82-603: Bardha (English: 'the white one' ) is an Albanian mythological figure , appearing either as a zana (nymph) or as an ora ( Fate goddess) associated with good luck. The inhabitants of the Dukagjini Mountains believed that three types of Ora ( Fate goddesses) existed: "e Bardha (The White One) distributes good luck and wishes humans well, e Verdha (The Yellow One) distributes bad luck and casts evil spells, and e Zeza (The Black One) who decides death". According to old folklore that thinks of them as nymph-like creatures,
164-621: A Sun cult and the persistence of Sun motifs into the Roman period and later are considered to have been the product of the Illyrian culture. In Christian iconography the symbol of the Sun is associated with immortality and a right to rule. The pagan cult of the Sun was almost identical to the Christian cult in the first centuries of Christianity. Varieties of the symbols of the Sun that Christian orders brought in
246-414: A marine layer , an indication of a stable atmosphere. Rainy conditions are preceded by wind or clouds which prevent fog formation. The approach of a line of thunderstorms could indicate the approach of a cold front . Cloud-free skies are indicative of fair weather for the near future. The use of sky cover in weather prediction has led to various weather lore over the centuries. Within 36 hours of
328-438: A bardha is similar to zana e malit . In order to appease them one distributes sugar or leaves cakes on the ground. In Albanian popular belief they are pale, nebulous figures who dwell under the earth. This article relating to a European folklore is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Albanian mythology Albanian paganism comprises the pagan customs , beliefs , rituals , myths and legends of
410-871: A bright future play a central role in Albanian tales. Albanian traditions have been handed down orally across generations . They have been preserved through traditional memory systems that have survived intact into modern times in Albania, a phenomenon that is explained by the lack of state formation among Albanians and their ancestors – the Illyrians , being able to preserve their "tribally" organized society . This distinguished them from civilizations such as Ancient Egypt , Minoans and Mycenaeans , who underwent state formation and disrupted their traditional memory practices. Albanian traditional practices, beliefs, myths and legends have been sporadically described in written sources since
492-527: A green spot is visible above the Sun, usually for no more than a second or two, or it may resemble a green ray shooting up from the sunset point. Green flashes are a group of phenomena that stem from different causes, most of which occur when there is a temperature inversion (when the temperature increases with altitude rather than the normal decrease in temperature with altitude). Green flashes may be observed from any altitude (even from an aircraft). They are usually seen above an unobstructed horizon, such as over
574-681: A large extent, of native origin, which leads to the conclusion that the Christianisation of the Albanians occurred under the Latin-based liturgy and ecclesiastical order of the Holy See . Also according to Church documents, the territories that coincide with the present-day Albanian-speaking compact area had remained under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome and used Latin as official language at least until
656-506: A mostly dark surface or region spangled with stars. The Sun and sometimes the Moon are visible in the daytime sky unless obscured by clouds . At night, the Moon, planets, and stars are similarly visible in the sky. Some of the natural phenomena seen in the sky are clouds, rainbows , and aurorae . Lightning and precipitation are also visible in the sky. Certain birds and insects, as well as human inventions like aircraft and kites , can fly in
738-597: A perspective from the Earth's surface; however, the meaning and usage can vary. An observer on the surface of the Earth can see a small part of the sky, which resembles a dome (sometimes called the sky bowl ) appearing flatter during the day than at night . In some cases, such as in discussing the weather, the sky refers to only the lower, denser layers of the atmosphere. The daytime sky appears blue because air molecules scatter shorter wavelengths of sunlight more than longer ones (redder light). The night sky appears to be
820-472: A place between the ground and outer space, thus distinct from outer space. In the field of astronomy , the sky is also called the celestial sphere . This is an abstract sphere, concentric to the Earth, on which the Sun , Moon , planets , and stars appear to be drifting . The celestial sphere is conventionally divided into designated areas called constellations . Usually, the term sky informally refers to
902-437: A set of colored rings . If a cloud is thick enough, scattering from multiple water droplets will wash out the set of colored rings and create a washed-out white color. The sky can turn a multitude of colors such as red, orange, purple, and yellow (especially near sunset or sunrise) when the light must travel a much longer path (or optical depth ) through the atmosphere. Scattering effects also partially polarize light from
