User:Matt Heard/Latvian mythology/Source mining/Marija Gimbutas - The Balts - Chapter 8

Mined from Marija Gimbutas - The Balts - Chapter 8

Introduction

 * 1) Baltic pagan religions practices included:
 * 2) cremation rites;
 * 3) the belief in reincarnation;
 * 4) the veneration of holy groves, trees, fields, waters and fire;
 * 5) the existence of many gods and spirits; and
 * 6) bloody sacrificial offerings and soothsayings.
 * 7) While bringing Christianity to Prussia and Latvia, the Teutonic Order were more effective politically than spiritually.
 * 8) Prussian and Latvian paganism lasted until the 17th century, despite all pagan rites and customs being forbidden since the 13th century.
 * 9) Prussian and Latvian villagers officially accepted baptism in the 13th century.
 * 10) Lithuania joined the Christian church in 1387.
 * 11) In 1387, the Lithuanian Grand Duke was Jogaila, son of Algirdas.
 * 12) In 1387, Jogaila married Polish princess Jadwiga and became king of Poland.
 * 13) After 1387, the villages retained their old religion for centuries longer than the cities and palaces of nobility.
 * 14) Lithuanian and Latvian folklore and folk art are useful for the reconstruction of the Proto-Indo-European language.
 * 15) Elements of Lithuanian and Latvian folklore and folk art appear to date back to the Iron Age and some elements appear to date several millennia earlier.
 * 16) Folklore is the main source for reconstructing the ancient Baltic religion.
 * 17) Gimbutas appears to refer to "the ancient Baltic religion" as a singular religion.

"Domos Sacros," "Sacras Villas" and "Sancti Viri"

 * 1) Like all northern European architecture, Baltic architecture was entirely wooden.

Notes by Xil

 * There is a sub-chapter on sacred villages, but I haven't hear about such being found in Latvia
 * In "The Dead" it mentions Curonians, one of tribes living in what is now Latvia
 * Discusses the Aesti, which she says is Prussians, but, depending on whom you ask, it can refer to any ethnic group from Baltic States
 * Then up to page 189 seems irrelevant (although it mentions Latvians also killing family members of the dead - never hear anything like it elsewhere)
 * Then from there it goes on to discuss variety of deities - seems there is a distinction between Latvian and Lithuanian terms, but still to be safe this probably should only be used to confirm what's allready in the article, not to expand it