Editing Latvian mythology (section)

=== Celestial deities ===
There are various reconstructions of Latvian mythical space, but most researchers agree on the meaning of certain features related to the sky. The sky itself is identified as ''Debeskalns'' ("Sky Mountain"). The sky is also referred to as ''Oļu kalns'' ("Mountain of Pebbles"), ''Sudraba kalns'' ("Silver Mountain") or ''Ledus kalns'' ("Ice Mountain"), with the adjectives, probably referring to stars or snow.<ref name="scholar" /> It has also been suggested that [[Dievs]] (''God'') is also a symbol of the sky because the etymology of his name seems to be related to the sky. Dievs is considered to be the supreme deity.<ref name="skygods">{{cite encyclopedia| last1 =Biezais |first1 =Haralds |last2=Ankrava|first2=Sigma | editor-last =Jones | editor-first =Lindsay | title =Baltic Religion:Overview | encyclopedia =Encyclopedia of Religion | volume =2 | pages =756–761 | publisher =Thomson Gale| year =2005|edition=2nd}}</ref> Another celestial deity is the [[goddess of the sun]], [[Saulė|Saule]], whose name literally translates to "the sun", she ensured the fertility of the earth and was the guardian of the unlucky, especially for orphans and young shepherds.<ref name="vvf">{{cite encyclopedia |last=Vīķe-Freiberga |first=Vaira |author-link=Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga |editor-last=Jones |editor-first=Lindsay |title=Saule |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Religion |volume=12 |pages=8131–8135 |publisher=Thomson Gale |year=2005 |edition=2nd}}</ref> Her path leads her across the mountain of sky to the sea, which is sometimes interpreted as a symbolic representation of the sky or [[cosmic ocean]].<ref name="scholar" /><ref name="vvf" /> The sea and other bodies of water, including rivers, especially Daugava, seem to mark the boundary between worlds of the living and the dead. In Latvian, the word for "the world" is derived from the word for the Sun and these worlds are referred to as "this sun" and "that sun". Therefore, it seems that Saule is also closely related to the concept of death.<ref name="skygods" /><ref name="vvf" /> She apparently carries the souls of the dead across the sea to the world of the dead. Her daily movement can thus be related to the cycle of human life with her being [[dying god|reborn]] every day.<ref name="vvf" />

On the path of the Sun, in or by the water, often on an island or rock in middle of the seas, is the Austras koks (tree of dawn) thought to represent [[world tree]] or [[axis mundi]], it is usually described as a tree, but can also be variety of other plants or even objects.<ref name="scholar" /><ref name="vvf" /> Nobody has ever seen the tree, although folklore purports that many have searched all their lives.<ref name="skygods" />  Still it has been suggested that its natural counterpart might be the [[polar star]]<ref name="vvf" /> or the [[Milky Way]].<ref name="scholar" /> It has also been proposed it might be a symbol for the year.<ref>{{cite journal | last =Pundure | first =Irena | title =A solar calendar from Latvian dainas | journal =Archaeologia Baltica | issue =10 | pages =39 | publisher =Klaipėda University Press | location =Klaipėda | year =2011 | url =http://www.ku.lt/leidykla/leidiniai/Archaeologia_BALTICA/Archaeologia_BALTICA_10.pdf | access-date =21 August 2012 | url-status =dead | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20120325025426/http://www.ku.lt/leidykla/leidiniai/Archaeologia_BALTICA/Archaeologia_BALTICA_10.pdf | archive-date =25 March 2012 }}</ref>  The tree is related to celestial wedding mythos in which sun or her daughter is courted by [[Dieva dēli]] (sons of god), [[Auseklis]] (Venus) or [[Pērkons]] (Thunder).<ref name="vvf" />

Also, as in Latvian the word for daughter (meita) also stands for maiden, it is uncertain who exactly is getting married. However, this does not affect how mythical events transpire.<ref name="skygods" />  The male deities spy on the solar deity at the world tree, prepare a bath for her, tease her and so on. Eventually, she is abducted and wed. Saule's husband is the moon god Mēness. Pērkons strikes the world tree, has weeping Saule pick up bits for three years and then reassembles them, finishing with the very tip, on the fourth year.<ref name="vvf" />