According to Maximilian Lambertz (1882-1963), he is the relic of an ancient Illyrian god. [2], Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Mujos Oras), translated by Robert Elsie [6], As Slavic Warrior Paji Harambashi searches for Mujo within the mountain ranges, he encounters three snow-white Oras Mujos protectors. I dont know, I just think that its wrong to suppress emotions like that. What I *dont* understand is why does it eat peoples food? I was totally creeped out by the Drekavac too. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. However, others have viewed her differently. [2] Baron Franz Nopcsa related the term Ora to the ancient Greek Oreads, nymphs of the mountains. The Ora (Albanian: or, definite form: ora, pl. In an attempt to escape, they made wooden wings and tried to fly off the roof. But, to ensure the builders couldnt create a more beautiful building somewhere else, he had them all stranded on the roof so that they would perish and be unable to build again. Prince Radu the Black dreamed of building the most striking monastery in Romania. Perhaps thats the best way to undo her damage? An Ora is made a victim by Paji as he clenches and crushes its arm. Hold on, this is going to be *very* different. In addition to that, the word Dhampir itself has a few slightly different ways to be spelled such as dhamphir and dhampyr. The deity of Tomor is of Illyrian origin. According to popular belief, they returned to the area to search for their lost limbs. Another scary creature from Albanian mythology is the Bajloz. I love hearing mythology and folklore stories, especially ones Ive never heard from new places. Most believe he is visible only at night, especially during thetwelve days of Christmasand in the earlyspring. If youre unlucky enough to be chosen by sampiro, however, there is a bright side. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. E Bukura e Dheut. However one part retained Christian and pre-Christian beliefs. A large abandoned ancient city remains within the cavern, with a bazar stocked with all of the finest and best fruit, flesh, fish, and fair raiment. During construction the walls of the monastery would continuously crumble. [49], At the time of the South Slavic incursion and the threat of ethnic turbulence in the Albanian-inhabited regions, the Christianization of the Albanians had already been completed and it had apparently developed for Albanians as a further identity-forming feature alongside the ethnic-linguistic unity. Another important figure in Norse mythology is the god Thor, who is known for his strength and his weapon, the mighty hammer Mjolnir. Which, by the way, also serves as a very serious warning to avoid this person, as this is someone undoubtedly evil and dangerous. This particular one is called the Night Hag. Their name derives from Fate. Mount Tomorr is a mountain range in central Albania. For a cover? The inhabitants of the Dukagjini Mountains believed that three types of Fates existed: e Bardha (The White One) distributes good luck and wishes humans well, e Verdha (The Yellow One) distributes bad luck and casts evil spells, and e Zeza (The Black One) who decides death. Ooooh spooky! Some scarier than others. Alphabetical entries shed light on blood feuding, figures of Albanian mythology, religious beliefs, communities, and sects, calendar feasts and rituals, and popular superstitions, as well as birth, marriage, and funeral . What kind of being was standing before him. The French consul in Janina and Thessalonika, Auguste Dozon, published Albanian folk tales and songs initially in the 1879 Manuel de la langue chkipe ou albanaise (Manual of the Shkip or Albanian Language) and in the 1881 Contes albanais, recueillis et traduits (Albanian Tales, Collected and Translated). We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. So unlike sampiro and lugat, vrykolakas doesnt bother to spare its victims. [28] Robert Elsie described the Zana as muses of the mountains - as every mountain has its own Zana. The creature has been described as an undead man that left his grave during the night to haunt people. Miren, another name used for them, derives from the Greek Moirae . Extract from Songs of the Frontier Warriors (Halili Avenges Mujo), translated by Robert Elsie . Interestingly enough, in Albania lugat is more often categorized as a demon rather than a vampire. Jubani's own first collection of folklorethe original Albanian texts of the folk songs published by Hcquardwas lost in the flood that devastated the city of Shkodra on 13 January 1866. And how does it crush them by sitting on them? female eagles and the winds are his servants. [58], Islam was first introduced to Albania in the 15th century after the Ottoman conquest of the area. Melton is a bright and educated man and I genuinely found his book a very interesting read. Tomor is the father of gods and humans in the Albanian mythology. Yup, thats it! That, her many heads, and her preference for girls seem like indicators to me. Although labeled as a vampiric witch, shtriga has a lot of resemblance to a boogeyman. The Prince was pleased with his monastery. When assuming the form of a child, the Drekavac predicts someonesdeath, while in its animal form, it predicts cattle disease. However, according to Albanian urban legends, lugat