Albanian folk beliefs ( sq, Besimet folklorike shqiptare) comprise the

beliefs A belief is an attitude that something is the case, or that some proposition is true. In epistemology, philosophers use the term "belief" to refer to attitudes about the world which can be either true or false. To believe something is to take i ...

expressed in the

customs Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country. Traditionally, customs ...

ritual A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized ...

myth Myth is a folklore genre consisting of narratives that play a fundamental role in a society, such as foundational tales or origin myths. Since "myth" is widely used to imply that a story is not objectively true, the identification of a narrat ...

legend A legend is a genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human values, and possess ...

s and tales of the

Albanian people The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, ...

. The elements of Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are

pagan Paganism (from classical Latin ''pāgānus'' "rural", "rustic", later "civilian") is a term first used in the fourth century by early Christians for people in the Roman Empire who practiced polytheism, or ethnic religions other than Judaism. I ...

. Albanian

folklore Folklore is shared by a particular group of people; it encompasses the traditions common to that culture, subculture or group. This includes oral traditions such as tales, legends, proverbs and jokes. They include material culture, rangin ...

evolved over the centuries in a relatively isolated tribal culture and society. Albanian folk tales and legends have been orally transmitted down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and share ...

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a international recognition of Kosovo, partiall ...

, western

North Macedonia North Macedonia, ; sq, Maqedonia e Veriut, (Macedonia before February 2019), officially the Republic of North Macedonia,, is a country in Southeast Europe. It gained independence in 1991 as one of the successor states of Socialist Feder ...

, ex-Albanian lands of

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = ...

, and southern

Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia ( Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Basin and the Balkans. It shares land borders with Hu ...

, and among the

Arbëreshë Arbën/Arbër, from which derived Arbënesh/Arbëresh originally meant all Albanians, until the 18th century. Today it is used for different groups of Albanian origin, including: *Arbër (given name), an Albanian masculine given name * Arbëreshë ...

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...

and the

Arvanites Arvanites (; Arvanitika: , or , ; Greek: , ) are a bilingual population group in Greece of Albanian origin. They traditionally speak Arvanitika, an Albanian language variety, along with Greek. Their ancestors were first recorded as settl ...

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders wi ...

. In Albanian mythology, the physical

phenomena A phenomenon ( : phenomena) is an observable event. The term came into its modern philosophical usage through Immanuel Kant, who contrasted it with the noumenon, which ''cannot'' be directly observed. Kant was heavily influenced by Gottfried ...

, elements and

objects Object may refer to: General meanings * Object (philosophy), a thing, being, or concept ** Object (abstract), an object which does not exist at any particular time or place ** Physical object, an identifiable collection of matter * Goal, an ai ...

are attributed to

supernatural Supernatural refers to phenomena or entities that are beyond the laws of nature. The term is derived from Medieval Latin , from Latin (above, beyond, or outside of) + (nature) Though the corollary term "nature", has had multiple meanings si ...

beings. The

deities A deity or god is a supernatural being who is considered divine or sacred. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines deity as a god or goddess, or anything revered as divine. C. Scott Littleton defines a deity as "a being with powers greater ...

are generally not persons, but personifications of

nature Nature, in the broadest sense, is the physical world or universe. "Nature" can refer to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general. The study of nature is a large, if not the only, part of science. Although humans are ...

, which is known as

Animism Animism (from Latin: ' meaning ' breath, spirit, life') is the belief that objects, places, and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence. Potentially, animism perceives all things— animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather syst ...

. The earliest attested cult of the Albanians is the worship of the Sun and the

Moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

. In Albanian folk beliefs,

earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's sur ...

is the object of a special cult, and an important role is played by

fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames ...

, which is considered a living, sacred or divine element used for

rituals A ritual is a sequence of activities involving gestures, words, actions, or objects, performed according to a set sequence. Rituals may be prescribed by the traditions of a community, including a religious community. Rituals are characterized, b ...

, sacrificial offerings and purification.

Fire worship Worship or deification of fire (also pyrodulia, pyrolatry or pyrolatria) is known from various religions. Fire has been an important part of human culture since the Lower Paleolithic. Religious or animist notions connected to fire are assumed ...

is associated with the cult of the Sun, the cult of the hearth and the cult of fertility in

agriculture Agriculture or farming is the practice of cultivating plants and livestock. Agriculture was the key development in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that enabled people ...

and

animal husbandry Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture concerned with animals that are raised for meat, fibre, milk, or other products. It includes day-to-day care, selective breeding, and the raising of livestock. Husbandry has a long history, starti ...

. Besa is a common practice in Albanian culture, consisting of an

oath Traditionally an oath (from Anglo-Saxon ', also called plight) is either a statement of fact or a promise taken by a sacrality as a sign of verity. A common legal substitute for those who conscientiously object to making sacred oaths is to g ...

taken by Sun, by

, by sky, by

, by

stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...

, by

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher ...

, by

water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

and by

snake Snakes are elongated, limbless, carnivorous reptiles of the suborder Serpentes . Like all other squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales. Many species of snakes have skulls with several more ...

, which are all considered sacred objects. The cult of the Sun and the

also appears in Albanian legends and folk art. Albanian myths and legends are organized around the

dichotomy A dichotomy is a partition of a whole (or a set) into two parts (subsets). In other words, this couple of parts must be * jointly exhaustive: everything must belong to one part or the other, and * mutually exclusive: nothing can belong simul ...

good and evil In religion, ethics, philosophy, and psychology "good and evil" is a very common dichotomy. In cultures with Manichaean and Abrahamic religious influence, evil is perceived as the dualistic antagonistic opposite of good, in which good shou ...

, the most famous representation of which is the legendary battle between

drangue The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...

and

kulshedra The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, floodi ...

, a conflict that symbolises the cyclic return in the

y and chthonian world of death, accomplishing the

cosmic Cosmic commonly refers to: * The cosmos, a concept of the universe Cosmic may also refer to: Media * ''Cosmic'' (album), an album by Bazzi * Afro/Cosmic music * "Cosmic", a song by Kylie Minogue from the album '' X'' * CosM.i.C, a member of ...

renewal of rebirth. The weavers of

destiny Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often ...

ora ORA or Ora may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Ora'' (film), a 2011 experimental dance film * Rita Ora (born 1990), British-Albanian singer-songwriter and actress * ''Ora'' (Jovanotti album), 2011 * ''Ora'' (Rita Ora album), 2012 * "Ora" ...

or fatí, control the order of the

universe The universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological description of the development of the univers ...

and enforce its laws.; A very common motif in Albanian folk narrative is

metamorphosis Metamorphosis is a biological process by which an animal physically develops including birth or hatching, involving a conspicuous and relatively abrupt change in the animal's body structure through cell growth and differentiation. Some inse ...

