Latvian Mythology - Fertility Gods

Fertility Gods

Ensuring fertility was an important function that was assigned to number of spirits and deities. Ensuring good harvest was primary function of Jumis. It was thought that he lives in the fields, therefore last of the crop would be left on field for Jumis to live in. This belief was basis of ritual catching of Jumis performed on Miķeļi, which usually was the last day of harvest. This seems to have involved singing songs as last of the grain was reaped asking Jumis to run to wherever crop was stored. Last bit of crop would be searched for Jumis and then tied into knot. Another related practice was to make wreaths of grain cereals, that would be kept until next year when seeds from them would be sown first. It was usually attempted to place Jumis stalks in these wreaths. In this sense Jumis is symbolized by stalks with two ears. Any fruit or flower showing such abnormal duplication was called Jumis. It was believed that eating Jumis would cause woman or female animal to give birth to twins. Ensuring wellbeing of livestock was, however, function of other gods. Ūsiņš who was associated with Jurģi celebration and thus somewhat merged with Saint George. He was worshiped mainly as guardian of horses. It is also thought he might have been god of bees and god of light. Main protector of cows seems to have been Māra. She is also known as lopu Marija (Mary of livestock), Lopu māte (Mother of livestock) and Piena māte (Mother of milk). Her function was to ensure cows give milk. Therefore she is also often mentioned in connection with water, rivers and sea as water symbolized milk, while clay symbolized butter. Historical sources also mention that Latvian pagans would venerate snakes (likely grass snakes) and toads as „milk mother” and feed them with milk.