Use of The Archeological artefacts In the magical practice of the ancient population of Bucovina

Use of The Archeological artefacts In the magical practice of the ancient
population of Bucovina

Mentions connected with the use of the archeological items from different epoch as
amulets and methods of the healing magic for people and animals attract the most attention
among many other beliefs of the ancient population of Bucovina which were recorded by the
scientists in 19-20th centuries. P.A. Nesterovskyi, R.F. Kaindl, B.O. Tymoshchuk and other scientists
wrote in their studies about such findings and their magical use.
Ethnological studies have confirmed that similar beliefs concerning the archeological
objects existed among mane European nations and were connected with the so called “thunder
arrows”. In fact, among the Eastern Slavic nations they were known under the following
names: “thunder arrows, thunder axes, the axes of the gromyia, skalki, skalki z dziurkai,
Peroun’s axes, etc.”; in Poland they were called “kamnie piorunowe”; in Lithuania –
“pjrkuno k’ulka”; among Germans “Tor’s axes” and so on. All these artefacts according to
the beliefs of the ancient people were connected with the god of thunder and lightnings, e.g.
among the Slavic people they were identified with the higher god of the heathen pantheon –
Peroun.
Findings of the “thunder arrows” are also known on the territory of the interfluve of
the Higher Pruth and the Middle Dniester (Chernivtsi region Ukraine). They were found in
dated closed archeological complexes. Nowadays on the territory of this region 10 findings of
the “thunder arrows” were recorded in 5 places (Oselivka, Bila, Revne, Zelena Lypa, Chorniavka).
Special attention can be paid to the granite perforated axed, found on the ancient
settlement in Chornivka dated from the first half of the 13th century (its length is 10,5 cm, diameter
of the opening is 2,8 cm), it dates to the BronzeAges, secondmilleniumB.C. Such findings
of the recurring use among the archeological monuments of Bucovina prove the
endurance of the tradition of honoring of the “thunder arrows” in this region. In any case
such tradition was recorded in the late classical period and it was quite popular in theMiddle
Ages.
Thus, available materials allow us to talk about the continuance of the tradition of
honoring of the “thunder arrows” among the ancient people of the present region, its connection
with the heathen beliefs of the local population and use of the ancient stone and metal
articles as amulets and medicinal means. Findings of the “thunder arrows” on the archeological
landmarks of the region prove the unity of the world-view and visions of the higher god
of the Slavic pantheon – Peroun in different parts of the dwelling area of the Eastern Slavic
tribes.