: men morph into

deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...

wolves The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...

, and

owls Owls are birds from the Order (biology), order Strigiformes (), which includes over 200 species of mostly Solitary animal, solitary and Nocturnal animal, nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vi ...

, while women morph into stoats, cuckoos, and

turtles Turtles are an order of reptiles known as Testudines, characterized by a special shell developed mainly from their ribs. Modern turtles are divided into two major groups, the Pleurodira (side necked turtles) and Cryptodira (hidden necked tu ...

. Among the main bodies of

Albanian folk poetry Albanian epic poetry is a form of epic poetry created by the Albanian people. It consists of a longstanding oral tradition still very much alive. A good number of Albanian rhapsodes ( sq, lahutarë) can be found today in Kosovo and northern Alba ...

are the '' Kângë Kreshnikësh'' ("Songs of Heroes"), the traditional non-historical cycle of Albanian epic songs, based on the cult of the legendary

hero A hero (feminine: heroine) is a real person or a main fictional character who, in the face of danger, combats adversity through feats of ingenuity, courage, or strength. Like other formerly gender-specific terms (like ''actor''), ''her ...

Documentation

Albanian collectors

Albanian myths and legends are already attested in works written in Albanian as early as the 15th century, however, the systematic collection of Albanian folklore material began only in the 19th century. One of the first Albanian collectors from Italy was the Arbëresh writer

Girolamo De Rada Girolamo de Rada ( Arbërisht: ''Jeronim de Rada''; 29 November 181428 February 1903) was an Arbëreshë folklorist, journalist, lawyer, playwright, poet, rilindas and writer. He is regarded as one of the most influential Albanian writers of th ...

who—already imbued with a passion for his Albanian lineage in the first half of the 19th century—began collecting folklore material at an early age. Another important Arbëresh publisher of Albanian folklore was the linguist

Demetrio Camarda Demetrio Camarda ( Arbërisht: Dhimitër Kamarda; 22 October 1821, in Piana degli Albanesi – 13 March 1882, in Livorno) was an Arbëreshë linguist, patriot of the Arbëreshë, and publisher of Albanian folklore, with scientific knowledge also ...

, who included in his 1866 ''Appendice al Saggio di grammatologia comparata'' (Appendix to the Essay on the Comparative Grammar) specimens of prose, and in particular, Arbëreshë folk songs from

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

and

Calabria , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = , demographics1_footnotes = , demographics1_title1 = , demographics1_info1 = , demographics1_title2 ...

, Albania proper and Albanian settlements in

. De Rada and Camarda were the two main initiators of the Albanian nationalist cultural movement in Italy. In

, the Arvanite writer Anastas Kullurioti published Albanian folklore material in his 1882 ''Albanikon alfavêtarion / Avabatar arbëror'' (Albanian Spelling Book). The

Albanian National Awakening The Albanian National Awakening ( sq, Rilindja or ), commonly known as the Albanian Renaissance or Albanian Revival, is a period throughout the 19th and 20th century of a cultural, political and social movement in the Albanian history where the ...

(''Rilindja'') gave rise to collections of

material in

in the second half of the 19th century. One of the early Albanian collectors of Albanian folklore from Albania proper was Zef Jubani. From 1848 he served as interpreter to French consul in Shkodra, Louis Hyacinthe Hécquard, who was very interested in, and decided to prepare a book on, northern Albanian folklore. They travelled through the northern Albanian mountains and recorded folkloric materials which were published in French translation in the 1858 Hécquard's pioneering ''Histoire et description de la Haute Albanie ou Guégarie'' (History and Description of High Albania or Gegaria”). Jubani's own first collection of folklore—the original Albanian texts of the folk songs published by Hécquard—was lost in the flood that devastated the city of Shkodra on 13 January 1866. Jubani published in 1871 his ''Raccolta di canti popolari e rapsodie di poemi albanesi'' (Collection of Albanian Folk Songs and Rhapsodies)—the first collection of Gheg folk songs and the first folkloric work to be published by an Albanian who lived in Albania. Another important Albanian folklore collector was

Thimi Mitko Thimi (Euthimio) Mitko (1820 – March 22, 1890) was an activist of the Albanian National Awakening and folklorist. Mitko was born in Korçë, Albania (then Ottoman Empire), where he attended the local Greek school. His uncle, Peti Mitko, ...

, a prominent representative of the Albanian community in Egypt. He began to take an interest in 1859 and started recording Albanian folklore material from the year 1866, providing also folk songs, riddles and tales for

's collection. Mitko's own collection—including 505 folk songs, and 39 tales and popular sayings, mainly from southern Albania—was finished in 1874 and published in the 1878 Greek-Albanian journal ''Alvaniki melissa / Belietta Sskiypetare'' ( The Albanian Bee). This compilation was a milestone of Albanian folk literature being the first collection of Albanian material of scholarly quality. Indeed, Mitko compiled and classified the material according to genres, including sections on fairy tales, fables, anecdotes, children's songs, songs of seasonal festivities, love songs, wedding songs, funerary songs, epic and historical songs. He compiled his collection with Spiro Risto Dine who emigrated to Egypt in 1866. Dino himself published ''Valët e Detit'' (The Waves of the Sea), which, at the time of its publication in 1908, was the longest printed book in the Albanian language. The second part of Dine's collection was devoted to folk literature, including love songs, wedding songs, funerary songs, satirical verse, religious and didactic verses, folk tales, aphorisms, rhymes, popular beliefs and mythology. The first Albanian folklorist to collect the oral tradition in a more systematic manner for scholarly purposes was the

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

priest and scholar

Shtjefën Gjeçovi Shtjefën Konstantin Gjeçov-Kryeziu (12 July 1874 – 14 October 1929) was an Albanian Catholic priest, ethnologist, and folklorist. He is regarded as the father of Albanian folklore studies. Life Gjeçovi was born on 12 July 1874 (some source ...

