Non-Iranian Origin of the Eastern-Slavonic God <em>Xŭrsŭ/Xors</em><br>Neiranskoe proishoždenie vostočnoslavjanskogo boga <em>Hrsa/Horsa</em></br>

Abstract

The paper examines the traditional explanation of the Eastern-Slavonic deity Xors as an Iranian loan from the Persian xwaršēδ/xoršid ‘sun’ and advances an alternative etymology via the Indo-Aryan root hṛṣ-, Indo-European *g̑hers- and its cognates in other Indo-European languages. Based on the linguistic and mythological comparative analysis Xors is interpreted not as an abstract ‘solar god’ but as a ‘sun fertility hero’ viewed as the development of the ancient archetype of the ‘dying and resurrecting god’ comparable in role to Dionysus. The paper closes with a brief outline of some new venues for research following out of the proposed reinterpretation of Xors.

Keywords

• slavonic mythology
• slavic paganism
• xors
• hors
• vladimir’s pantheon
• dionysus
• fertility cult