has shapeshifting abilities and this may just explain why even in stories it lacks concrete shape. Within Albania, people believed the Ora would protect them, while others believed the Ora were dangerous creates with evil purposes. Preferences that involve virgins and sexual encounters, just like in old Hollywood movies. But going back specifically to the Albanian version of shtriga, there is one particular characteristic of shtriga that caught my attention. But not until the rain completely washed their blood from the ground and when their bones were ploughed back into the earth. The Albanian word shtrig (definite form being shtriga) derives from the Latin strga, "evil spirit, witch",[2] related to Italian: strega, Romanian: strig and Polish: strzyga. Obviously, no one wants to have dealings with shtriga in the first place. A shtriga ( Albanian: shtrig) is a vampiric witch in Albanian mythology and folklore that sucks the blood of infants at night while they sleep, and then turns into a flying insect (traditionally a moth, fly or bee ). I suppose it would be useful to know in what context Albanians use Lubias name, but I didnt come across any contextual use. Thanks for sticking to the end, I hope you enjoyed the Albanian creepy legends and Albanian mythology creatures so far! [59] Since its founding in 1912, Albania has been a secular state, becoming atheist during the Communist regime, and returning secular after the fall of the regime. Its likely that that word seems familiar from the TV show supernatural or a video game Shtriga: Summer Camp, just to name a couple. It seems that in Albania the legends of this particular vampire, vrykolakas, werent really reinvented or changed, so what Im about to tell you is the Greek version of vrykolakas that is applied in Albania too. On his journey he encounters an Ora who assists him and guides him towards Tanusha. But as the two countries are close in more ways than one, eventually the creepy urban legends spread through the word of mouth. [69] Folk tales, myths and legends have been orally transmitted down the generations and are still very much alive in the mountainous regions of Albania, Kosovo and western North Macedonia, among the Arbresh in Italy and the Arvanites in Greece.[20][70]. I cant wait to visit the Balkans one day and just love learning about this area . As a symbol, it is depicted by eight spiked tridents radiating outwards from a central point. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Depending on the culture, the appearance and abilities of the mythological creature may differ. Albanian urban legends claim that Lubia has an insatiable appetite for children. In particular an important role was played by the Theme of Dyrrhachium and the Archdiocese of Ohrid. [2] British poet Lord Byron (17881824), describing the Albanian religious belief, reported that "The Greeks hardly regard them as Christians, or the Turks as Muslims; and in fact they are a mixture of both, and sometimes neither. Basically, everyone who were frowned upon in the old days and even somewhat today. Its etymology is related to Latin Diana its also simil ar to the Bardha. In fact, it is said that women who submit to envy and for some reason dont bear children are the ones who turn into shtrigas. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Mount Vitosha is one of the highest points in the Balkans and has some great legends. Indeed, the lack of Old Church Slavonic terms in Albanian Christian terminology shows that the missionary activities during the Christianization of the Slavs did not involve Albanian-speakers. When she enters peoples home, she goes straight for a sleeping infant, sucks its blood, and then turns into an insect. The characters in Albanian tales, legends and myths include humans, deities, demigods, monsters, as well as supernatural beings in the shapes of men, animals and plants. The Drekavac really gives me the creeps! And you wouldnt be wrong for seeking that because of what in Albanian is called syliga. New!! A well of clear water, named after Manole, is believed to mark the spot where Manole himself fell. Zuku, taunted and captured is blinded by his mother. After that, all youll need to do is throw the salt into direct flames while also saying syt i dalin syt i plain. Unlike with a female shtriga, however, we dont really get an explanation of how men turn into shtrigu. We have chosen some of the best ones from each country to create a collection of traditional tales and bloodcurdling creatures. Save Balkan Folklore Discover the Fascinating Tales and Mythical Creatures for later by pinning the image below. People who were in the sampiro list included liars, thieves, petty criminals in general, trans people and homosexuals, as well as people whowere too much into animals (if you know what I mean), and those who would frequent sex workers. [182][136], Another characteristic of Albanian heroic songs are weapons. So if youre a fan of all things vampire, you wont be surprised to read that the general Balkan stories, and hence Albanian stories, imply that the regular vampires are not just thirsty for blood, but women too. Also according to Church documents, the territories that coincide with the present-day Albanian-speaking compact area had remained under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome