What the pagan Lithuanians got right

I’ve always admired the Greeks — one must admire a culture that has a god for drinking and partying — but now the Lithuanians of old have risen in my affections. The Baltic pagans lithuania-beerhad not one but three deities devoted to beer and beer production: Raugutis, the god of beer; Raugutiene, Ragutis’s consort who is also the goddess of beer; and Raugupatis, the very important god of fermentation. Holy trinity, indeed.

So now that winter has passed and summer is on its way, which for me is the beer-drinking season, let us resolve to hoist a glass in honor of the pagan Lithuanians.

Should you like to verify for yourself that the tradition continues, Wikitravel’s Lithuania page has a section devoted to beer and drink. And here is a list of other important beer-related deities.

5 thoughts on “What the pagan Lithuanians got right”

  1. Okay, I must ask: was there a god of the hangover whose pain could be mitigated by propitiated by offering sacrifices?

  2. to ErisGuy:
    I am afraid I do not know such god or goddess however maybe because we worship Ragutis, Lithuanians do not have hangovers!

    On a serious note, lovely to see an article about our gods, we also have Bubilas who is responsible purely for mead.

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