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2. Arcona and other temples in Riigen

It seems that no other early medieval pagan tempie, Slavic or non-Slavic, is depicted i_n such detail in so many sources as the shrine of Sventovit in Arcona. Kiost sanctuaries were already in decline when described in writ-ings, but Arcona has quite a long history. The tribe of Rans, which ruled the shrine, was famous for its power and fervent paganism already in the 1 lth c. According to Adam of Bremen (TV, 18), who wrote at the end of that century, it _was “_a powerful tribe of Slavs - it is improper to settle any public matter without asking for their opinion, because they terrify others by their intim_acy with gods or rather demons, whom they worship with morę zeal than anyone else.” The name of Arcona does not appear here. It is first recorded by the annals of the monastery in Kołbacz before 1150 (PUB, voj. 1_? part 2, 1877, p. 482), which mention a skirmish near the place (Wehrmann, 1922, p. 22). Other sources that mention the events of its early history were written down later.

The island of Riigen, situated at the border of the interest spheres of the Germ_an Empire, Denmark and Poland, for a long time resisted ali its enemies. Without elaborating on the details of the political history of the lsland, w© have to refer to the events connected with paganism. Around 1111 the Rans attacked Lubeck, ruled by Abodrite prince Henry, and were defeated, which gave Helmold (I, 36) occasion to characterize this tribe in the foll_owing way: “The Rans (...) are a cruel people living at the heart of the sea. They are above all devoted to idolatry, they are superior to other Slavonic peoples, they have a king and a very famous tempie. Because of the special se_rvice in the tempie they are most respected, and although they enslave others, they do not suffer any thrall themselves for the simple reason that the features of the place make it unaccessible. They force the conąuered tribes to p_ay tribute to the tempie. They esteem the superior priest higher than the king. They direct their army where lots say. After a victory they bring golęj and silver to the treasury of their god and divide the rest of the plunder hetween themselves.”

In the years 1123-1124 prince Henry of Abodrites, supported by Em-peror Lothar, set out to the island to revenge the death of his son killed by the Rans. Seeing the enemy’s superiority, they sent the high priest to nego-tiate. Firat he ofFered 400 marcas of ransom, then 800, finally he achieved peace for 4 400 mar ais. Helmold (I, 38) informs that at that time the Rans did not have money. They used linen instead of it, which is a means of payment known also from other Slavonic territories. Gold and silver ac-ąuired through robbery, kidnapping or other methods they “give to their wives as trimmings or accumulate in the treasury of their god.” So the treasury was the source of the enormóus tribute, which is proved by the role of the priest in the negotiations. According to Helmold (I, 38) prince Henry cheated with weighing the tribute money, therefore when half of the sum had already been paid, the war broke out again, but this time the Rans won.

The lord of the Arcona tempie should be regarded as a sovereign deity. According to Helmold (I, 52), “among various Slavonic deities the most distinguished is the god of the land of Rans, Sventovit, who is most efficient in oracles; in relation to him others were considered only semi-gods. Therefore they annually sacrifice to him a Christian chosen by lot.” The tempie collected the sums coming from neighbouring territories as offerings. Helmold stressed that the service for the god was highly esteemed and sacrilege of temples was prevented.

Another area of contest was the sea, where the Danes were enemies. Snorre Sturluson (Heimskringla, Magnus Blindes Saga, 10-12: Labuda, 1954, p. 307-312; Koczy, 1934, p. 161; Osięgłowski, 1967, p. 270) described in detail a piratical expedition to the Capital of Denmark, Roskild, around 1134-1135, and the plunder of the Norwegian town Konungaheli on the lOth of August 1136, which caused revenge. According to Knytiingasaga (ch. 101), in the same year 1136 “king Erie set out to the Slavonic land, ravaged it all and madę a great war. He seized the town called Arcona; the inhabitants of it were pagans. King Erie left the place on the condition that those pagans who had not been killed converted to Christian faith, and he ordered to baptize all population of the town. Then he came back to Denmark. But as soon as he went they abandoned Christianity and retumed to pagan customs and sacrifices.” Saxo Grammaticus (XIV, p. 661-662) related the events in morę detail, but he did not mention the tempie, only the statuę worshiped in Arcona. In his relation the Ar-conians, when all possibilities of defence and the hope for help disappeared and king Erie blocked the access to drinkable water, “defeated by necessity, seeking rescue in conversion to Christianity, having hidden the worshiped statuę, surrendered to the Danes. Because there was a statuę in the town, worshiped by special service and constantly adored, erroneously called the image of Saint Guy (Sanctus Vites). Having preserved it the inhabitants did not allow to do away with the rituals of old religion.” Simulating the baptism they quenched their thirst and washed their bodies in a nearby pond. The Danes left in Arcona a priest, who was supposed to guide the neophytes, but he was expelled when Eric’s army withdrew. “The Arconians, having escaped the miseries of siege, retumed to the cult of the statuę, and those who had converted to God’s faith, betrayed it.”

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