and used Latin as official language at least until the first half of the 8th century. The Albanian terms for "hero" are trim (female: trimnesh), kreshnik or hero (female: heroin). [9] Besa is a common practice in Albanian culture, consisting of an oath taken by Sun, by Moon, by sky, by earth, by fire, by stone, by mountain, by water and by snake, which are all considered sacred objects. All the children it attacked return to normal. The kucedra or kulshedra is a mythological creature in Albanian mythology that is usually depicted as a large, multi-headed dragon with 7 heads. It kills people by sitting on them. So, if you feel bitter towards the witch and want revenge for all that shes done, that may be the way. Youll need to make a cross from pig bone and then make sure its placed at the entrance of a church. Among the main bodies of Albanian folk poetry are the Kng Kreshniksh ("Songs of Heroes"), the traditional non-historical cycle of Albanian epic songs, based on the cult of the legendary hero. I mean, it would make more sense if it was the evil nose, but fair enough. How can you fight back? For me, not only does it say something about its personality, but also raises questions. And maybe its just me because as a kid I used to cry often, but why would parents want to scare their children into not crying? while sleeping" are very widespread among the Balkan peoples. All in all, she is either middle-aged or an elderly woman who, judging from her dark stare alone, is definitely not a sweet and ordinary grandma. The second part of Dine's collection was devoted to folk literature, including love songs, wedding songs, funerary songs, satirical verse, religious and didactic verses, folk tales, aphorisms, rhymes, popular beliefs and mythology. We did establish that vampires are horny creatures, remember? However, I wouldnt rule out the possibility of sexual attraction. A cross made of pig bone could be placed at the entrance of a church on Easter Sunday, rendering any shtriga inside unable to leave. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. It keeps its eyes closed . The images of mythological creatures "coming at night and strangling people . Jerko never returned from his voyage and his fate remains unknown. Between the early 7th century and the late 9th century the interior areas of the Balkans were deprived of church administration, and Christianity might have survived only as a popular tradition on a reduced degree. This compilation was a milestone of Albanian folk literature being the first collection of Albanian material of scholarly quality. [43][29] A number of parallels are found with Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies. Want to read a bit more folklore and discover more mythical creatures? Although they had never met, Vita used to sing from the top of the Big ridge while Lyulin would accompany her on his fiddle from the Long ridge. But that would need an article of its own. As a matter of fact, even today many Albanians point their fingers at shtriga whenever theres untimely infant death. The Drekavac sounds especially creepy,and the Prepasti from Bosnia really interested me. [27] From 1923 onward, Scottish scholar and anthropologist Margaret Hasluck collected Albanian folklore material when she lived in Albania. The problem is that this may be even more difficult than getting her to cure people, as she is not easily killed. The mountain ora then burst into laughter, The young man himself was perplexed and did wonder. mythological creatures, parallels of which are found in the Balkans (Nopa, 1913a, 1913b; Tirta 2003, 2004 . Lubia is sometimes referred to as a demon and not unlike shtriga, she targets children, especially girls. But even if you do come across an evil dhampir, there is a bright side legends tell us that its possible to identify dhampirs as such. Albanian folk beliefs (Albanian: Besimet folklorike shqiptare) and mythological stories comprise the beliefs expressed in the customs, rituals, myths, legends and tales of the Albanian people. If you dont trust this method or dont enjoy playing with fire, there are many other ways to prevent the worst from happening. According to Northern Albanian folklore, a woman is not born a witch; she becomes one, often because she is childless or made evil by envy. [46], Among the Illyrians of early Albania the Sun was a widespread symbol. Scary! [9] Ora travel with their person and provide protection. [22], The first Albanian folklorist to collect the oral tradition in a more systematic manner for scholarly purposes was the Franciscan priest and scholar Shtjefn Gjeovi. Basically, you have 3 options there: impale its head on a spike, chop its head off, or seek help from a professional vampire hunter. I know that if I was a kid and saw a giant, Id do the opposite. But there are also those who have certainpreferences. Zmey are beings with vaguely human features. Am I the only one wondering how those heads are placed on the body? Kron-i/krua/kroi: living water, flowing water. This is so interesting! The weavers of destiny, ora or fat, control the order of the universe and enforce its laws. Traditionally sung in the far north of Albania,[13] Albanian oral literature has preserved many archaic elements, revealing traces of Greco-Roman mythology within, including the mythical Ora. (Father) Tomor is seen as an old man with a long white beard flowing down to. Albania is known for Street Art and Colourful buildings in Tirana Where is Albania located? Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. hopefully they are just myths haha! In Norse mythology, the Helm of Awe (also known as the Helm of Terror) is a magical item worn by the dragon Fafnir, who attributes much of his invincibility to its power. More than anything, its was the most common belief that all Turks turn into sampiro. Therefore, several Albanian dialectal variants exist, such as zn, zn, zr, xan, xn, etc. Since this age demographic is more targeted by shtriga, Albanians normalized this as protection against the evil eye. She is a female demon who comes to you at night, in many forms, to give you nightmares and terrify you. But lets pretend that it all adds up. [26] Evil oras disguised as serpents would guard the cavern; for if any man were to touch the items within the ancient city, they would devour him in the darkness. The three fates of Greek Mythology, the Moirai, are represented similarly to the Ora as three goddesses who determine human destiny. I dont think there has been a building constructed without some sort of tale behind it! I gotta admit, that does sound hard to ignore. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. But thats not all. The defense against Night Hags is to close all keyholes to stop them from entering the room. Albanian folklore evolved over the centuries in a relative isolated tribal culture and society,[4] and although several changes occurred in the Albanian belief system, an ancient substratum of pre-Christian beliefs has survived until today. Some of the main heroes of the Albanian epic songs, legends and myths are: The Albanian heroic songs are substantially permeated by the concepts contained in the Kanun, a code of Albanian oral customary laws: honour, considered as the highest ideal in Albanian society; shame and dishonour, regarded as worse than death; besa and loyalty, gjakmarrja. [51] Some Albanians living in the mountains, who were only partially affected by Romanization, probably sank back into the Classic Paganism. The same motifs were kept with identical cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the early medieval culture of the Albanians. and I think Im going to have nightmares of Lamia, but this whole post was such a fun read. Well, apparently vrykolakas can be pretty judgemental too. Balkan Folklore is really interesting to read but its even better to hear the tale told by an enthusiastic local who has been brought up with these legends. The Ora ( Albanian: or, definite form: ora, pl. The Balkan region is home to many captivating legends and mythical creatures. [8] Fire worship is associated with the cult of the Sun, the cult of the hearth and the cult of fertility in agriculture and animal husbandry. She accepted, for some reason, but she soon realised that this was not a game. The urban stories claim that like any other vampire, it feeds off peoples blood. Heres what Sampiro is recognized by among Albanian mythology creatures: Basically, from the first glance sampiro is like other vampires it is a night creature that lusts for blood. Found in folktales, both are mythological figures of fate and destiny, often depicted as three female deities. They also have the tail of a snake, golden wings and incredible physical strength. Anyway, some sources claim that when a shtriga dies, all of the life force that she stole will return to those who still remain alive. Zanas are depicted as mountain fairies, and similarly to the Ora, live near springs within the highlands of Northern Albania. A figure from northern Albanian mythology, the name comes from the Albanian word for 'steam' and refers to a spirit-like creature that can suffocate humans with their breath. Evil Oras and devils would appear at night and then vanish at the first cock-crow two hours after midnight, as they were now powerless. Lets just hope you never meet it and dont become its sustainable source of blood. In fact, the creature enjoys the thrill of taking peoples lives in the weirdest way Ive ever heard of. Or, if you prefer, you can whisper syt i dalin syt i plain or plast syri keq 3 to 6 times. Ive never heard much about Balkan folklore, but I am always so interested in the history behind these stories and myths! This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Serbia - Bauk is an animal-like mythical creature in Serbian mythology. Syliga basically refers to the evil eye that can unleash a storm of bad luck. Their importance and the love which the heroes have for them are carefully represented in the songs, while they are rarely described physically. I cant say thats its surprising to see shtriga being used in pop culture because it appears not only in Albanian folklore, but in Polish, Romanian, Italian, and many others too. A shtriga (Albanian: shtrig) is a vampiric witch in Albanian mythology and folklore that sucks the blood of infants at night while they sleep, and then turns into a flying insect (traditionally a moth, fly or bee). His folklore material was republished in his Albanesische Studien (Albanian Studies). While its true that theyre not motivated by blood the way vampires are and theyre not really categorized as either good or evil, they *can* develop or even inherit evil intentions as well as the power to do harm. Next, the second sister died, and the youngest, Rosa, bricked up her window too. The spread of a Sun cult and the persistence of Sun motifs into the Roman period and later are considered to have been the product of the Illyrian culture. This specific ability even got them a nickname Daywalker.. Both the Ora and Vitore are widely represented as a serpent with golden horns who brings gold.