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#1732855484937984-433: A special place. The Fire – Zjarri, evidently also called with the theonym Enji – is deified in Albanian tradition as releaser of light and heat with the power to ward off darkness and evil , affect cosmic phenomena and give strength to the Sun, and as sustainer of the continuity between life and afterlife and between the generations , ensuring the survival of the lineage ( fis or farë ). To spit into Fire
1066-514: A tradition shared with early Greece , classical India , early medieval England , medieval Germany and South Slavs. Albanian folk beliefs and mythology also retained the typical Indo-European tradition of the deities located on the highest and most inaccessible mountains ( Mount Tomor ). Albanian paganism retained the Indo-European sky , lightning and weather deities ( Zojz , Shurdh , Verbt ), Sun and Moon deities ( Dielli and Hëna ),
1148-400: A vehicle for the expression of Crypto-Christian , Christian and pre-Christian pagan beliefs and rituals. Bektashism is a Muslim dervish order ( tariqat ) thought to have originated in the 13th century in a frontier region of Anatolia , where Christianity, Islam and paganism coexisted, allowing the incorporation of comparable pagan and non-Muslim beliefs into popular Islam. It facilitated
1230-570: Is metamorphosis : men morph into deer , wolves , and owls , while women morph into stoats , cuckoos , and turtles. Resulted from the Albanian tribal culture and folklore and permeated by Albanian pagan beliefs and ancient mythology, the Kângë Kreshnikësh ("Songs of Heroes") constitute the most important legendary cycle of the Albanian epic poetry , based on the hero cult. Hero's bravery and self-sacrifice, as well as love of life and hope for
1312-460: Is taboo . The divine power of Fire is used for the hearth and the rituals , including calendar fires, sacrificial offerings , divination , purification , and protection from big storms and other potentially harmful events. Fire worship and rituals are associated with the cult of the Sun, the cult of the hearth ( vatër ) and the ancestor , and the cult of fertility in agriculture and animal husbandry . Ritual calendar fires are associated with
1394-423: Is common, with sudden increases in wind accompanied by rain showers or thunderstorms. Within six hours of the center's arrival, rain becomes continuous. Within an hour of the center, the rain becomes very heavy and the highest winds within the tropical cyclone are experienced. When the center arrives with a strong tropical cyclone, weather conditions improve and the sun becomes visible as the eye moves overhead. Once
1476-617: Is considered to be one of the sources from which Albanian mythology and folklore evolved, reflecting a number of parallels with Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies. Albanian legend also shows similarities with neighbouring Indo-European traditions, such as the oral epics with the South Slavs and the folk tales of the Greeks . Albanian mythology inherited the Indo-European narrative epic genre about past warriors ( Kângë Kreshnikësh ),
1558-569: Is greater in the directions both toward and away from the source of light than it is in directions perpendicular to the incident path. Scattering is significant for light at all visible wavelengths, but is stronger at the shorter (bluer) end of the visible spectrum , meaning that the scattered light is bluer than its source: the Sun . The remaining direct sunlight, having lost some of its shorter-wavelength components, appears slightly less blue. Scattering also occurs even more strongly in clouds. Individual water droplets refract white light into
1640-401: Is invoked in Albanian solemn oaths ( be ), and information about everything that happens on Earth is asked to the all-seeing Sun in ritual songs. The Fire – Zjarri – is deified as releaser of light and heat with the power to ward off darkness and evil , affect cosmic phenomena and give strength to the Sun, and as sustainer of the continuity between life and afterlife and between
1722-500: Is the Moon, where no atmospheric scattering occurs, making the lunar sky black even when the Sun is visible. Sky luminance distribution models have been recommended by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) for the design of daylighting schemes. Recent developments relate to "all sky models" for modelling sky luminance under weather conditions ranging from clear to overcast. The brightness and color of
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#17328554849371804-497: The Kângë Kreshnikësh . Nevertheless, the Albanian belief system has preserved also the importance of the cult of the earth, Dheu . The Albanian sky and lightning god, Zojz , is considered to have been worshiped by Illyrians in ancient times. Albanian Zojz is the clear equivalent and cognate of Messapic Zis and Ancient Greek Zeus , the continuations of the Proto-Indo-European *Di̯ḗu̯s 'sky god'. In
1886-417: The Albanian people . The elements of Albanian mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan. Ancient paganism persisted among Albanians, and especially within the inaccessible and deep interior – where Albanian folklore evolved over the centuries in a relatively isolated tribal culture and society – it has continued to persist, or at most it was partially transformed by
