Lexicon of Baltic Mythology (Empirie und Theorie der Sprachwissenschaft, 7)

The present volume is an alphabetically arranged lexicon of mythological terms of Baltic mythology. The terms are analyzed in their historical and ethnological context and in perspective of their etymology. They were preserved in numerous chronicles, usually written in non-Baltic languages, namely Latin, German, Old Russian, and Old Polish. Their second important source is hidden in Lithuanian and especially Latvian folk songs called 'dainas'. Portions of both primary texts and folklore are included within the individual entries. The recently formulated interpretations of Lithuanian and Latvian mythologists are also taken in account, to confront them with older opinions and with the results of etymological analysis. The proposed etymological explanations of the analyzed terms should serve to differentiate a common Indo-European heritage from the purely Baltic forms, and finally from external mutual interferences with Slavic, Iranian, Germanic and Fenno-Volgaic traditions.