. Two other Franciscan priests,

Bernardin Palaj Bernardin Palaj (20 October 1894 — 8 December 1947) was a Franciscan friar, folklorist and poet. Life Born as Zef Palaj in Shkodër, to Gjon and Marta Dedaj, originally from the mountains of Shllak. Bernardin Palaj went to Franciscan schools in ...

and

Donat Kurti Donat Kurti (1903–1983) was an Albanian Albanian franciscan friar, educator, scholar and folklorist. Donat Kurti was born in Shkodër, back then Ottoman Empire). He studied theology and philosophy at the Collegium Antonianum in Rome and was or ...

, along with Gjeçovi, collected folk songs on their travels through the northern Albanian mountains and wrote articles on

Gheg Albanian Gheg (also spelled Geg; Gheg Albanian: ''gegnishtja'', Standard sq, gegërishtja) is one of the two major varieties of Albanian, the other being Tosk. The geographic dividing line between the two varieties is the Shkumbin River, which winds ...

folklore and tribal customs. Palaj and Kurti published in 1937—on the 25th anniversary of Albanian independence—the most important collection of Albanian epic verse, '' Kângë kreshnikësh dhe legenda'' (Songs of the Frontier Warriors and Legends), in the series called ''Visaret e Kombit'' (The Treasures of the Nation). From the second half of the 20th century much research has been done by the Academy of Albanological Studies of Tirana and by the Albanological Institute of Prishtina. Albanian scholars have published numerous collections of Albanian oral tradition, but only a small part of this material has been translated into other languages. A substantial contribution in this direction has been made by the Albanologist

Robert Elsie Robert Elsie (June 29, 1950 – October 2, 2017) was a Canadian-born German scholar who specialized in Albanian literature and folklore. Elsie was a writer, translator, interpreter, and specialist in Albanian studies, being the author of numerou ...

Foreign collectors

Foreign scholars first provided Europe with Albanian folklore in the second half of the 19th century, and thus set the beginning for the scholarly study of Albanian oral tradition. Albanian folk songs and tales were recorded by the Austrian consul in Janina, Johann Georg von Hahn, who travelled throughout Albania and the Balkans in the middle of the 19th century and in 1854 he published ''Albanesische Studien'' (Albanian Studies). The German physician Karl H. Reinhold collected Albanian folklore material from Albanian sailors while he was serving as a doctor in the Greek navy and in 1855 he published ''Noctes Pelasgicae'' (Pelasgian Nights). The folklorist Giuseppe Pitrè published in 1875 a selection of Albanian folk tales from Sicily in ''Fiabe, novelle e racconti popolari siciliani'' (Sicilian Fables, Short Stories and Folk Tales). The next generation of scholars who became interested in collecting Albanian folk material were mainly philologists, among them the

Indo-European The Indo-European languages are a language family native to the overwhelming majority of Europe, the Iranian plateau, and the northern Indian subcontinent. Some European languages of this family, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Du ...

linguists concerned about the study of the then little known Albanian language. The French consul in Janina and Thessalonika,

Auguste Dozon Auguste Dozon (2 August 1822 – 31 December 1890) was a French scholar and diplomat, known for his work on Albanian language and folklore. Life Born in Chalons Sur Marne on 22 August 1822 he studied ancient and modern literature in Collège Sai ...

, published Albanian folk tales and songs initially in the 1879 (Manual of the Shkip or Albanian Language) and in the 1881 ''Contes albanais, recueillis et traduits'' (Albanian Tales, Collected and Translated). The Czech linguist and professor of

Romance languages The Romance languages, sometimes referred to as Latin languages or Neo-Latin languages, are the various modern languages that evolved from Vulgar Latin. They are the only extant subgroup of the Italic languages in the Indo-European language ...

and literature, Jan Urban Jarnik, published in 1883 Albanian folklore material from the region of Shkodra in ''Zur albanischen Sprachenkunde'' (On Albanian Linguistics) and ''Příspěvky ku poznání nářečí albánských uveřejňuje'' (Contributions to the Knowledge of Albanian Dialects). The German linguist and professor at the University of Graz,

Gustav Meyer Gustav Meyer (25 November 1850 – 28 August 1900) was a German linguist and Indo-European scholar, considered to be one of the most important Albanologists of his time, most importantly by proving that the Albanian language belongs to the Indo-E ...

, published in 1884 fourteen Albanian tales in ''Albanische Märchen'' (Albanian Tales), and a selection of Tosk tales in the 1888 ''Albanian grammar'' (1888). His folklore material was republished in his ''Albanesische Studien'' (Albanian Studies). Danish Indo-Europeanist and professor at the University of Copenhagen, Holger Pedersen, visited Albania in 1893 to learn the language and to gather linguistic material. He recorded thirty-five Albanian folk tales from Albania and

Corfu Corfu (, ) or Kerkyra ( el, Κέρκυρα, Kérkyra, , ; ; la, Corcyra.) is a Greek island in the Ionian Sea, of the Ionian Islands, and, including its small satellite islands, forms the margin of the northwestern frontier of Greece. The isl ...

and published them in the 1895 ''Albanesische Texte mit Glossar'' (Albanian Texts with Glossary). Other Indo-European scholars who collected Albanian folklore material were German linguists Gustav Weigand and

August Leskien August Leskien (; 8 July 1840 – 20 September 1916) was a German linguist active in the field of comparative linguistics, particularly relating to the Baltic and Slavic languages. Biography Leskien was born in Kiel. He studied philology at the ...

. In the first half of the 20th century, British anthropologist Edith Durham visited northern Albania and collected folklore material on the Albanian tribal society. She published in 1909 her notable work ''High Albania'', regarded as one of the best English-language books on Albania ever written. From 1923 onward, Scottish scholar and anthropologist Margaret Hasluck collected Albanian folklore material when she lived in Albania. She published sixteen Albanian folk-stories translated in English in her 1931 ''Këndime Englisht–Shqip or Albanian–English Reader''.

Origin

The elements of Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are

. Ancient Illyrian religion is considered to be one of the sources from which Albanian legend and folklore evolved, reflecting a number of parallels with Ancient

Greek Greek may refer to: Greece Anything of, from, or related to Greece, a country in Southern Europe: *Greeks, an ethnic group. *Greek language, a branch of the Indo-European language family. **Proto-Greek language, the assumed last common ancestor ...

and

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy * Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lett ...

mythologies. Albanian legend also shows similarities with neighbouring

traditions, such as the oral epics with the

South Slavs South Slavs are Slavic peoples who speak South Slavic languages and inhabit a contiguous region of Southeast Europe comprising the eastern Alps and the Balkan Peninsula. Geographically separated from the West Slavs and East Slavs by Austri ...

and the folk tales of the

Greeks The Greeks or Hellenes (; el, Έλληνες, ''Éllines'' ) are an ethnic group and nation indigenous to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea regions, namely Greece, Cyprus, Albania, Italy, Turkey, Egypt, and, to a lesser extent, ot ...

