indicate the level to which a name has been verified.
Meaning & History
Alleged Lithuanian goddess of stoves and, more specifically, stove corners.Aspelenie was first recorded by Polish historian and theologian Jan Łasicki in his treatise on idolatry De diis Samagitarum caeterorumque Sarmatarum et falsorum Christianorum, written ca. 1582 and published in 1615.Her name is clearly a Latinization, however, an original form, if there ever was one, has since been reconstructed: Užpelenė.
The meaning of her name is yet unknown.
There are, however, theories that link her to the "snake cult" prevalent in Baltic mythology and folklore. Snakes were considered messengers of the gods and treated accordingly. They were thought to be guardians of the home and a symbol of fertility, bringing good harvest and wealth.
Snakes liked to live in the corners of the stoves or near stoves, so with stoves being the realm of Aspelenie, they might have been sacred to her.
Since Łasicki was not intimately familiar with Lithuanian culture or language, the academic opinion on the value of his writings ranges from a valuable resource to a practical joke.
The meaning of her name is yet unknown.
There are, however, theories that link her to the "snake cult" prevalent in Baltic mythology and folklore. Snakes were considered messengers of the gods and treated accordingly. They were thought to be guardians of the home and a symbol of fertility, bringing good harvest and wealth.
Snakes liked to live in the corners of the stoves or near stoves, so with stoves being the realm of Aspelenie, they might have been sacred to her.
Since Łasicki was not intimately familiar with Lithuanian culture or language, the academic opinion on the value of his writings ranges from a valuable resource to a practical joke.