Looking for "untainted" literature about Baltic mythology

[Sigurd]

There are currently two points that just don't leave my mind: Are Balts more closely related to Germanics than oft believed in terms of mythology? And can developments in their mythology allow conjectures about the development of our own?

A while ago I looked into (limited) online resources as well as the limited information on the matter in Grimm's "Teutonic Mythology" and came to the conclusion that based upon mythological points, Balts are closer to Germanics than to Slavics, unlike is oft commonly believed by pan-Slavists who would claim a connection upon "Perkunos/Perkunas = Perun => Balts are a subgroup of Slavs".

Much information of what one stumbles upon proposes the old idea that Balts and Slavs are much more closely related, especially mythologically than Balts and Germanics. Much of what I have read though (which is a basic knowledge but not more) leads me to believe the truth to be to the contrary however. Wishing to expand my knowledge of mythology in much more detail beyond the Germanic sphere and Celtic sphere respectively, I am now left to do some reading.

And there, Baltic mythology is especially interesting: Balts were the last to be Christianised, in the 13th/14th century. As such, perhaps further developments can be discerned and the difference between 7th/8th century practices and 13th/14th century could allow a conjecture of how my own Germanic mythology would have developed.

Sub-issues which might also be of interest then are:
- Difference between Latvian and Lithuanian mythology and the implications thereof
- Links and difference with Estonian and Finnish mythology (by-point of proving my theory of Finnics being as closely related to Balts as Celtics and Germanics are)
- The implications Baltic mythology had upon Prussian culture - how much has remained beyond the Teutonic Order?

Therefore - anyone able to recommend any literature, including detailed and specialised literature, dealing with Baltic mythology, including comparative mythology, which has been translated into German or English which ISN'T written by a Russian?

Folk tales and fairy tales and legends, including local ones also help. Every little bit helps. :)

[Eldritch]

Silverwhite (from 1976 if I'm not mistaken) by Estonia's former president Lennart Meri would probably be a good place to start, if you can get your mitts on it.

EDIT:


Meri's best known work is perhaps Hõbevalge, which translates into Silver White and was published in 1976. It reconstructs the history of Estonia and the Baltic Sea region. The Estonian language belongs to the Baltic-Finnic group of the Finno-Ugric languages and Estonian is closely related to Finnish and distantly related to Hungarian. As in his other works, Meri combines documentary sources and scientific research with his imagination. "If geography is prose, maps are iconography," Meri writes. Hõbevalge is based on a wide-ranging ancient seafaring sources, and carefully unveils the secret of the legendary Ultima Thule. The name was given in classical times to the most northerly land, reputedly six days' voyage from Britain. Several alternative places for its location have been suggested, among them the Shetland Islands, Iceland, and Norway. According to Meri, it is possible that Thule derives from the old folk poetry of Estonia, which depicts the birth of the crater lake in Kaali, Saaremaa.

[Sarmata]

There are currently two points that just don't leave my mind: Are Balts more closely related to Germanics than oft believed in terms of mythology? And can developments in their mythology allow conjectures about the development of our own?

A while ago I looked into (limited) online resources as well as the limited information on the matter in Grimm's "Teutonic Mythology" and came to the conclusion that based upon mythological points, Balts are closer to Germanics than to Slavics, unlike is oft commonly believed by pan-Slavists who would claim a connection upon "Perkunos/Perkunas = Perun => Balts are a subgroup of Slavs".

Much information of what one stumbles upon proposes the old idea that Balts and Slavs are much more closely related, especially mythologically than Balts and Germanics. Much of what I have read though (which is a basic knowledge but not more) leads me to believe the truth to be to the contrary however. Wishing to expand my knowledge of mythology in much more detail beyond the Germanic sphere and Celtic sphere respectively, I am now left to do some reading.

And there, Baltic mythology is especially interesting: Balts were the last to be Christianised, in the 13th/14th century. As such, perhaps further developments can be discerned and the difference between 7th/8th century practices and 13th/14th century could allow a conjecture of how my own Germanic mythology would have developed.

Sub-issues which might also be of interest then are:
- Difference between Latvian and Lithuanian mythology and the implications thereof
- Links and difference with Estonian and Finnish mythology (by-point of proving my theory of Finnics being as closely related to Balts as Celtics and Germanics are)
- The implications Baltic mythology had upon Prussian culture - how much has remained beyond the Teutonic Order?

Therefore - anyone able to recommend any literature, including detailed and specialised literature, dealing with Baltic mythology, including comparative mythology, which has been translated into German or English which ISN'T written by a Russian?

Folk tales and fairy tales and legends, including local ones also help. Every little bit helps. :)

Balts(except Estonians)...they're "independent" Indo-european people not a sub-group of Slavs or others. Althrough probably in some period of time( ?-to about 500 ac:eek:),existed Balto-Slavic language:confused: and cultural commonwealth so believes of our ancestors were rather common. Differences is that in baltic mithology existed Divas, ancient ,very imoprtant pan-European god,Slavs(and Iranians) considered Div/Dev as minor demon. Besides that Baltic language(relate to sanskrit) and mithology're very archaic.

[Birka]

Here is a link about the Lithuanian language and its relationship to Sanskrit. If you go to the home page, it has many other Baltic topics. I do not know who wrote all of this, though.

http://postilla.mch.mii.lt/Kalba/baltai.en.htm#SANSKRIT

[Psychonaut]

You might already be familiar with this, but there's an excellent article in vol. III of the journal TYR: Myth--Culture--Tradition written by Vilius Rudra Dundzilla called "Baltic Lithuanian Religion and Romuva," (pp. 279-360). It's a well researched, extensively annotated (over 140 individual citations) and thorough article about the resurgence of Baltic paganism. Here's the blurb from the endnotes about the author (p. 519):


Vilius Rudra Dundzila, Ph.D., D.Min., is a Professor of Humanities and Comparative Religion at Harry S. Truman College (City Colleges of Chicago). He has graduate degrees in Lithuanian Studies, Comparative Literature, Spirituality and Ministry. He has published a number of academic articles on Baltic religion and mythology. He served as seniúnas (Elder, i.e. minister) of the Lithuanian Ethnic Church Romuva for twelve years in Kaunas, Lithuania and Chicago.

[Sarmata]

I found this book: http://www.vaidilute.com/books/gimbutas/gimbutas-contents.html authoress is Mrs. Marija Gimbutas, she has very interesting theories about Indo-europeans origin so her book about Balts could be precious.

[Inese]

We have two Latvian fable books and there is some information about old baltic gods too ---- used in the sages!! But it helps you not much it is in Latvian language and it is very much to translate. :(

But you can read some Latvian sages in German ( extra for you!! ) on this website :):thumb001::

http://www.zeno.org/M%C3%A4rchen/M/Lettland/Victor+von+Andrejanoff:+Lettische+M%C3%A4rchen

Some are orientated on Baltic mythology!!! It helps I hope?

A German book about Latvian sages you can buy it here:

http://www.libri.de/shop/action/productDetails/1374209/norbert_guettes_lettische_maerchen_3898114600.html


Good English Information on Latvian mythology you can find here:

http://www.book-of-thoth.com/thebook/index.php/Latvian_mythology <-------- super-good overview over our Latvian gods, deities, demons and more!!!! :thumb001: Must read!!!

http://www.pantheon.org/articles/l/latvian_mythology.html