Myths of Karelia and Ingria

The Valaam Monastery and the pearl of wooden architecture Kizhi, Lake Onega and Lake Ladoga, protected areas and ancient petroglyphs… 

This is by no means everything that Karelia and the neighboring historical region with the poetic name Ingria are famous for. 

The peoples who still inhabit these picturesque places have for centuries created songs and runes, similar to Scandinavian sagas, fairy tales, and legends about the creation of the world, about gods and heroes, about the origin of animals and humans, and the struggle between light and darkness. 

Discover the cultural wealth of the numerous peoples of Northwestern Russia - Karelians, Ingrians, Sámi, Vepsians, Vodians, Izhorians, and others - with the book "Myths of Karelia and Ingria"!

You will learn about the Sámi man-reindeer Mjändash, the Karelian-Finnish forest spirit Tapio, the water spirit Ahti, the spirits - masters of the place Хийси, the witch Louhi, who stole the Sun and the Moon, and about the Estonian-Finnish god Peko, the patron of fertility and brewing. 

How to build the magical mill Sampo, which can grind not only flour but also precious stones? 

What do the fairy tale "Masha and the Bear" and Finno-Ugric mythology have in common? How, according to Vodian legend, did the sun, moon, and stars appear from a swallow's egg, and what is said about the creation of the world in the main Karelian-Finnish epic - "Kalevala"? 

You will find answers to these and other questions on the pages of this book, and the color and black-and-white illustrations, QR codes leading to museum and encyclopedia pages, will enhance your journey to the magical north!

The book will be a great gift for all lovers of mythology and folklore, seekers of inspiration for creativity, as well as travelers striving to better understand the culture and customs of the places they visit.