Mahte

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In Latvian mythology, the term Māte stands for "mother", sometimes written in English as Mahte. It was an epithet applied to some sixty-seventy goddesses. They were clearly distinct goddesses in most or all cases, so the term definitely referred to the mother-goddess of specific phenomena. According to professor Lotte Motz, scholar Haralds Biezais mentioned there were at least 70 characters in Baltic religion identified with the title of Mate.<ref>Mottz, Lotte. The Faces of the Goddess. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1997. pp. 221-222 (footnote nr. 27). Template:ISBN</ref>

Overview

Latvian ethnographer Pēteris Šmits noted that the Mahtes seem to be a phenomenon exclusive to Latvian mythology, with no equivalent either in its Baltic neighbours (Prussian and Lithuanian), nor in other Indo-European mythologies.<ref>Šmitas, Pėteris. Latvių mitologija. Iš latvių kalbos vertė Dainius Razauskas. Vilnius: Aidai, 2004. p. 129.</ref>

Scholars (e.g., Miriam Robbins Dexter, Lotte Motz, David Adams Leeming, Martin Litchfield West) note that these deities were invoked with the epithet "mate" 'mother' and individually oversaw several aspects of nature, including features of the environment (forests, fields, mushrooms, sea, the wind, etc.), animals (for instance, elks), as well as cultural aspects, such as death and interrement, or milk and cattle.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

According to scholar Elza Kokare, the authenticity of some Mahte deities is dubious, but some are firmly established due to a great number of mentions in the dainas (Latvian folksongs).<ref>Kokare, Elza. "A survey of the basic structures in Latvian mythology. In: Journal of the Baltic Institute of Folklore (Tallinn), 1996, Nr.1, pp. 65-91.</ref>

List of Mahte

Following are some of the Mate characters:<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

1. Bangu māte - Mother of Waves
2. Ceļa māte - Mother of Roads
3. Dārza māte - Mother of Gardens

Vizgsd guises Mykdnx māte

1. Gausu māte
2. Jūras māte - considered a goddess of the sea (from Jura 'sea')<ref>Lurker, Manfred. The Routledge Dictionary Of Gods Goddesses Devils And Demons. Routledge. 2004. p. 96. Template:ISBN</ref>
3. Kapu māte - 'Mother of Graves'
4. Kārta māte
5. Krūmu māte - Mother of Bushes
6. Lapu māte - Mother of Leaves
7. Lauka māte or Lauku māte - Mother of Fields
8. Lazdu māte - Mother of the Hazelbush
9. Lietus māte - Mother Rain
10. Linu māte - Mother Flax
11. Lopu māte - Mother of Livestock (Cattle)
12. Mieža māte - Mother of Barley
13. Meža māte - Mother of the Forest
14. Miglas māte - Mother of Fog
15. Pirts māte - Mother of the Bathhouse
16. Rijas māte - Mother of the Threshing Place
17. Sēņu māte - Mother of Mushrooms
18. Smilšu māte - Mother of SandsTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn
19. Sniega māte - Mother of Snow
20. Tirgus māte - Mother of Markets
21. Ūdens māte - Mother of Waters
22. Uguns mate - Mother of Fire
23. Upes māte - Mother of Rivers
24. Vēja māte - 'Mother of Winds'
25. Veļu māte or Vélių motę - mother of the souls/spirits<ref>Laurinkienė, Nijolė. "Požemio ir mirusiųjų karalystės deivė" [Goddesses of the Kingdom of the Dead and the Underworld]. In: Metai n. 1 2010. p. 121.</ref>
26. Zemes māte - Earth Mother (Māra)
27. Ziedu māte - Mother of Flowers

Role of the Mothers

Scholarship on Baltic and Latvian folklore remarks that some of the Mahte characters comprise a complex of deities related to that phenomenon.<ref>Mottz, Lotte. The Faces of the Goddess. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1997. p. 78. Template:ISBN</ref> It is also remarked that, out of this mother cult, "the main Latvian mother deities are those of the dead, the sea, the forest, and the wind".<ref>Antanaitis, Indre R. "Interpreting the Meaning of East Baltic Neolithic Symbols". In: Cambridge Archaeological Journal 8, no. 1 (1998): 64. {{#invoke:doi|main}}.</ref>

