Editing Auseklis

{{short description|Latvian deity}}
{{other uses}}
[[File:Latvian Auseklis.svg|thumb|An auseklis star in the colors of the [[Flag of Latvia|Latvian flag]]. Pins and [[Truck (rigging)|flag tops]] featuring similar designs were widespread during the [[Singing Revolution]].]]
{{Baltic religion}}

'''Auseklis''' is a [[Latvians|Latvian]] pagan<ref>{{Cite web |title=Latvian mythology – Skyforger |url=https://skyforger.lv/en/albums/stories/latvian-mythology/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=Skyforger.lv |language=en-GB}}</ref> god, a [[stellar deity]]<ref name="auto">Lurker, Manfred (2004). ''The Routledge dictionary of gods and goddesses, devils and demons''. Routledge. p. 25. {{ISBN|978-0-415-34018-2}}.</ref> that represents a celestial body, but possibly not the same as [[Venus]] (''Rīta zvaigzne'')<ref>{{Cite journal|url=https://www.academia.edu/48970984|title=Indo-European Poetics and the Latvian Folk Songs|first=Didier|last=Calin|date=1 January 1996|access-date=4 December 2021|website=Academia.edu}}</ref> - the first "star" (how Latvians call it) to appear in the mornings on the east side of the sky. He is the third most popular deity in [[Latvian mythology]] after [[Saulė]] and [[Latvian mythology#Gods and deities|Mēness]], but is almost exclusively mentioned in [[Daina (Latvia)|folk songs]], as pagan faith gave way to Christianity in Latvia in the 12th century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Latvia |url=https://ilcouncil.org/members/europe/latvia/ |access-date=2024-12-27 |website=International Lutheran Council |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Dievturība (neo-Paganism) {{!}} On Latvia |url=https://www.onlatvia.com/dievturiba-latvian-neo-paganism-187 |access-date=2024-12-27 |language=en-US}}</ref>
<!--Auseklis is definitely a male deity and shouldn't be confused with Aušrine-->

== Name ==
The name ''Auseklis'' stems from the root ''[[h₂éwsōs|aus-]]'' ('dawn'), attached to the derivative suffix ''-eklis'', and is etymologically related to other Indo-European deities of the dawn.<ref>{{cite book|last=Krauklis|first=Konstantīns|title=Latviešu etimoloģijas vārdnīca|date=1992|publisher=Avots|isbn=5401004117|volume=I|location=Rīga|language=lv}}</ref>{{Sfn|Greimas|1992|p=109}}

This deity is also variously known as ''Auseklenis'', ''Ausekliņš'', ''Auseklīts'', ''Auseklītis'', ''Ausekliņis'', ''Auseklius''.<ref>''Lietuvių mitologija''. T. 3. Sudarė N. Vėlius ir G. Beresnevičius. Vilnius: Mintis, 2004. pp. 351.</ref>

== Role ==
Auseklis is closely associated with [[Mēness]] ("moon"). They both are ''[[Dieva dēli]]'' ("sons of God"), as is Ūsiņš, and are thus confused with each other and with other male deities. Auseklis is referred to as male in the context of the ''[[dainas]]'' (folksong), and is seen as the groom of Saules meita ("daughter of the sun"), who came all the way to Germany to court her.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Auseklis |title=Raštai |volume=II |first=Jonas |last=Balys |location=Vilnius |publisher=Lietuvių literatūros ir tautosakos institutas |date=2000 |pages=231-232 |lang=German |isbn=9986-513-33-2}}</ref><ref>Pundure, Irena. "A SOLAR CALENDAR FROM LATVIAN DAINAS". In: ''Archaeologia Baltica'' Volume 10: Astronomy and Cosmology in Folk Traditions and Cultural Heritage. Klaipėda University Press. 2008. pp. 40, 42-43. {{ISSN|1392-5520}}.</ref>

He is also said to be the attendant to a Sun deity and helper in the activities of the "heavenly bath house".<ref>Jordan, Michael. ''Dictionary of gods and goddesses''. 2nd Edition. New York: Facts On File. 2004. p. 39. {{ISBN|0-8160-5923-3}}.</ref><ref name="auto"/>

According to scholar Elza Kokare, Auseklis belongs to a group of heavenly deities that take part in a mythological drama about a "celestial wedding". Auseklis is seen as a groom of ''Saules meita'', a daughter of Saule, the female Baltic sun - the others being moon god ''Meness'' and twin gods ''Dieva deli''. Auseklis, in other accounts, is a guest or member of the bridal cortege at the wedding of Saules meita with another character,<ref name="auto"/> or he is deprived of his bride because of Meness's quarreling.<ref>Kokare, Elza. "[http://www.folklore.ee/rl/pubte/ee/bif/bif1/kokare.html 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>