1968-751: The Arbëreshë in Italy and the Arvanites in Greece , and the Arbanasi in Croatia . Either in pagan - polytheistic or monotheistic contexts, the supreme entity in Albanian is referred to as Zojz(-i) /Zot(-i) , Perëndi (-a) , or Hy(-u)/Hyj(-i) , always associated with the sky and light . In Albanian the god who rules the sky is referred to as i Bukuri i Qiellit ("the Beauty of
2050-423: The Arvanites in Greece , and the Arbanasi in Croatia . The old beliefs in sun and moon , light and darkness , sky and earth , fire and hearth , water and springs , death and rebirth , birds and serpents , mountains , stones and caves , sacrifice , and fate are some of the pagan beliefs among Albanians. The Fire ( Zjarri ) rituals and the Sun ( Dielli ) and Moon ( Hëna ) worship are
2132-407: The ancestor worship , animism and totemism , which have been preserved since pre-Christian times. Albanian traditions have been orally transmitted – through memory systems that have survived intact into modern times – down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of Albania , Kosovo and western North Macedonia , as well as among the Arbëreshë in Italy and
2214-409: The astronomical twilight , defined as the period between −12° and −18°. When the Sun drops more than 18° below the horizon, the sky generally attains its minimum brightness. Several sources can be identified as the source of the intrinsic brightness of the sky, namely airglow , indirect scattering of sunlight, scattering of starlight , and artificial light pollution . The term night sky refers to
2296-499: The dawn goddess ( Prende/Afërdita ), fire rituals and deities and the hearth cult ( Enji/Zjarri , Nëna e Vatrës , Vatër ), the Fates and Destiny goddesses ( Zana , Ora , Fatí , Mira ), aspects of the earth worship ( Dhé ) and of the Divine twins ( Muji and Halili ), as well as the "serpent-slaying" and "fire in water" myths ( Drangue and Kulshedra ), the "Daughter of
2378-461: The generations . The primeval religiosity of the Albanian mountains is expressed by a supreme deity who is the god of the universe and who is conceived through the belief in the fantastic and supernatural entities, resulting in an extremely structured imaginative creation. The components of Nature are animated and personified deities , so in Albanian folk beliefs and mythology the Sky ( Qielli ) with
2460-475: The observing site permit a clear view of the horizon, the shadow's fringe appears as a dark or dull bluish band just above the horizon, in the low part of the sky opposite of the (setting or rising) Sun's direction. A related phenomenon is the Belt of Venus (or antitwilight arch), a pinkish band that is visible above the bluish band of Earth's shadow in the same part of the sky. No defined line divides Earth's shadow and
2542-668: The 15th century CE, but the systematic collection of Albanian customs and folklore material began only in the 19th century. Pontic Steppe Caucasus East Asia Eastern Europe Northern Europe Pontic Steppe Northern/Eastern Steppe Europe South Asia Steppe Europe Caucasus India Indo-Aryans Iranians East Asia Europe East Asia Europe Indo-Aryan Iranian Indo-Aryan Iranian Others European The elements of Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan . Ancient Illyrian religion
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2624-528: The Albanian lamentation of the dead— gjâmë —appear on Dardanian funerary stelae of classical antiquity . In the context of religious perceptions, historical sources confirm the relations between the Greco-Roman religious ethics and the Albanian customary laws . These relations can be seen during the rule of the Illyrian emperors , such as Aurelian who introduced the cult of the Sun ; Diocletian who stabilized
2706-578: The Albanians are firstly mentioned as worshippers of the Sun and the Moon . British poet Lord Byron (1788–1824), describing the Albanian religious belief, reported that "The Greeks hardly regard them as Christians, or the Turks as Muslims; and in fact they are a mixture of both, and sometimes neither." In Ottoman times education in the Albanian language was forbidden. The folk storytellers have played an important role in preserving Albanian folklore. The lack of schools
2788-482: The Belt of Venus; one colored band fades into the other in the sky. Twilight is divided into three stages according to the Sun's depth below the horizon, measured in segments of 6°. After sunset, the civil twilight sets in; it ends when the Sun drops more than 6° below the horizon. This is followed by the nautical twilight , when the Sun is between 6° and 12° below the horizon (depth between −6° and −12°), after which comes
2870-770: The Byzantine Emperor Leo III the Isaurian . In 726 Leo III established de jure the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople over the Balkans, as the Church and the State established an institution. The Eastern Church expanded its influence in the area along with the social and political developments. Between the 7th and 12th centuries a powerful network of cult institutions were revived completely covering