Death and the afterlife

For instance, goddess Zemes Mate ('earth mother') was associated with receiving the dead and acting as their ruler and guardian.<ref>Laurinkienė, Nijolė. "Požemio ir mirusiųjų karalystės deivė" [Goddesses of the Kingdom of the Dead and the Underworld]. In: Metai n. 1 2010. pp. 116-127.</ref> In Latvian dainas, Zemes Mate is associated with fellow Mahte ("Mothers") Velu Mate ('Mother of Dead Souls') and Kapu Mate ('Mother of Graves'). According to researcher Elza Kokare, Zemes Mate and Kapu Mate act as the resting places of the dead, guarding its body and holding the key to their graves.<ref>Kokare, Elza. "A survey of the basic structures in Latvian mythology. In: Journal of the Baltic Institute of Folklore (Tallinn), 1996, Nr.1, pp. 65-91.</ref> As an individual character, Zemes mate is invoked as a person's final resting place.Template:EfnTemplate:EfnTemplate:Efn

A second personage is named Veļu māte or Vélių motę (Mother of the souls/spirits of the deceased),<ref>Laurinkienė, Nijolė. "Požemio ir mirusiųjų karalystės deivė" [Goddesses of the Kingdom of the Dead and the Underworld]. In: Metai n. 1 2010. p. 121.</ref> etymologically connected to Lithuanian veles 'shades of the dead', velionis 'dead person'<ref>Lurker, Manfred (2004). The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons. Routledge. p. 197. Template:ISBN.</ref> and Latvian Vels 'god of the underworld' (as mentioned by scholar Marija Gimbutas) and, by extension, with some relation to Slavic Veles, deity of the underworld.<ref>Gimbutas, Marija. "ANCIENT SLAVIC RELIGION: A SYNOPSIS". In: To honor Roman Jakobson: essays on the occasion of his 70. birthday, 11. October 1966. Berlin, Boston: De Gruyter Mouton, 2018. p. 746. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783111604763-064</ref> She is considered to be a chthonic goddess and "queen of the dead", who welcomes them at the cemetery.<ref>Jordan, Michael. Dictionary of gods and goddesses. 2nd Edition. New York: Facts On File. 2004. pp. 339. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Lurker, Manfred (2004). The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons. Routledge. p. 197. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Another figure named Nāves māte ("Mother Death")<ref>Mottz, Lotte. The Faces of the Goddess. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1997. pp. 221-222 (footnote nr. 27). Template:ISBN</ref> was presumed by scholar Nikolai Mikhailov to be connected to Slovenian word navje, an etymon related to the Nav of Slavic folklore, a designation for the dead.<ref>Konickaja, Jelena. "Николай Михайлов: славист, словенист, балтист (11.06.1967–25.05.2010)". In: SLAVISTICA VILNENSIS 2010 Kalbotyra 55 (2). p. 174.</ref> He also cited the possibility that Naves mate is another name for Latvian Velu mate and Lithuanian Veliona.<ref>Mikhailov N. "Baltico-slovenica. Alcuni paralleli mitologici". In: Res Balticae Nr. 02, 1996. pp. 166-167.</ref> The word nāve also means 'death' in Latvian.<ref>Valentsova, Marina. "К ИССЛЕДОВАНИЮ БАЛТО-СЛАВЯНСКОЙ ДЕМОНОЛОГИИ". In: RES HUMANITARIAE XX, 2016. p. 71. {{#if:1822-7708|Template:Catalog lookup link{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-smallTemplate:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-smallTemplate:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-smallTemplate:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-smallTemplate:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-smallTemplate:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-smallTemplate:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-smallTemplate:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-smallTemplate:Main other}}}}{{#if:Template:Trim|{{#ifeq:Template:Yesno-no|yes|Template:Main other|{{#invoke:check isxn|check_issn|Template:Trim|error=Template:Error-smallTemplate:Main other}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}|Template:Error-small}}</ref>