Auseklis is often referred to as being very young. As a reflex of this, he is seen as too young to work with the other deities, is very playful, and his horse is either bought by him or for him by the Sun.<ref>Běťáková, Marta Eva; [[Václav Blažek|Blažek, Václav]]. ''Encyklopedie baltské mytologie''. Praha: Libri. 2012. pp. 34-35. {{ISBN|978-80-7277-505-7}}.</ref>

According to [[Marija Gimbutas]]'s analysis, Auseklis is a "dievaitis" ('little god') that appears with a horse the Sun gave him, and falls in love with the daughter of the (female) Sun ("Saules dukterims").<ref>Gimbutienė, Marija (1985). ''Baltai priešistoriniais laikais: etnogenezė, materialinė kultūra ir mitologija''. Vilnius: Mokslas. p. 165.</ref>

According to Lithuanian folklorist and ethnologist Nijolė Laurinkienė ([[:lt:Nijolė Laurinkienė|lt]]), Haralds Biezais was of the opinion that Auseklis was a male god and a son of Dievs ("Dievo sunus"). He was also part of the "celestial marriage" drama, being the first betrothed of the Sun's Daughter (Saules meita).<ref>Laurinkienė, Nijolė. ''Senovės lietuvių dievas Perkūnas: kalboje, tautosakoje, istoriniuose šaltiniuose''. Vilnius: Lietuviu literaturos ir tautosakos institutas, 1996. p. 133. {{ISBN|9986-513-14-6}}.</ref>

== Symbol ==
[[Image:Lietuvena krusts.png|frame|right|Crosses of Lietuvēns: Auseklis (above) and the pentagram (below) had to be drawn without lifting one's hand.]]
Auseklis is also the name of the eight-pointed star (an [[isogonal figure|isogonal]] [[octagram]]). It is also known as one of the crosses of [[Lietuvēns]] (a [[malevolent spirit]]). The other cross of Lietuvēns is the [[pentagram]], which symbolizes Venus in other cultures, suggesting that both signs might have originally been symbols of Auseklis. In more modern times, the pentagram is sometimes seen as a symbol of evil, however, originally both signs were used for protection from evil and are named after Lietuvēns because they were used to ward it off. Both signs had to be drawn without lifting the hand to ensure that protection was effective.

In the 1980s, the octagram became the symbol of [[Latvian National Awakening|the third Latvian National Awakening]].

== Gallery ==
<gallery>
File:Auseklis uz Minskas t-c.jpg|An ''auseklis'' ornament on the facade of the Minska Shopping Center in [[Riga]], Latvia
File:Auseklis tiles.jpg|Street tiles featuring the symbol
File:Patversmes iela 18 (logs).jpg|Window bar design in Riga
File:Rīga, piemineklis R. Mūrnieka traģēdijas vietā, 2000-04-09 - panoramio.jpg|The monument to [[Roberts Mūrnieks]] features an ''auseklis'' cross
File:Aloja novads COA.svg|An auseklis on the coat of arms of the former [[Aloja Municipality]]
File:Latvian National Guard emblem.svg|The emblem of the [[Latvian National Guard]], featuring an ''auseklis''
File:Stamps of Latvia, 2013-24.jpg|A stamp conmemorating the 25th anniversary of the [[Popular Front of Latvia]]
</gallery>

== See also ==
* [[Aušrinė]]
* [[Triquetra]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===

* {{cite book|last=Greimas|first=Algirdas J.|title=Of Gods and Men. Studies in Lithuanian Mythology|publisher=Indiana University Press|year=1992|isbn=0-253-32652-4|author-link=Algirdas Julien Greimas}}

== Further reading ==
*Latvijas Enciklopēdija, Rīga 2002, {{ISBN|9984-9482-0-X}}
*[http://www.dainuskapis.lv Dainuskapis.lv]
* Calin, Didier. ''[https://www.academia.edu/48970984/Indo_European_Poetics_and_the_Latvian_Folk_Songs Indo-European Poetics and the Latvian Folk Songs]''. Riga: 1996. Thesis (expanded version).

==External links==
* [https://latviandainas.lib.virginia.edu/tei.latv11.xml%3Flang=eng&div_id=latv11_s2ss4.html Latvian ''dainas'' about the celestial deities]

[[Category:Latvian gods]]
[[Category:Stellar gods]]
[[Category:Venusian deities]]
[[Category:Religious symbols]]
[[Category:Baltic gods]]