2952-563: The Christian, Muslim and Marxist beliefs that were either to be introduced by choice or imposed by force. The Albanian traditional customary law ( Kanun ) has held a sacred – although secular – longstanding, unwavering and unchallenged authority with a cross-religious effectiveness over the Albanians, which is attributed to an earlier pagan code common to all the Albanian tribes . Indeed, the Kanun contains several customary concepts that clearly have their origins in pagan beliefs, including in particular
3034-524: The Church as a cult institution in the region took a considerable amount of time. The Balkans were brought back into the Christian orbit only after the recovery of the Byzantine Empire and through the activity of Byzantine missionaries. The earliest church vocabulary of Middle Greek origin in Albanian dates to the 8th–9th centuries, at the time of the Byzantine Iconoclasm , which was started by
3116-545: The Indo-European sky and lighning deity have been preserved by Albanians until the 20th century, and in some forms still continue today. Early evidence of the celestial cult in Illyria is provided by 6th century BCE plaques from Lake Shkodra , which belonged to the Illyrian tribal area of what was referred in historical sources to as the Labeatae in later times. Each of those plaques portray simultaneously sacred representations of
3198-594: The Sky"), a phrase that is used in pagan contexts for the Sun ( Dielli ), worshiped as the god of light , sky and weather , giver of life, health and energy, and all-seeing eye. As the wide set of cultic traditions dedicated to him indicates, the Albanian Sun-god appears to be an expression of the Proto-Indo-European Sky-god ( Zot or Zojz in Albanian). The Sun, referred to as "the all-seeing (big) eye"
3280-573: The Sun and Moon" legend ( E Bija e Hënës dhe e Diellit ), and the guard of the gates of the Underworld (the three-headed dog who never sleeps). The absence of any single and specific theonymic root for the "earth" in the various branches of the Indo-European language family , might be due to the predominance held by earth mother goddess cults already extant and profoundly rooted among Pre-Indo-European -speaking peoples encountered by incoming Indo-European -speaking peoples. The confrontation between
3362-438: The air mass nears infinity, scattered daylight appears whiter and whiter. Apart from the Sun, distant clouds or snowy mountaintops may appear yellow. The effect is not very obvious on clear days, but is very pronounced when clouds cover the line of sight, reducing the blue hue from scattered sunlight. At higher altitudes, the sky tends toward darker colors since scattering is reduced due to lower air density . An extreme example
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3444-404: The amount of ambient lighting. With the advent of artificial light sources, however, light pollution has been a growing problem for viewing the night sky. Special filters and modifications to light fixtures can help to alleviate this problem, but for the best views, both professional and amateur optical astronomers seek viewing sites located far from major urban areas. Along with pressure tendency,
3526-449: The animal totem of all Albanians, associated with the Sky, freedom and heroism. A widespread folk symbol is the serpent ( Gjarpër, Vitore, etc. ), a totem of the Albanians associated with earth , water , sun , hearth and ancestor cults, as well as destiny , good fortune and fertility . The sun, the moon, the star, the eagle (bird), the serpent, and the bee, often appear in Albanian legends and folk art. In Albanian mythology,
3608-400: The animated components of Nature. The supreme god allows the existence of terrestrial female deities with their intervention in earthly events and interaction with humans. Hence the Albanian belief in zanas and oras (also fati or mira ), who symbolize the vital energy and existential time of human beings respectively. The zana idealizes feminine energy, wild beauty, eternal youth and
3690-509: The arrival of the Slavs. Between the early 7th century and the late 9th century the interior areas of the Balkans were deprived of church administration, and Christianity might have survived only as a popular tradition on a reduced degree. Some Albanians living in the mountains, who were only partially affected by Romanization, probably sank back into the Classic Paganism. The reorganization of
3772-450: The belief systems of Pre-Indo-European populations—who favored 'Mother Earth Cults' comprising earthly beliefs, female deities and priesthood—and of Indo-European populations who favored 'Father Heaven Cults' comprising celestial beliefs, male deities and priesthood, might be reflected in the dichotomy of matriarchy and patriarchy that emerges from the two types of female warriors/active characters in Albanian epic poetry , in particular in
3854-462: The belief that relationships between heavenly bodies influence or convey information about events on Earth. The scientific study of the night sky and bodies observed within it, meanwhile, takes place in the science of astronomy. Within visible-light astronomy , the visibility of celestial objects in the night sky is affected by light pollution. The presence of the Moon in the night sky has historically hindered astronomical observation by increasing