. Albanian mythology inherited the

narrative epic genre about past warriors, a tradition shared with early Greece,

classical India The middle kingdoms of India were the political entities in the Indian subcontinent from 200 BCE to 1200 CE. The period begins after the decline of the Maurya Empire and the corresponding rise of the Satavahana dynasty, starting with Simuka, ...

, early

medieval England England in the Middle Ages concerns the history of England during the medieval period, from the end of the 5th century through to the start of the Early Modern period in 1485. When England emerged from the collapse of the Roman Empire, the econ ...

, medieval Germany and South Slavs. Albanian folk beliefs also retained the typical Indo-European tradition of the

located on the highest and most inaccessible mountains (

Mount Tomor Tomorr is a mountain range in the region of Berat and Skrapar, in Albania. It reaches an elevation of above sea level at the Çuka e Partizanit, which is the highest peak in central Albania. Mount Tomorr is one of Albania's biggest water-col ...

), the sky,

lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an average ...

weather Weather is the state of the atmosphere, describing for example the degree to which it is hot or cold, wet or dry, calm or stormy, clear or cloudy. On Earth, most weather phenomena occur in the lowest layer of the planet's atmosphere, the ...

and

deities ( Zojz, Perëndi, Shurdh,

Verbt Verbt ( sq-definite, Verbti) is a fire, water and wind god in Albanian pagan mythology. He controls fire, water as the opposite element to fire, and the northern wind which fans the flames of fire. Also known as ''Shën Verbti'' or ''Rmoria'', he ...

, En, Vatër,

Nëna e Vatrës Nëna e Vatrës or Nana e Votrës ("The Mother of the Hearth") is the goddess of the fire hearth (''hyjnia e zjarrit të vatrës'') in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with fire worship, the cult of the ancestor and the cult of the wo ...

), the "Daughter of the Sun and Moon" legend (''Bija e Hanës e Diellit''), the "serpent-slaying" and "fire in water" myths (

Drangue The drangùe ( sq-definite, drangùa, drangòni) is a semi-human winged divine figure in Albanian mythology and folklore, associated with weather and storms. Babies destined to become drangue are born with their heads covered in caul and with two ...

and

Kulshedra The kulshedra or kuçedra is a water, storm, fire and chthonic demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually described as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon. The kulshedra is believed to spit fire, cause drought, storms, floodi ...

), the

Fates The Fates are a common motif in European polytheism, most frequently represented as a trio of goddesses. The Fates shape the destiny of each human, often expressed in textile metaphors such as spinning fibers into yarn, or weaving threads o ...

and

Destiny Destiny, sometimes referred to as fate (from Latin ''fatum'' "decree, prediction, destiny, fate"), is a predetermined course of events. It may be conceived as a predetermined future, whether in general or of an individual. Fate Although often ...

goddesses ( Zana,

Ora ORA or Ora may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Ora'' (film), a 2011 experimental dance film * Rita Ora (born 1990), British-Albanian singer-songwriter and actress * ''Ora'' (Jovanotti album), 2011 * ''Ora'' (Rita Ora album), 2012 * "Ora" ...

, Fatí, Mira) and the guard of the gates of the

Underworld The underworld, also known as the netherworld or hell, is the supernatural world of the dead in various religious traditions and myths, located below the world of the living. Chthonic is the technical adjective for things of the underwo ...

(the three-headed dog who never sleeps).

History

Albanian

traces back to Paleo-Balkan mythology including a substrate of Illyrian religion. A number of parallels are found with Ancient

and

mythologies. Albanians were Christianized under

Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: * Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD * Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...

influence likely in the fourth and fifth centuries. In later times, after the Gheg– Tosk split, they became Catholic in the north and Orthodox in the South. In a text compiled around the beginning of the 11th century in the

Bulgarian language Bulgarian (, ; bg, label=none, български, bălgarski, ) is an Eastern South Slavic language spoken in Southeastern Europe, primarily in Bulgaria. It is the language of the Bulgarians. Along with the closely related Macedonian l ...

, the Albanians are mentioned with their old ethnonym '' Arbanasi'' as half-believers.

Islam Islam (; ar, ۘالِإسلَام, , ) is an Abrahamic monotheistic religion centred primarily around the Quran, a religious text considered by Muslims to be the direct word of God (or '' Allah'') as it was revealed to Muhammad, the ...

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. British poet

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824), known simply as Lord Byron, was an English romantic poet and peer. He was one of the leading figures of the Romantic movement, and has been regarded as among the ...

(1788–1824) described Albanian religious belief as follows: "The Greeks hardly regard them as Christians, or the Turks as Muslims; and in fact they are a mixture of both, and sometimes neither." Between the 16th and 18th centuries, in Albania arrived also the

Bektashi The Bektashi Order; sq, Tarikati Bektashi; tr, Bektaşi or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi mystic movement originating in the 13th-century. It is named after the Anatolian saint Haji Bektash Wali (d. 1271). The community is currently led by ...

Sufi Sufism ( ar, ''aṣ-ṣūfiyya''), also known as Tasawwuf ( ''at-taṣawwuf''), is a mystic body of religious practice, found mainly within Sunni Islam but also within Shia Islam, which is characterized by a focus on Islamic spirituality, r ...

order which spread widely among Albanians in part because it allowed itself to be a vehicle for the expression of

Crypto-Christian Crypto-Christianity is the secret practice of Christianity, usually while attempting to camouflage it as another faith or observing the rituals of another religion publicly. In places and time periods where Christians were persecuted or Christian ...

and pagan beliefs and rituals. Bektashism is a Muslim

dervish Dervish, Darvesh, or Darwīsh (from fa, درویش, ''Darvīsh'') in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity (''tariqah''), or more narrowly to a religious mendicant, who chose or accepted material poverty. The latter usage i ...

order ('' tariqat'') thought to have originated in the 13th century in a frontier region of

Anatolia Anatolia, tr, Anadolu Yarımadası), and the Anatolian plateau, also known as Asia Minor, is a large peninsula in Western Asia and the westernmost protrusion of the Asian continent. It constitutes the major part of modern-day Turkey. The re ...