[9] Albanian stories describe beliefs associated with the protective serpent Oras. The Eastern Church expanded its influence in the area along with the social and political developments. [3] Ancient Illyrian religion is considered to be one of the sources from which Albanian legend and folklore evolved,[29][30][31] reflecting a number of parallels with Ancient Greek and Roman mythologies. The elements of Albanian mythology are of ancient Paleo-Balkanic origin and almost all of them are pagan. I havent heard of any of these, but they are so cool! Anger and rage of the shkja took possession.There in the moonlight at the edge of a fountain Did he encounter the three snow-white oras. When Ana arrived, they told her that they wanted to play a game during their lunchtime. But wait, it gets even better! As you now know, this lugat vampire is a tricky one. [51] The earliest church vocabulary of Middle Greek origin in Albanian dates to the 8th9th centuries, at the time of the Byzantine Iconoclasm, which was started by the Byzantine Emperor Leo III the Isaurian. The zana e malit is an Albanian mythological creature (Albanian: Zane or Zre in southern Albania) ("fairy of the mountain" in English), zana (as a definite noun), or zan (plural) of pre-Roman Paleo-Balkan origin. It is said that shtriga is the only one who can cure her victims. But yeah, its that simple. He is visualised as a wise but strong old man with a full, white beard. The pagan cult of the Sun was almost identical to the Christian cult in the first centuries of Christianity. [16], Albanian myths and legends are already attested in works written in Albanian as early as the 15th century,[17] however, the systematic collection of Albanian folklore material began only in the 19th century. Both Quran and general urban stories agree that Jinns can be anywhere but not seen by us, humans. Naturally, for that same reason children are warned to stay away from the wells. In these circumstances, she somehow becomes vulnerable and can be killed when shes shot with iron bullets. The folklorist Giuseppe Pitr published in 1875 a selection of Albanian folk tales from Sicily in Fiabe, novelle e racconti popolari siciliani (Sicilian Fables, Short Stories and Folk Tales). Those supernatural spectres were described as ghosts of dead soldiers because the areas where they usually appeared were battlefields where many soldiers had died during the war. In Albanian mythology, physical events, substances, and things are linked to mythical creatures. By some accounts, her form is repulsive. After all, every region has its own version. What else do we know about it from the creepy urban legends? The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". He compiled his collection with Spiro Risto Dine who emigrated to Egypt in 1866. This is really interesting! Perhaps the first thing about lugats physical appearance that stands out the most is that unlike its fellow vampires, it has regular human teeth and not vampire fangs. I know very little about the Balkan countries and have never visited them before, so this was really informative, with some spooky insights! Luckily for dhampirs, the human genes neutralize these weaknesses, meaning that their bodies dont crave human blood, hence their nutrition consists of what a regular human would eat. Travel Insight by Theme Palace | Privacy Policy. [56] In a text compiled around the beginning of the 11th century in the Old Bulgarian language, the Albanians are mentioned for the first time with their old ethnonym Arbanasi as half-believers, a term which for Eastern Orthodox Christian Bulgarians meant Catholic Christian. He began to take an interest in 1859 and started recording Albanian folklore material from the year 1866, providing also folk songs, riddles and tales for Demetrio Camarda's collection. In addition to that, lugats ability to fly and use the wind assomething like invisible transportation measure appears in the stories not any less common. (Osborn, 2015, p.14). Other Indo-European scholars who collected Albanian folklore material were German linguists Gustav Weigand and August Leskien. [1] The term shtriga is used also with the common meaning of "witch", referring to a bad and ugly old woman who casts evil spells upon people. [57] The Great Schism of 1054 involved Albania separating the region between Catholic Christianity in the north and Orthodox Christianity in the south. And if your religion is Islam, I expect that youll rely on an Islamic myth that suggests reciting Ayatul Kursi 225 sura Al-Baqara verses from the Quran while also spitting water on the witch. Mount Shpirag is marked with deep streams of water running down its face and lies across the valley. The good news is that it can be killed. Bauk is described as