Roman Zaroff
PhD, Medieval History, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
B.A. Archaelogy, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
B.A. Honours, 1st Class, Medieval History, UQ, Brisbane, Australia
B.A. Medieval History, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Born in Warsaw, Poland, on 7th of September 1954
Fluent in: English, Polish and Russian
Working Knowledge: German, Latin, Old Church Slavonic
Can make sense out of any Slavic lingo
Address: Somewhere in Box Hill, Vic., 3128, Australia
B.A. Archaelogy, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia
B.A. Honours, 1st Class, Medieval History, UQ, Brisbane, Australia
B.A. Medieval History, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Born in Warsaw, Poland, on 7th of September 1954
Fluent in: English, Polish and Russian
Working Knowledge: German, Latin, Old Church Slavonic
Can make sense out of any Slavic lingo
Address: Somewhere in Box Hill, Vic., 3128, Australia
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The thesis not explore a single issue, and as it follows Emil Durkheim’s notion of social basis of religion, it analyses not only political but also religious developments. One of the major findings of the research is that, despite the strong influence of and extensive contacts with Western Christendom, Polabian religion remained basically Slavic in character, and there were not significant borrowings. Nonetheless, Christianity provided ready models for organized cults, a formal priesthood and temples. The research demonstrates that from various early and common Slavic deities new syncretic gods and cults emerged, comprising features and functions from numerous deities. At the same time certain tribal deities emerged as dominant ones and Polabian beliefs underwent a transformation into a clearly defined henotheistic religion.
A certain uniformisation of these Polabian deities was also observed. Various, originally different tribal gods with different functions evolved into deities that shared many functions, rituals and characteristics. In reality although their names differed they turned functionally into practically the same deities. The findings challenge common assumption of the origin of Polabian deities. In particular, they show that Polabian gods were not Perun (allegedly a war god) disguised under a different name, and that Perun was not originally a war deity but rather an atmospheric god. The research shows that gods like Sventovit of Rügen and Yarovit at Wolgast and Havelberg were initially agricultural Slavic deities, who in the course of the time amalgamated other functions and characteristics. As war dominated the last centuries of the Polabian independence, all these gods evolved into clearly martial deities.
In the political sphere the research demonstrates that under strong external pressure many Polabian Slavs organized themselves into larger, supra-tribal political entities. In some areas a city emporium such as Wolin, Szczecin or Wolgast emerged. They were characterized by the dominant role of craftwork and commerce in their economy and relatively small size. Generally all north-eastern Polabian political entities developed a peculiar political system. They retained in most cases the old institution of a tribal assembly, called in Slavic veche, despite emerging local elites and upper class. One of the unique characteristics of their political system was the very prominent role of the pagan priesthood. Nowhere did this system become a true theocracy but at least on Rügen island the pagan priests were a dominant political force, and in fact they were the real rulers of the principality. This finding challenges the commonly accepted notion that the north-eastern Polabian priesthood played a much less prominent role and was the same footing the tribal assembly and local elite or "princes".
Basically, the article researches two major elements in the germanization of these territories: colonization by German settlers and germanization of the local Slavic population. It focuses on the political and social aspects of the process during the course of almost one millenium. It explains the mechanisms, modes and forces that caused the loss of Slavic identity on this territory. It also includes a detailed case study for the region of Thuringia. It concludes that a major factor in the germanization of the area was the assimilation of the Slavic population with colonization playing a significantly lesser role. This is a finding contrary to the common assumption widely accepted even among scholars.
The thesis not explore a single issue, and as it follows Emil Durkheim’s notion of social basis of religion, it analyses not only political but also religious developments. One of the major findings of the research is that, despite the strong influence of and extensive contacts with Western Christendom, Polabian religion remained basically Slavic in character, and there were not significant borrowings. Nonetheless, Christianity provided ready models for organized cults, a formal priesthood and temples. The research demonstrates that from various early and common Slavic deities new syncretic gods and cults emerged, comprising features and functions from numerous deities. At the same time certain tribal deities emerged as dominant ones and Polabian beliefs underwent a transformation into a clearly defined henotheistic religion.
A certain uniformisation of these Polabian deities was also observed. Various, originally different tribal gods with different functions evolved into deities that shared many functions, rituals and characteristics. In reality although their names differed they turned functionally into practically the same deities. The findings challenge common assumption of the origin of Polabian deities. In particular, they show that Polabian gods were not Perun (allegedly a war god) disguised under a different name, and that Perun was not originally a war deity but rather an atmospheric god. The research shows that gods like Sventovit of Rügen and Yarovit at Wolgast and Havelberg were initially agricultural Slavic deities, who in the course of the time amalgamated other functions and characteristics. As war dominated the last centuries of the Polabian independence, all these gods evolved into clearly martial deities.
In the political sphere the research demonstrates that under strong external pressure many Polabian Slavs organized themselves into larger, supra-tribal political entities. In some areas a city emporium such as Wolin, Szczecin or Wolgast emerged. They were characterized by the dominant role of craftwork and commerce in their economy and relatively small size. Generally all north-eastern Polabian political entities developed a peculiar political system. They retained in most cases the old institution of a tribal assembly, called in Slavic veche, despite emerging local elites and upper class. One of the unique characteristics of their political system was the very prominent role of the pagan priesthood. Nowhere did this system become a true theocracy but at least on Rügen island the pagan priests were a dominant political force, and in fact they were the real rulers of the principality. This finding challenges the commonly accepted notion that the north-eastern Polabian priesthood played a much less prominent role and was the same footing the tribal assembly and local elite or "princes".
Basically, the article researches two major elements in the germanization of these territories: colonization by German settlers and germanization of the local Slavic population. It focuses on the political and social aspects of the process during the course of almost one millenium. It explains the mechanisms, modes and forces that caused the loss of Slavic identity on this territory. It also includes a detailed case study for the region of Thuringia. It concludes that a major factor in the germanization of the area was the assimilation of the Slavic population with colonization playing a significantly lesser role. This is a finding contrary to the common assumption widely accepted even among scholars.