, where Christianity, Islam and paganism coexisted, allowing the incorporation of comparable pagan and non-Muslim beliefs into popular Islam. It facilitated the conversion process to the new Muslims and became the official order of the

Janissaries A Janissary ( ota, یڭیچری, yeŋiçeri, , ) was a member of the elite infantry units that formed the Ottoman Sultan's household troops and the first modern standing army in Europe. The corps was most likely established under sultan Orhan ...

. After the ban of all the Sufi orders in

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula ...

in 1925, the Bektashi Order established its headquarters in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

. Since its founding in 1912, Albania has been a

secular state A secular state is an idea pertaining to secularity, whereby a state is or purports to be officially neutral in matters of religion, supporting neither religion nor irreligion. A secular state claims to treat all its citizens equally regard ...

, becoming

atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

during the Communist regime, and returning secular after the fall of the regime. Albanian folklore evolved over the centuries in a relative isolated tribal culture and society, and although there have been all these changes in the Albanian belief system, an ancient substratum of pre-Christian beliefs has survived until today. Folk tales, myths and legends have been orally transmitted down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of

and western

, among the

and the

Mythology

Cosmology

Supreme Being

* Zojz/Zoti, Perëndia, Hyji

Good and Evil, Cosmic Renewal

and

Destiny

: weavers of human

** Fatí or Mira (among

Tosks Tosks ( sq, Toskët) are one of two major dialectal subgroups of Albanians (the other being the Ghegs) differentiated by their cultural, linguistic, social and religious characteristics. Territory ''Tosk'' may refer to the Tosk-speaking Alb ...

) **

or Zana (among

Ghegs The Ghegs (also spelled as Gegs; sq, Gegët) are one of two major dialectal subgroups of Albanians (the other being the Tosks) They are also differentiated by minor cultural, dialectal, social and religious characteristics. The Ghegs live in ...

) ** Vitore/Bolla e Shtëpisë

Sky

* Qielli (the Sky) **

Dielli ''Dielli'' is a newspaper published in the United States by Vatra, the Pan-Albanian Federation of America. History ''Dielli'' started on February 15, 1909, as a political-patriotic newspaper of the Besa-Besën society of Boston, Massachusetts, o ...

(the Sun) ** Hëna (the

) ** Afërdita (the

Morning Star Morning Star, morning star, or Morningstar may refer to: Astronomy * Morning star, most commonly used as a name for the planet Venus when it appears in the east before sunrise ** See also Venus in culture * Morning star, a name for the star Siri ...

) ** Yjet (the

Stars A star is an astronomical object comprising a luminous spheroid of plasma held together by its gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun. Many other stars are visible to the naked eye at night, but their immense distances from Earth ma ...

)

Earth

* Toka/Dheu (the

Earth Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. While large volumes of water can be found throughout the Solar System, only Earth sustains liquid surface water. About 71% of Earth's sur ...

) * Uji (the

Water Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as ...

) * Guri (the

Stone In geology, rock (or stone) is any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter. It is categorized by the minerals included, its Chemical compound, chemical composition, and the way in which it is formed. Rocks ...

, the 'heavy' one) * Malet/Bjeshkët (the

Mountains A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually higher th ...

)

Phenomena

Reja A reja (" grille") is a decorative screen of iron.Milliken, William M. "Decorative Ironwork." ''World Book Encyclopedia.'' 10th ed. 1972. 365-66. Rejas can be found in cathedrals located in Spain and Portugal."reja." ''Encyclopædia Britannic ...

(the

Cloud In meteorology, a cloud is an aerosol consisting of a visible mass of miniature liquid droplets, frozen crystals, or other particles suspended in the atmosphere of a planetary body or similar space. Water or various other chemicals may ...

) * Shkreptima/Vetëtima/Rrufeja (the

Lightning Lightning is a naturally occurring electrostatic discharge during which two electrically charged regions, both in the atmosphere or with one on the ground, temporarily neutralize themselves, causing the instantaneous release of an average ...

and

Thunder Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack. The sudden increase in temperature and hence pressure caused by the lightning pr ...

) * Zjarri (the

Fire Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products. At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames ...

)

Nature deities

Sky, weather

* Zot: sky father (one of the three Albanian

names of God There are various names of God, many of which enumerate the various qualities of a Supreme Being. The English word '' god'' (and its equivalent in other languages) is used by multiple religions as a noun to refer to different deities, or spec ...

) * Zojz: sky, lightning * Perëndi: sky, lightning (one of the three Albanian

) * Nëna e Diellit: sun mother * Shurdh: weather *

: weather * Lubia: weather *

Stihi Stihi is a fire-breathing storm demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, similar to the kulshedra. Etymology The Albanian term ''stihí'' is a variant of ''stuhí'', "storm", related to el, στοιχείο, "element, spirit". Appearance A fe ...

: weather *

and

: weather * E Bukura e Qiellit: the beauty of the sky * Prende: rainbow (in Albanian,

Friday Friday is the day of the week between Thursday and Saturday. In countries that adopt the traditional "Sunday-first" convention, it is the sixth day of the week. In countries adopting the ISO-defined "Monday-first" convention, it is the fifth d ...

bears this name)

Earth, vegetation

Earth goddess An Earth goddess is a deification of the Earth. Earth goddesses are often associated with the "chthonic" deities of the underworld. Ki and Ninhursag are Mesopotamian earth goddesses. In Greek mythology, the Earth is personified as Gaia, corres ...

–

mother goddess A mother goddess is a goddess who represents a personified deification of motherhood, fertility goddess, fertility, creation, destruction, or the earth goddess who embodies the bounty of the earth or nature. When equated with the earth or t ...