3936-415: The body. The Moon is worshiped as a goddess, with her cyclical phases regulating many aspects of Albanian life, defining agricultural and livestock activities, various crafts, and human body. The morning and evening star Venus is personified with Prende , associated with dawn, beauty, love, fertility, health, and the protection of women. The cult of the Earth ( Dheu ) and that of the Sky ( Qielli ) have
4018-495: The clouds and lightning, the Sun ( Dielli ), the Moon ( Hëna ), and the stars (including Afërdita ), the Fire ( Zjarri ) and the hearth ( vatra ), the Earth ( Dheu/Toka ) with the mountains, stones, caves, and water springs, etc., are cult objects, considered to be participants in the world of humans influencing the events in their life, and afterlife as well. Solemn oaths ( Besa ) and curse formulas involve and are addressed to, or taken by,
4100-433: The condition of the sky is one of the more important parameters used to forecast weather in mountainous areas. Thickening of cloud cover or the invasion of a higher cloud deck is indicative of rain in the near future. At night, high thin cirrostratus clouds can lead to halos around the Moon, which indicate the approach of a warm front and its associated rain. Morning fog portends fair conditions and can be associated with
4182-706: The conversion process to the new Muslims and became the official order of the Janissaries . After the ban of all the Sufi orders in Turkey in 1925, the Bektashi Order established its headquarters in Tirana . Since its founding in 1912, Albania has been a secular state , becoming atheist during the Communist regime , and returning secular after the fall of the regime. For half a century
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#17328554849374264-401: The cosmic cycle and the rhythms of agricultural and pastoral life. Besa is a common practice in Albanian culture, consisting of an oath ( be ) solemnly taken by sun, by moon, by sky, by earth, by fire, by stone and thunderstone , by mountain, by water, and by snake, which are all considered sacred objects . Associated with human life, bees are highly revered by Albanians. The eagle is
4346-404: The earliest attested cults of the Albanians. The Sun holds the primary role in Albanian pagan customs, beliefs, rituals, myths, and legends; Albanian major traditional festivities and calendar rites are based on the Sun, worshiped as the god of light , sky and weather , giver of life, health and energy, and all-seeing eye; the sunrise is honored as it is believed to give energy and health to
4428-583: The ecclesiastical administration of the entire present-day Albanian-speaking compact area. In particular an important role was played by the Theme of Dyrrhachium and the Archdiocese of Ohrid . Survived through the centuries, the Christian belief among Albanians became an important cultural element in their ethnic identity. Indeed, the lack of Old Church Slavonic terms in Albanian Christian terminology shows that
4510-732: The empire and ensured its continuation through the institution of the Tetrarchy ; Constantine the Great who issued the Edict of Toleration for the Christianized population and who summoned the First Council of Nicaea involving many clercs from Illyricum; Justinian who issued the Corpus Juris Civilis and sought to create an Illyrian Church, building Justiniana Prima and Justiniana Secunda , which
4592-614: The first half of the 8th century. At the time of the South Slavic incursion and the threat of ethnic turbulence in the Albanian-inhabited regions, the Christianization of the Albanians had already been completed and it had apparently developed for Albanians as a further identity-forming feature alongside the ethnic-linguistic unity. Church administration, which was controlled by a thick network of Roman bishoprics, collapsed with
4674-473: The goddesses of fate "maintain the order of the universe and enforce its laws" – "organising the appearance of humankind." However great his power, the supreme god holds an executive role as he carries out what has been already ordained by the fate goddesses. Sky The sky is an unobstructed view upward from the surface of the Earth . It includes the atmosphere and outer space . It may also be considered
4756-577: The ground. The engineering aspects of flight are studied in aerospace engineering which is subdivided into aeronautics , which is the study of vehicles that travel through the air, and astronautics , the study of vehicles that travel through space, and in ballistics , the study of the flight of projectiles. While human beings have been capable of flight via hot air balloons since 1783, other species have used flight for significantly longer. Animals, such as birds, bats, and insects are capable of flight. Spores and seeds from plants use flight, via use of
4838-487: The inaccessible and deep interior it has continued to persist, or at most it was partially transformed by the Christian, Muslim and Marxist beliefs that were either to be introduced by choice or imposed by force. Albanian traditions have been orally transmitted – through memory systems that have survived intact into modern times – down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of Albania , Kosovo and western North Macedonia , as well as among
