Shurdhi

Shurdh ( sq-definite, Shurdhi) is a name for the weather and storm god in Albanian pagan mythology. In some regions of the Albanian Alps the weather and storm god has been referred to as Rmoria or Shen Verbti; the latter is an Albanian adjectival noun meaning "the blind one" that has been used in other northern Albanian regions (documented in Zadrima), to refer to the fire and wind god. In Zadrima the sky and lightning god has been called Zojz, the clear equivalent and cognate of Messapic ''Zis'' and Ancient Greek ''Zeus'' (all from Proto-Indo-European '' *Di̯ḗu̯s'' 'sky god'). Another possible name of the sky and lightning god could be Perëndi. The Albanian divine culture hero drangue, who plays a dominant role in Albanian mythology, features the attributes of a sky and lightning deity, apparently an Albanian reflection of the Indo-European sky god.

Worshiped in northern Albania until recent times, the weather and storm god was believed to cause hailstorms and throw thunder and lightning.

''Shurdhi'' is thought to have been an ancient Illyrian theonym, equivalent and partly cognate of Thracian ''Zibelthiurdos''.

Name

The name ''Shurdhi'' appears to be connected with the Albanian term ''i shurdhët'' meaning "the deaf one", however, this link seems to be only a coincidence, since the name ''Shurdh'' is more likely a compound of ''*seuro'', "water" (cf. Albanian '' shurrë'' "urine"), and ''*dos'' "giver/donor" (cf. Albanian '' dhashë/dha'', "I gave/he gave"); his name thus means "water donor". A relation between the name ''Shurdh'' and the second part of the theonym '' Zibelsurdus'' found in ancient Thracian epigraphic monuments has been suggested.

The coincidence of the name of the weather and storm god ''Shurdh'' with the term ''shurdh-i'' "the deaf one" probably gave rise to the adjectival noun ''I Verbti'' "the blind one" or ''Shën Verbti'' "the holy blind one", which was used to refer to the weather and storm god in the Albanian Alps along with ''Rrmoria'',; . and to refer to the fire and wind god in the Zadrima region.

The theonym ''Shurdh'' could be related to the name of the island of Shurdhah near Shkodër, and it is found in the oronym ''Maja Shurdh'' ("Shurdh Peak") in Kelmendi, and the toponym ''mi Shurdh'', a region in Mirdita.

''Rrmoria'', which is another name for the weather and storm god, is possibly from 'shouting, noise, rumour'.

Folk beliefs

According to folk beliefs, Shurdhi travels using storm clouds which announce hailstorms when he arrives. He can be greeted and turned away with noise from metallic objects and gunshots, according to the Albanian apotropaic ritual practiced in order to seek the protection of the fire deity from big storms with torrential rains, lightning and hail, which often cause great damage to agriculture, livestock, and to the rural economy in general.

The Albanologist Baron Nopcsa identified Shurdhi with the ancient Thracian thunder deity Zibelsurdus. According to Karl Treimer, a presumable basic form ''perejont-'', "the striker", of the Albanian divine name ''Perëndi'' may be an epithet of the thunderstorm god Shurdh, who may have been a favorite god since he would have refreshed pastures and fields and was probably also of a warlike nature after this presumable epithet given to him.

See also

*Albanian mythology
*Drangue
*En (deity)
*Zojz (deity)
*Perëndi
* Verbti

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Albanian paganism
Albanian mythology
Sky and weather gods