* E Bukura e Dheut: the beauty of the earth * Tomor and Shpirag: mountains *

and

: earth, stones, trees * Mauthia: earth and mountains *Dhe-tokësi, Dheu or Tokësi: chthonic serpent * Kau: earth and agriculture * Zana: vegetation, mountains * Bariu Hyjnor: mountains, animals *Golden horned goats: wild goats protectors of the forests *Nuse Mali: mountain nymphs ** Zana e malit,

, Bardha, Shtojzovalle, Jashtësme, Të Lumet Natë, Mira

Burn, fire, hearth

* Hyj: burn, glow, spark, heavenly fire (one of the three Albanian

) * En/Enj: fire (in Albanian,

Thursday Thursday is the day of the week between Wednesday and Friday. According to the ISO 8601 international standard, it is the fourth day of the week. In countries which adopt the "Sunday-first" convention, it is the fifth day of the week. Name ''Se ...

bears this name) *

: fire-storms, fire-whirls *

and

: fire *

Djall Djall or Dreq is the personification of evil in Albanian mythology and folklore. The name is used also for a demon of fire. Etymology The name ''djall'' derives from the Latin ''diabolus'', "devil". Alternative forms are ''dreqi'' from the L ...

i: fire * Vatër: hearth *

: hearth mother

Dawn

* Afërdita ('near the day') * Prende ('she who brings the light through')

Water, sea

* Redon: flowing water, seas *Talas: sea-storms * Shurdh: water, rain *

: water, rain * Lubia: water, rain, seas *

and

: water, rain, seas * Bolla: water serpent * Bushi i kënetës: bull of ponds and swamps which can cause rain by bellowing * E Bukura e Detit: the beauty of the sea *Nuse uji: water nymphs **Zana e ujit, Nusja Shapulicë, Cuca e Liqenit, Ksheta,

Perria Perria or Pehria is a fairy-like mountain figure in Albanian mythology and folklore. Etymology From the Albanian word ''përrua'' ("brook"). From Proto-Albanian ''*pVrē/ān-'', or Proto-Albanian ''*per-rāno'', possibly a prefixed derivative o ...

Societal deities

* Prende: lady of

beauty Beauty is commonly described as a feature of objects that makes these objects pleasurable to perceive. Such objects include landscapes, sunsets, humans and works of art. Beauty, together with art and taste, is the main subject of aesthetics, o ...

love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

and

fertility Fertility is the capability to produce offspring through reproduction following the onset of sexual maturity. The fertility rate is the average number of children born by a female during her lifetime and is quantified demographically. Ferti ...

: the mother of the

hearth A hearth () is the place in a home where a fire is or was traditionally kept for home heating and for cooking, usually constituted by at least a horizontal hearthstone and often enclosed to varying degrees by any combination of reredos (a lo ...

fireplace A fireplace or hearth is a structure made of brick, stone or metal designed to contain a fire. Fireplaces are used for the relaxing ambiance they create and for heating a room. Modern fireplaces vary in heat efficiency, depending on the desig ...

* Vitore/Bolla e Shtëpisë,

household A household consists of two or more persons who live in the same dwelling. It may be of a single family or another type of person group. The household is the basic unit of analysis in many social, microeconomic and government models, and is i ...

golden horned serpent

Sacred animals

*Bleta (the

Bee Bees are winged insects closely related to wasps and ants, known for their roles in pollination and, in the case of the best-known bee species, the western honey bee, for producing honey. Bees are a monophyletic lineage within the superfami ...

, associated with human life: when an animal ceases to live, Albanians predominantly use the verb '' ngordh''; When a bee ceases to live, the verb '' vdes'' is used often (which is used to refer to human death). Alluding that bees are beings of a higher caste, comparable to humans. *Dreri (the

Deer Deer or true deer are hoofed ruminant mammals forming the family Cervidae. The two main groups of deer are the Cervinae, including the muntjac, the elk (wapiti), the red deer, and the fallow deer; and the Capreolinae, including the re ...

, associated with

sun cult A solar deity or sun deity is a deity who represents the Sun, or an aspect of it. Such deities are usually associated with power and strength. Solar deities and Sun worship can be found throughout most of recorded history in various forms. T ...

) *Shqiponja (the

Eagle Eagle is the common name for many large birds of prey of the family Accipitridae. Eagles belong to several groups of genera, some of which are closely related. Most of the 68 species of eagle are from Eurasia and Africa. Outside this area, j ...

–

totem A totem (from oj, ᑑᑌᒼ, italics=no or '' doodem'') is a spirit being, sacred object, or symbol that serves as an emblem of a group of people, such as a family, clan, lineage, or tribe, such as in the Anishinaabe clan system. While ''the ...

– associated with freedom and heroism) *Dhia e egër (the

wild Goat The wild goat (''Capra aegagrus'') is a wild goat species, inhabiting forests, shrublands and rocky areas ranging from Turkey and the Caucasus in the west to Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and Pakistan in the east. It has been listed as near thre ...

, associated with forests cult) *Gjarpri (the

Serpent Serpent or The Serpent may refer to: * Snake, a carnivorous reptile of the suborder Serpentes Mythology and religion * Sea serpent, a monstrous ocean creature * Serpent (symbolism), the snake in religious rites and mythological contexts * Serp ...

, associated with

and

cults) *Bukla (the

Stoat The stoat (''Mustela erminea''), also known as the Eurasian ermine, Beringian ermine and ermine, is a mustelid native to Eurasia and the northern portions of North America. Because of its wide circumpolar distribution, it is listed as Least Conc ...

) *Ujku (the

Wolf The wolf (''Canis lupus''; : wolves), also known as the gray wolf or grey wolf, is a large canine native to Eurasia and North America. More than thirty subspecies of ''Canis lupus'' have been recognized, and gray wolves, as popularly un ...

)

Concepts

* Kanun * Besa/Beja ( oath swearing) **me diell (by sun), me dhè (by earth), me fushë (by field), me gur/gur-rrufeje (by stone/thunder-stone), me hënë (by moon), me mal (by mountain), me qiell (by sky), me ujë (by water), me toks (by snake) * Numbers *

Good and Evil In religion, ethics, philosophy, and psychology "good and evil" is a very common dichotomy. In cultures with Manichaean and Abrahamic religious influence, evil is perceived as the dualistic antagonistic opposite of good, in which good shou ...

* Fate * Fryma, Hija, Shpirti (the

Soul In many religious and philosophical traditions, there is a belief that a soul is "the immaterial aspect or essence of a human being". Etymology The Modern English noun '' soul'' is derived from Old English ''sāwol, sāwel''. The earliest att ...

) * Rebirth *

* Totemism *

Ancestor worship The veneration of the dead, including one's ancestors, is based on love and respect for the deceased. In some cultures, it is related to beliefs that the dead have a continued existence, and may possess the ability to influence the fortune of t ...