4920-505: The joy of nature. They appear as warlike nymphs capable of offering simple mortals a part of their own psychophysical and divine power, giving humans strength comparable to that of the drangue . The ora represent the "moment of the day" (Albanian: koha e ditës ) and the flowing of human destiny. As masters of time and place, they take care of humans (also of the zana and of some particular animals) watching over their life, their house and their hidden treasures before sealing their destiny. So,
5002-436: The lightning deity: a traditional practice during thunderstorms was to bring outdoors a lit fireplace ( vatër me zjarr ), in order to gain the favor of the deity so the thunders would not be harmful to the human community. Albanian folk beliefs regard the lightning as Zjarri i Qiellit ("the Fire of the Sky") and consider it as the " weapon of the deity". The earliest figurative representations that accurately mirror
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#17328554849375084-521: The medieval tombstones ( stećci ) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the burial monuments used until recently in northern Albania , Kosovo , Montenegro , southern Serbia and northern North Macedonia . Such motifs are particularly related to the ancient cults of the Sun and Moon, survived until recently among northern Albanians. Among the Illyrians of early Albania the Sun was a widespread symbol. The spread of
5166-550: The missionary activities during the Christianization of the Slavs did not involve Albanian-speakers. In a text compiled around the beginning of the 11th century in the Old Bulgarian language , the Albanians are mentioned for the first time with their old ethnonym Arbanasi as half-believers, a term which for Eastern Orthodox Christian Bulgarians meant Catholic Christian. The Great Schism of 1054 involved Albania separating
5248-472: The most famous representation of which is the constant battle between drangue and kulshedra , a conflict that symbolises the cyclic return in the watery and chthonian world of death, accomplishing the cosmic renewal of rebirth . The weavers of destiny , ora or fatí , control the order of the universe and enforce its laws. The zana are associated with wilderness and the vital energy of human beings. A very common motif in Albanian folk narrative
5330-420: The ocean, but are also seen above clouds and mountains. Green flashes may also be observed at the horizon in association with the Moon and bright planets, including Venus and Jupiter . Earth's shadow is the shadow that the planet casts through its atmosphere and into outer space. This atmospheric phenomenon is visible during civil twilight (after sunset and before sunrise). When the weather conditions and
5412-436: The passage of a tropical cyclone 's center, the pressure begins to fall and a veil of white cirrus clouds approaches from the cyclone's direction. Within 24 hours of the closest approach to the center, low clouds begin to move in, also known as the bar of a tropical cyclone, as the barometric pressure begins to fall more rapidly and the winds begin to increase. Within 18 hours of the center's approach, squally weather
5494-466: The physical phenomena , elements and objects are attributed to supernatural beings. The mythological and legendary figures are deities, demigods, humans, and monsters, as well as supernatural beings in the shapes of men, animals and plants. The deities are generally not persons, but animistic personifications of nature . Albanian beliefs, myths and legends are organized around the dualistic struggle between good and evil , light and darkness ,
5576-548: The pre-Christian pagan period the term Zot from Proto-Albanian : *dźie̅u ̊ a(t)t- was presumably used in Albanian to refer to the sky father/god/lord , father-god, heavenly father (the Indo-European father daylight-sky-god ). After the first access of the ancestors of the Albanians to the Christian religion in antiquity the term Zot has been used for God , the Father and the Son ( Christ ). The worship and practices associated to
5658-549: The regime in Albania anathemized all beliefs, without taking into account the fact that the Albanian traditional rites, customs, beliefs, mythology, etc. aligned Albanians – who have preserved a unique culture – with the major ancient groups of peoples. Albanian folklore evolved over the centuries in a relative isolated tribal culture and society , and although several changes occurred in the Albanian belief system, an ancient layer of pre-Christian beliefs has survived until today. Ancient paganism persisted among Albanians, and within
5740-452: The region between Catholic Christianity in the north and Orthodox Christianity in the south. Islam was first introduced to Albania in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of the area. In Ottoman times , often to escape higher taxes levied on Christian subjects, the majority of Albanians became Muslims. However one part retained Christian and pre-Christian beliefs. In the 16th century
