Veronese Design - Perun, the Slavic God of Thunder Veronese Design

Perun – Perunu or Peroen, Polish: Pierun – is one of the most important gods in Slavic mythology. Perun was primarily a god of thunder. It is said that, until around the 10th century, there was a statue of this god in Kiev with a silver head and a golden moustache.

Perun may originally have been a god of agriculture. Under the influence of other Indo-European peoples, particularly the Vikings – who were part of the Germanic peoples and who, in the 8th and 9th centuries, raided what would later become the Kievan Rus’ as the Varangians – the worship of Perun was greatly influenced by the Vikings’ cult of Thor. Perun was also invoked in times of drought to bring rain. To this end, naked maidens adorned with flowers would dance in a circle within a magical circle, whilst being induced into a trance through the consumption of alcoholic drinks or other mind-altering substances.

In the 10th century, his worship was abolished by King Vladimir of Kiev, who converted to Christianity. Certain customs associated with the cult of Perun were retained in a Christian form, now in honour of the prophet Elijah.