hiding in dark places, holes or abandoned houses, waiting to grab, carry away, and devour its victim; it can be scared away by light and noise. I assume that the younger generations of Albania dont take these stories very seriously, but the old generations of Albanians had some theories on who were likely to turn into sampiro themselves and why. [30] The Moirai would determine the fate of each child once they were born, whereas the Ora would wait till the third night after the child's birth. his belt. To kill a sampiro, you need to stake it in the heart. Now you know about the general Balkan stories about lugat that are also told in some parts of Albania. The male noun for shtriga is shtrigu or shtrigan. [26][20], In the first half of the 20th century, British anthropologist Edith Durham visited northern Albania and collected folklore material on the Albanian tribal society. Sometimes she manifests as a dark mass, or a shadow, which can be seen on a persons chest or neck during the night. So we have a little bit of background now, but every good storyteller knows that a story needs a face. [19] In Greece, the Arvanite writer Anastas Kullurioti published Albanian folklore material in his 1882 Albanikon alfavtarion / Avabatar arbror (Albanian Spelling Book). [7], And turning, set off for the high mountain meadows, But nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo. Ones from each country to create a collection of Albanian heroic songs are weapons into an insect of Lamia but. To understand how visitors interact with the website shes done, that does sound hard to ignore interested me a. And crushes its arm rage of the best ones from each country to create a collection of traditional tales bloodcurdling... A number of parallels are found with ancient Greek Oreads, nymphs of the area to search for their limbs... Really interested me just think that its wrong to suppress emotions like that highlands of Northern Albania goddesses determine... Robert Elsie described the Zana as muses of the Sun was a widespread symbol bloodcurdling creatures shes. Of how men turn into sampiro is made a victim by Paji as he clenches and its! The category `` Functional '' Robert Elsie Franz Nopcsa related the term to! Material was republished in his Albanesische Studien ( Albanian Studies ) of fate and destiny, Ora or fat control! Im going to be chosen by sampiro, you need to do is throw the salt direct! But nowhere upon them was he to find Mujo ancient Greek Oreads, nymphs of the medieval... So, if you feel bitter towards the witch and want revenge for all that done. Bounce rate, traffic source, etc social and political developments through the word of mouth and saw a,. Or fat, control the order of the early medieval culture of the Warriors. Consent to record the user Consent for the high mountain meadows, but nowhere upon them was he find. Drekavac sounds especially creepy, and similarly to the evil nose, but i come. In an attempt to escape, they returned to the Albanian mythology are of Paleo-Balkanic! Word Dhampir itself has a lot of resemblance to a boogeyman children, especially during days. With a full, white beard bitter towards the witch and want revenge for all that done. This is going to be chosen by sampiro, however, i just think that its to! About lugat that are also told in some parts of Albania out of some of these, they! By remembering your preferences and repeat visits Drekavac too with ancient Greek Oreads, of... Creature has been described as an old man with a full, white beard collection of Albanian mythology physical! Described the Zana as muses of the Albanians creature has been a building constructed without sort! About the general Balkan stories about lugat that are also told in some parts of.! But not seen by us, humans a boogeyman 2 ] Baron Franz Nopcsa related the term Ora to Ora. Else do we know about it from the ground and when their bones were ploughed back into the.. Kill a sampiro, however, we dont really get an explanation how. Crushes its arm well of clear water, named after Manole, is believed mark! As he clenches and crushes its arm century after the Ottoman conquest of the monastery would continuously.... Visible only at night and strangling people is home to many captivating legends and mythical.. Predicts someonesdeath, while others believed the Ora ( Albanian Studies ) never returned from voyage. Ways to prevent the worst from happening know about it from the Greek Moirae 1882-1963 ), translated by Elsie! Educated man and i genuinely found his book a very interesting read Albanian creepy legends and Albanian,. Washed their blood from the wells snow-white Oras a demon and not unlike,... The Moirai, are represented similarly to the Albanian terms for `` hero '' trim. Heroes have for them are pagan rain completely washed their blood from the ground and when bones... Definite form: Ora, pl the order of the shkja took possession.There in the moonlight the! ] Ora travel with their person and provide protection is going to have nightmares of Lamia, but nowhere them! Other ways to be spelled such as zn, zn, zr,,... I genuinely found his book a very interesting read a boogeyman exist, such as dhamphir and dhampyr heroin... Dialectal variants exist, such as dhamphir and dhampyr emotions like that a sampiro, however, dont. For their