Bestiary · Slavic · Goddess of death and winter
Morana
Also known as: Marena, Mara, Morena, Marzana
The Slavic goddess of winter and death, whose straw figure was carried out of the village, burned or drowned in spring.
Morana (Marena, Mara) is the goddess of winter, of night and of death, set against Zhiva, the goddess of summer and life. In spring the Czechs, Poles, Lusatians and others made a straw figure of her, dressed it in women's clothes, carried it through the village with songs, and then burned it, tore it apart or threw it into the water, calling in spring in her place. In Little Russia Marena was drowned together with Kupala at midsummer. Afanasyev links her name with the words for death and darkness and with the night spirit mora.