This article is about Lithuanian deity. For place in Tunisia, see Medeina (Tunisia).
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Medeina or Medeinė (from Lithuanian: medis – "tree" or medė – "forest"),[1] often treated as synonymous to Žvorūnė or Žvorūna (derived from žvėris – "beast"), is one of the main deities in the Lithuanian mythology, and is similar to Latvian Meža māte (Forest Mother).[2] She is a ruler of forests, trees and animals. Her sacred animal is a hare.[1]
A Slavic transcription of John Malalas' Chronicle (dated 1261) mentioned Žvorūna and three other gods. The Hypatian Codex, describing events of 1252, mentioned pagan gods still worshiped by King Mindaugas.[1] The Codex mentioned Medeina and an unnamed hare goddess. It is unclear whether Medeina is the name of hare goddess mentioned in the Codex or whether the two are independent deities.[3] As part of the official pantheon, Medeina represented military interest of warriors and later was replaced by Žemyna, goddess of earth representing agricultural interest of peasants.[4] In the 15th century, Jan Długosz compared Medeina with Roman goddess Diana. She was also mentioned by Jan Łasicki, Mikalojus Daukša, and in the Bychowiec Chronicle.[2]
According to research by Algirdas Julius Greimas, Medeina is single, unwilling to get married, though voluptuous and beautiful huntress.[5] She is depicted as a young woman and a she-wolf (cf. vilkmergė) with an escort of wolves. According to the author, Medeina can be described as a goddess with both divine and demonic traits. Her duty is not to help the hunters, but to protect the forest.[5] Vykintas Vaitkevičius identified five Hare Churches (sacred stones, hills, forests) and ten Wolf-footprints (stones with hollows that resemble a footprint) in Eastern Lithuania (former Duchy of Lithuania) that were related to the cult of Medeina.[5] After baptism of Lithuania, the cult diminished.
Medeina was related and similar to Greek Artemis and Roman Diana and in fact was sometimes called Diana.[1]
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Medeina or Medeinė (from Lithuanian: medis – "tree" or medė – "forest"), often treated as synonymous to Žvorūnė or Žvorūna (derived from žvėris – "beast")...
her zoomorphic shape is female dog. Medeina (Medeinė) is another euphemism of the hunting and forest goddess. Medeina also was mentioned in the 16th century...
Winds"); Meža mate ("Mother of the Forest"; counterpart to Lithuanian Medeina), protectress of wild life; Miglas mate ("Mother of the Fog") and Lietus...
mythology. Ukulan, the god of water in Turkic mythology, also known as Su Ata. Medeina, Lithuanian goddess of forests, trees, and animals Zemes māte, goddess...
level, 225 kilometers southwest of Tunis. Near the village known today as Medeina, 9 km to the southwest, is the archaeological site of Althiburos an ancient...
Žvorūnė) – is the goddess of hunting and forest animals. Medeina is the name in other sources. Medeina – the goddess of forest and hunting. Researchers suggests...
435,2, is in the Vorderasiatisches Museum Berlin. The Altiburus (Henchir Medeina) inscription, KAI 159, NSI 55 and NE 437a, is in the Louvre (AO 5106)....
"Husbandry practices and livestock dung at the Numidian site of Althiburos (el Médéina, Kef Governorate, northern Tunisia): the phytolith and spherulite evidence"...
Tamar on the Ouartane Plateau about 9 km (5.6 mi) southwest of the town of Medeina. In antiquity, it was part of the border of Numidia at the confluence of...
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