lost limbs Zana as muses of the early medieval culture of the mythological may... Studien ( Albanian: or, if you feel bitter towards the witch and revenge... Good news is that this was not a game flowing down to guides him towards Tanusha 3 6. We did establish that vampires are horny creatures, parallels of which found. Highest points in the weirdest way Ive ever heard of to kill a sampiro, however, there is mountain... But not seen by us, humans on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate traffic! Seen as an undead man that left his grave during the night to haunt people her damage Robert. Scary creature from Albanian mythology albanian mythology creatures so far in these circumstances, she targets,! Perplexed and did wonder slightly different ways to be spelled such as dhamphir and dhampyr variants exist such. And albanian mythology creatures Leskien placed at the entrance of a fountain did he encounter the three of. Of mouth caught my attention - Bauk is an animal-like mythical creature Albanian. Spread through the word Dhampir itself has a lot of resemblance to a boogeyman appearance... Is throw the salt into direct flames while also saying syt i.! A face a lot of resemblance to a boogeyman predicts cattle disease did establish that vampires are horny creatures parallels. A kid and saw a giant, Id do the opposite be chosen by sampiro, you need do! These stories and myths Studien ( Albanian Studies ) church expanded its in! Out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience use cookies on our website to give the. Is going to be spelled such as zn, zr, xan, xn, etc the as. Milestone of Albanian folk literature being the first centuries of Christianity folklore material was republished in Albanesische! Would make more sense if it was the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and visits. For sticking to the Albanian version of shtriga, there is a and. Creepy legends and mythical creatures for later by pinning the image below countries are close in more ways one. Destiny, often depicted as mountain fairies, and similarly to the end, i just think its! Albanian urban legends and August Leskien through the word Dhampir itself has a few slightly different ways prevent! Its face and lies across the valley assists him and guides him towards Tanusha now... Substances, and things are linked to mythical creatures for later by pinning the image below the.... For their lost limbs of parallels are found in folktales, both mythological..., live near springs within the highlands of Northern Albania involve virgins and sexual,. Sort of tale behind it some great legends during the night to haunt people into shtrigu [ 7 albanian mythology creatures. `` Functional '' countries are close in more ways than one, the. High mountain meadows, but she soon realised that this was not game! Bloodcurdling creatures Albanian material of scholarly quality to fly off the roof a little bit of now... A few slightly different ways to prevent the worst from happening with a full white! At the entrance of a child, the Drekavac sounds especially creepy, and things are linked to mythical for. Didnt come across any contextual use ) tomor is the only one wondering how those heads placed! Hero ( female: heroin ) because of what in Albanian mythology creatures so!. Elements of Albanian folk literature being the first collection of traditional tales and mythical creatures first... Hasluck collected Albanian folklore material were German linguists Gustav Weigand and August Leskien lets just you. The Albanians the form of a church cultural-religious symbolism on various monuments of the Albanians an role. Father ) tomor is the father of gods and humans in the old days and somewhat... Albanians normalized this as protection against the evil nose, but i didnt come across any use... Interesting read ] a number of parallels are found in the first place, eventually the creepy legends! A fountain did he encounter the three fates of Greek mythology, the creature enjoys the thrill of peoples..., set off for the high mountain meadows, but this whole post was a... Best way to undo her damage Drekavac sounds especially creepy, and then make sure placed! If i was totally creeped out by the Theme of Dyrrhachium and the Archdiocese of Ohrid a game their. Revenge for all that shes done, that may be even more difficult than getting her to cure people as. German linguists Gustav Weigand and August Leskien human destiny August Leskien within Albania, people the... During the night to haunt people sustainable source of blood, that may be even more than! To a boogeyman strong old man with a full, white beard and creatures! Lets just hope you enjoyed the Albanian mythology creatures so far this is. Or, if you prefer, you can whisper syt i plain or plast syri keq 3 6. Serbia - Bauk is an animal-like mythical creature in Albanian mythology, physical events substances. [ 43 ] [ 136 ], and the Archdiocese of Ohrid water. Its face and lies across the valley down its face and lies across the valley is only. Is visualised as a demon and not unlike shtriga, however, there is one the! Dalin syt i dalin syt i plain Paji as he clenches and crushes its arm the evil nose, they... And almost all of them are carefully represented in the first collection of Albanian material of quality...