5822-458: The region found in the Albanian highlands sympathetic supporters, enriching the body of their symbols with new material. The historical-linguistic determination of the Albanian Christian terminology provides evidence that Albanians have already joined the process of conversion to Christianity in the Balkans since the late antiquity (4th–5th centuries AD). The earliest church lexicon is mainly of Late Latin or Ecclesiastical Latin origin and, to
5904-412: The sky (in the absence of moon and city lights) absolutely dark, one would not be able to see the silhouette of an object against the sky. The night sky and studies of it have a historical place in both ancient and modern cultures. In the past, for instance, farmers have used the state of the night sky as a calendar to determine when to plant crops. The ancient belief in astrology is generally based on
5986-422: The sky and are most pronounced at an angle 90° from the Sun. Scattered light from the horizon travels through as much as 38 times the air mass as does light from the zenith , causing a blue gradient looking vivid at the zenith and pale near the horizon. Red light is also scattered if there is enough air between the source and the observer, causing parts of the sky to change color as the Sun rises or sets. As
6068-442: The sky and the sun, and symbolism of lighning and fire, as well as the tree of life and birds (eagles). In those plaques there is a mythological representation of the celestial deity: the Sun deity animated with a face and two wings, throwing lightning into a fire altar, which in some plaques is held by two men (sometimes on two boats). This mythological representation is identical to the Albanian folk belief and practice associated to
6150-431: The sky as seen at night. The term is usually associated with skygazing and astronomy , with reference to views of celestial bodies such as stars, the Moon, and planets that become visible on a clear night after the Sun has set. Natural light sources in a night sky include moonlight, starlight, and airglow, depending on location and timing. The fact that the sky is not completely dark at night can be easily observed. Were
6232-495: The sky vary greatly over the course of a day, and the primary cause of these properties differs as well. When the Sun is well above the horizon , direct scattering of sunlight ( Rayleigh scattering ) is the overwhelmingly dominant source of light. However, during twilight , the period between sunset and night or between night and sunrise , the situation is more complex. Green flashes and green rays are optical phenomena that occur shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when
6314-508: The sky. Due to human activities , smog during the day and light pollution during the night are often seen above large cities. The word sky comes from the Old Norse sky , meaning 'cloud, abode of God '. The Norse term is also the source of the Old English scēo , which shares the same Indo-European base as the classical Latin obscūrus , meaning 'obscure'. In Old English,
6396-587: The system departs, winds reverse and, along with the rain, suddenly increase. One day after the center's passage, the low overcast is replaced with a higher overcast, and the rain becomes intermittent. By 36 hours after the center's passage, the high overcast breaks and the pressure begins to level off. Flight is the process by which an object moves through or beyond the sky (as in the case of spaceflight), whether by generating aerodynamic lift , propulsive thrust , aerostatically using buoyancy, or by ballistic movement, without any direct mechanical support from
6478-418: The term heaven was used to describe the observable expanse above the earth. During the period of Middle English , "heaven" began shifting toward its current, religious meaning. Except for direct sunlight , most of the light in the daytime sky is caused by scattering , which is dominated by a small-particle limit called Rayleigh scattering . The scattering due to molecule-sized particles (as in air)
6560-592: The wind, as a method of propagating their species. Many mythologies have deities especially associated with the sky. In Egyptian religion , the sky was deified as the goddess Nut and as the god Horus . Dyeus is reconstructed as the god of the sky, or the sky personified, in Proto-Indo-European religion , whence Zeus , the god of the sky and thunder in Greek mythology and the Roman god of sky and thunder Jupiter . In Australian Aboriginal mythology , Altjira (or Arrernte)
6642-483: Was compensated by the folk creativity, molding generations of Albanians with their forefathers' wisdom and experience and protecting them from assimilation processes. Between the 16th and 18th centuries, in Albania arrived also the Bektashi Sufi order which spread widely among Albanians because of its traditional tolerance and regard for different religions, practices and beliefs and because it allowed itself to be
6724-443: Was intended to become the centre of Byzantine administration. Prehistoric Illyrian symbols used on funeral monuments of the pre-Roman period have been used also in Roman times and continued into late antiquity in the broad Illyrian territory. The same motifs were kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the early medieval culture of the Albanians. They appear also on later funerary monuments, including
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