Other deities connected with the worship of the dead were Kapu māte ('Mother of Graves', 'Mother of the Grave' or 'Graveyard-Mother')<ref>Lurker, Manfred (2004). The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons. Routledge. p. 197. Template:ISBN.</ref> and Smilšu māte ('Mother of Sand' or 'Mother of the Sand Hillock').<ref>Gimbutas, Marija. "The Earth Fertility of old Europe". In: Dialogues d'histoire ancienne, vol. 13, 1987. pp. 22. {{#invoke:doi|main}}; www.persee.fr/doc/dha_0755-7256_1987_num_13_1_1750</ref>

The natural world

Another set of Mahte figures relate to the natural world, such as Veju Mate ("The Mother of Winds");<ref>Lurker, Manfred (2004). The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons. Routledge. p. 197. Template:ISBN.</ref> Meža mate ("Mother of the Forest"; counterpart to Lithuanian Medeina), protectress of wild life;<ref>Lurker, Manfred (2004). The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons. Routledge. p. 124. Template:ISBN.</ref> Miglas mate ("Mother of the Fog") and Lietus mate ("Mother of Rain").<ref>Doniger, Wendy. Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. 1999. p. 109. Template:ISBN</ref> Veju Mate (or Veja mate) is said to be the goddess of winds and ruler of the weather.<ref>Lurker, Manfred (2004). The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons. Routledge. p. 197. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Bodies of water

Another group is composed of several water divinities: Juras Mate ("Mother Ocean",<ref>Mottz, Lotte. The Faces of the Goddess. New York & Oxford: Oxford University Press. 1997. p. 78. Template:ISBN</ref> "Mother of the Seas"<ref>Dixon-Kennedy, Mike (1998). Encyclopedia of Russian and Slavic Myth and Legend. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 141. Template:ISBN.</ref> or "Sea-Mother"), a goddess of waters;<ref>Lurker, Manfred (2004). The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons. Routledge. p. 96. Template:ISBN.</ref> Udens Mate ("Mother of Waters"); Upes Mahte ("Mother of Rivers"), Bangu Mate ("Mother of Waves"; counterpart to Lithuanian Bangputys).<ref>Doniger, Wendy. Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. 1999. p. 109. Template:ISBN</ref> Juras Mate is said to rule the seas as a goddess.<ref>Jones, Prudence; Pennick, Nigel (1995). A History of Pagan Europe. Routledge. p. 174. Template:ISBN.</ref><ref>Dixon-Kennedy, Mike (1998). Encyclopedia of Russian and Slavic Myth and Legend. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. p. 141. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Deity Bangu mate is considered to be a recent and more poetical appellation of the Mother of the Water and Mother of the Sea.<ref>Běťáková, Marta Eva; Blažek, Václav. Encyklopedie baltské mytologie. Praha: Libri. 2012. p. 39. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Household and home

Lithuanian scholar Marija Gimbutas pointed out that Latvian traditions contain a Uguns mate ('Mother of the Fire') as a counterpart to Lithuanian Gabija, a deity of the hearth and protectress of house and family.<ref>Gimbutas, Marija; Miriam Robbins Dexter (1999). The Living Goddesses. University of California Press. p. 203. Template:ISBN.</ref> Other deities associated with the household and domestic affairs are Mãjas gars ("Spirits of the House") and Pirts mate ("Mother of the Bathhouse").<ref>Doniger, Wendy. Merriam-Webster's Encyclopedia of World Religions. Springfield, Massachusetts: Merriam-Webster, Incorporated. 1999. pp. 108-109. Template:ISBN</ref>

Agriculture

Mahte deities related to fields and agriculture include Lauka mate ("Mother of the Plough-Land"),<ref>Lurker, Manfred (2004). The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons. Routledge. p. 110. Template:ISBN.</ref> a deity said to be worshipped at ploughing time.<ref>Jordan, Michael. Dictionary of gods and goddesses. 2nd Edition. New York: Facts On File. 2004. p. 172. Template:ISBN.</ref>

Further reading

• Beldavs, Aija Veldre. "GODDESSES IN A MAN'S WORLD: LATVIAN MATRICENTRICITY IN CULTURE AND SPHERES OF INFLUENCE IN SOCIETY". In: Journal of Baltic Studies 8, no. 2 (1977): 105–29. Accessed April 21, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/43210827.