* Syri i Keq (the

Evil Eye The Evil Eye ( grc, ὀφθαλμὸς βάσκανος; grc-koi, ὀφθαλμὸς πονηρός; el, (κακό) μάτι; he, עַיִן הָרָע, ; Romanian: ''Deochi''; it, malocchio; es, mal de ojo; pt, mau-olhado, olho gordo; ar ...

) * Yshtje *Ditët e Plakës (Old Woman's Days, a belief about the last cold days of winter)

Mythical beings

*Serpentine dragons ** Bolla→Bollar→Errshaja→Kulshedra **

Ljubi The lubia or ljubi is a water and storm demon in Albanian mythology and folklore, usually depicted as a huge multi-headed female serpentine dragon similar to the kulshedra. In Southern Albanian beliefs, she is a storm deity. She is also referred t ...

**Sprija ** Llamja (half snake, half woman) *Angu (shapeless ghost who appears in dreams) *Avullushe (spirits that suffocate people with their breath) *Bariu i mirë (the good shepherd) * Baloz (dark knight, huge monster) *Bushtra (bad omen-wishing female witch) *Çakalloz (mighty being, slightly deranged hero) * Dhampir (half-vampire, half-human) *Dhevështruesi (half human and half animal) *Dhamsutë (deaf and dumb mare) *Divi (

ogre An ogre (feminine: ogress) is a legendary monster depicted as a large, hideous, man-like being that eats ordinary human beings, especially infants and children. Ogres frequently feature in mythology, folklore, and fiction throughout the world ...

) *Flama (restless evil ghost) *Gjysmagjeli *Gogol ( bogeyman) *Hajnjeri (man eating giant) *Hija (shadow ghost) *Judi (giant ghost) *Kacamisri (similar to Tom Thumb) * Karkanxholl (

werewolf In folklore, a werewolf (), or occasionally lycanthrope (; ; uk, Вовкулака, Vovkulaka), is an individual that can shapeshift into a wolf (or, especially in modern film, a therianthropic hybrid wolf-like creature), either purposely ...

) *Katallan (

giant In folklore, giants (from Ancient Greek: ''gigas'', cognate giga-) are beings of human-like appearance, but are at times prodigious in size and strength or bear an otherwise notable appearance. The word ''giant'' is first attested in 1297 fr ...

), having its origins in the

Catalan Company The Catalan Company or the Great Catalan Company (Spanish: ''Compañía Catalana'', Catalan: ''Gran Companyia Catalana'', Latin: ''Exercitus francorum'', ''Societas exercitus catalanorum'', ''Societas cathalanorum'', ''Magna Societas Catalanorum' ...

's brutality in the Catalan Campaign in Asia Minor. *Katravesh (the four-eared one, man-eating monster) *Kolivilor (demon similar to an incubus) *Kore (child eating demon) * Kukudh (plague demon) *Lahin (dwarf-like goblin)) *Laura (shapeshifting swamp hag) *

Lugat A lugat or liogat is a vampire-like being in Albanian mythology. They abide in shadows and darkness, especially places that never see sunlight, such as inside water wells, old ruins, and caves. They have a frightening visage and are extremely vio ...

( revenant) *Magjí (evil woman, old hag)) *Makth (nightmare ghost that suffocates people during sleep) *Pëlhurëza (

veil A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has been prominent ...

ghost) *Qeros (Scurfhead) *Qose (Barefaced Man) *Rrqepta (similar to a beast) *Rusale (

mermaid In folklore, a mermaid is an aquatic creature with the head and upper body of a female human and the tail of a fish. Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including Europe, Asia, and Africa. Mermaids are sometimes asso ...

) * Shtriga (vampiric witch) *Syqeni (the Doggy Eyed, a wizard) *Thopçi or Herri (

gnome A gnome is a mythological creature and diminutive spirit in Renaissance magic and alchemy, first introduced by Paracelsus in the 16th century and later adopted by more recent authors including those of modern fantasy literature. Its characte ...

) *Three headed dog (

Cerberus In Greek mythology, Cerberus (; grc-gre, Κέρβερος ''Kérberos'' ), often referred to as the hound of Hades, is a multi-headed dog that guards the gates of the Underworld to prevent the dead from leaving. He was the offspring of the ...

) * Vampir *Vurvolaka (werewolves) *

Xhindi Xhindi is a mythological creature in Albanian mythology.Lurker, Manfred (1984). ''The Routledge Dictionary of Gods and Goddesses, Devils and Demons, Taylor & Francis e-Library''. p.38 Appearance Xhindis are usually depicted as invisible spirits, so ...

(

jinn Jinn ( ar, , ') – also romanized as djinn or anglicized as genies (with the broader meaning of spirit or demon, depending on sources) – are invisible creatures in early pre-Islamic Arabian religious systems and later in Islamic ...

)

Heroic characters

The Albanian terms for "hero" are ''trim'' (female: ''trimneshë''), ''kreshnik'' or ''hero'' (female: ''heroinë''). Some of the main heroes of the Albanian epic songs, legends and myths are: *Demigods **

: semi-human winged warrior, whose weapons are meteoric stones, lightning-swords, thunderbolts, piles of trees and rocks ** E Bija e Hënës dhe e Diellit: the Daughter of the Moon and Sun, whose weapon is a point of light *Humans ** Zjerma and Handa: protagonists of the heroic folktale " The Twins". Zjerma (lit. "fire") was born with the sun in the forehead, while Handa (lit. "moon") was born with the

moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It is the fifth largest satellite in the Solar System and the largest and most massive relative to its parent planet, with a diameter about one-quarter that of Earth (comparable to the width of ...

in the forehead. They have two horses and two dogs as companions, and two silver swords as weapons **Muji and Halili, protagonists of

epic cycle The Epic Cycle ( grc, Ἐπικὸς Κύκλος, Epikòs Kýklos) was a collection of Ancient Greek epic poems, composed in dactylic hexameter and related to the story of the Trojan War, including the '' Cypria'', the ''Aethiopis'', the so-ca ...

of the '' Kângë Kreshnikësh'' ** Gjergj Elez Alia ** Little Constantine

Heroic motifs

The Albanian heroic songs are substantially permeated by the concepts contained in the Kanun, a code of Albanian oral customary laws:

honour Honour (British English) or honor (American English; see spelling differences) is the idea of a bond between an individual and a society as a quality of a person that is both of social teaching and of personal ethos, that manifests itself as a ...

