands.

“This is also applicable to women wearing broad dresses, for that is the custom of their women, similar to how to this day even the women of the land of Canaan dress up.”

“They were used to drinking in little glasses and each would drink up his glass, just as it is a custom  among the people of Ruthenia.”

“[Shoes] ‘adelarin, which are not forbidden by kela’im, just as they do it in the country of Iauan. In Kiev I saw those that do not have any leather on the top but have [leather] at the sole and some leather also around the toes, with the width [of the leather strap?] of one toe. They also place a felt inside [the shoe], under the sole. And the felt is hard and it is not possible to pull out a thread/fiber from it.”

Itran is a substance which in the language of the Czechs is called d i g t.”

Auguries from twig tossing have a long history. An interesting fragment regarding such practices is found in Kupfer/Lewicki coming from Moses ben Jacob of Coucy’s (Moses Mikkotsi)  Sefer Mitzvot Gadol (ספר מצוות גדול) – a 1247 or so discussion of the 613 commandments.

“It happens that those undertaking a journey rely on the guidance of twigs before setting out. They take a twig and tear off the bark from one side of it it, leaving the bark untouched on the other. Then [he] takes the twig and tosses it from [his] hand. If after it falls, the bark lands topside [he] says ‘that is a man’. Next he throws another twig. If the side stripped of bark, white, lands topside, [he] says: ‘that is a woman.’ A ‘man’ followed by a ‘woman’ represents a good sign. So [he] takes the journey or undertakes whatever other labour he intended. If the bark less side comes up first and then the bark, [he]s says; ‘First ‘woman’ and then a ‘man’, so the [undertaking] won’t be successful.’ If the bark lands twice topside or if [instead] twice the white, debarked side comes up, that is a ‘man’ after a ‘man’ or a ‘woman’ after a ‘woman,’ then the expected result will prove mediocre. They then take on the planned matter. They do this in the land of Esklavonia.”

As the editors point out, Saxo reports on these too among the Polabian Slavs on Ruegen and similar practices were known to Germans as per Tacitus (Virgam frugiferae arbori decisam…), Lithuanians (they cite Moszynski), Finns (E. Lenquist), Scythians (Herodotus) or Alans (Ammianus).

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