, considered as the highest ideal in Albanian society;

shame Shame is an unpleasant self-conscious emotion often associated with negative self-evaluation; motivation to quit; and feelings of pain, exposure, distrust, powerlessness, and worthlessness. Definition Shame is a discrete, basic emotion, d ...

and dishonour, regarded as worse than death; besa and

loyalty Loyalty, in general use, is a devotion and faithfulness to a nation, cause, philosophy, country, group, or person. Philosophers disagree on what can be an object of loyalty, as some argue that loyalty is strictly interpersonal and only another ...

gjakmarrja In the traditional Albanian culture, (English: "blood-taking", i.e. "blood feud") or ("revenge") is the social obligation to kill an offender or a member of their family in order to salvage one's honor. This practice is generally seen as in line ...

. Another characteristic of Albanian heroic songs are

weapons A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...

. Their importance and the love which the heroes have for them are carefully represented in the songs, while they are rarely described physically. A common feature appearing in these songs is the desire for fame and glory, which is related to the courage of a person.

Rituals

* Childbirth rituals * Wedding rituals *

Fire ritual Worship or deification of fire (also pyrodulia, pyrolatry or pyrolatria) is known from various religions. Fire has been an important part of human culture since the Lower Paleolithic. Religious or animist notions connected to fire are assumed ...

s (living, sacred or divine fire) **Calendar fires: , associated with the cosmic cycle and the rhythms of agricultural and pastoral life **Livestock fires: , associated with the purification of domesticated animals **Hearth fire: '' zjarri i vatrës'', associated with the cult of the hearth *Weather rituals **Rituals to avert hailstorms (''ndalja e stuhisë së breshrit'') ***Through noise, gunshots and bonfires ** Rainmaking rituals () ***Through ritual processions, dances and songs ( Rone or Dordolec) * Vajtim, Gjâmë

Festivals

* Dita e Verës (Verëza): "The Summer Day", an Albanian spring festival celebrated on March 1 of the

Julian calendar The Julian calendar, proposed by Roman consul Julius Caesar in 46 BC, was a reform of the Roman calendar. It took effect on , by edict. It was designed with the aid of Greek mathematicians and astronomers such as Sosigenes of Alexandri ...

(

March 14 Events Pre-1600 * 1074 – Battle of Mogyoród: Dukes Géza and Ladislaus defeat their cousin Solomon, King of Hungary, forcing him to flee to Hungary's western borderland. *1590 – Battle of Ivry: Henry of Navarre and the Hugu ...

of the

Gregorian calendar The Gregorian calendar is the calendar used in most parts of the world. It was introduced in October 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII as a modification of, and replacement for, the Julian calendar. The principal change was to space leap years d ...

). In the old Albanian calendar it corresponds to the first day of the new year ( sq, Kryeviti, Kryet e Motmotit, Motmoti i Ri, Nata e Mojit) and marks the end of the winter season (the second half of the year) and the beginning of the summer season (the first half of the year) on the spring equinox. Another festival of the spring equinox is

Nowruz Nowruz ( fa, نوروز, ; ), zh, 诺鲁孜节, ug, نەۋروز, ka, ნოვრუზ, ku, Newroz, he, נורוז, kk, Наурыз, ky, Нооруз, mn, Наурыз, ur, نوروز, tg, Наврӯз, tr, Nevruz, tk, Nowruz, ...

( sq, Dita e Sulltan Nevruzit) celebrated on

March 22 Events Pre-1600 * 106 – Start of the Bostran era, the calendar of the province of Arabia Petraea. * 235 – Roman emperor Severus Alexander is murdered, marking the start of the Crisis of the Third Century. * 871 – Æthelr ...

. * Nata e Buzmit: " Yule log's night" celebrated about the time of the

winter solstice The winter solstice, also called the hibernal solstice, occurs when either of Earth's poles reaches its maximum tilt away from the Sun. This happens twice yearly, once in each hemisphere (Northern and Southern). For that hemisphere, the winter ...

, between December 22 and January 6. In Albanian beliefs it marks the return of the sun for summer and the lengthening of the days.

List of folk tales, legends, songs and ballads

Folk tales

*Marigo of the Forty Dragons * For the Love of a Dove *The Silver Tooth *The Snake Child *The Maiden who was Promised to the Sun *The Grateful Snake and the Magic Case *The Jealous Sisters *The Princess of China *The Foolish Youth and the Ring *The Barefaced Man and the Pasha's Brother *The Boy with No Name *Half Rooster *Gjizar the Nightingale *The Snake and the King's Daughter *The Bear and the Dervish *The King's Daughter and the Skull *The Stirrup Moor *The Tale of the Youth who Understood the Language of the Animals *The Maiden in the Box * The Girl who Became a Boy *The Shoes * The Youth and the Maiden with Stars on their Foreheads and Crescents on their Breasts *The Three Brothers and the Three Sisters *The Three Friends and the Earthly Beauty *The Scurfhead *The Boy and the Earthly Beauty * The Twins *The Daughter of the Moon and Sun (version with

) *The Daughter of the Moon and Sun (version with the king's son) *The Daughter of the Sun *The Serpent *Seven Spans of Beard and Three Spans of Body *The Skilful Brothers * The Tale of the Eagle

Legends

*Aga Ymer of Ulcinj *Ali Dost Dede of Gjirokastra * Baba Tomor *Mujo and Halili cycle * Gjergj Elez Alia *Sari Salltëk *Scanderbeg and Ballaban *Shega and Vllastar *The Lover's Grave *Legend of Jabal-i Alhama * Princess Argjiro * Nora of Kelmendi * The Legend of Rozafa *Revenge Taken on Kastrati – a Legend of the Triepshi Tribe *The Founding of the Kelmendi Tribe *The Founding of the Kastrati Tribe *The Founding of the Hoti and Triepshi Tribes

Songs and Ballads

* Songs of the Frontier Warriors *At the Plane Tree of Mashkullore *Cham Folk Songs ( Song of Çelo Mezani) * Song of Marko Boçari * Constantin and Doruntinë *Eufrozina of Janina *Oh, my Beautiful Morea * Song of Tana *Songs of the Battle of Kosova * The Ballad of Rozafa *The Song Collection of Vuk Karadžić

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Albanian Mythology Albanian culture Albanian folklore Albanian mythology Paleo-Balkan mythology Indo-European mythology Greek mythology of Thrace