#illyrian deities

↳ Illyrians never functioned as a unique ethnic entity. Rather, each tribe had their own set of gods which explains a lack of a clearly set pantheon. Some gods were more widely spread - like Medaurus, Bindus, Vidasus and were worshipped by more than one tribe.

↪Liburnians believed in gods that weren’t mentioned elsewhere in the Illyrian region:

Ika (goddess of water and olives)

Sentona (goddess of fertility, agriculture and health)

Latra (also known as Great Mother, goddess of love and fertility)

Anzotika (goddess of love, motherhood, fertility, guides souls to underworld)

Aitika (goddess of agriculture, plants)

Heija (goddess of lands, justice, animals and female sexuality)

Irija (Creator Mother)

Jutosika (unknown)

↪Colapiani mainly worshipped Vidasus and Tana (protectors of forests, grasslands, wild animals and water springs) (Vidasus is the god of forests, Tana is the goddess of hunt)

↪Iapodes mainly whorshipped Bindus (god of water)

↪Histri worshipped:

Eja (goddess of fertility and love)

Trita (goddess of health)

Nebrama (goddess of darkness, fog, spells, storms)

Boria (goddess of wind)

Histrija (goddess of peace, protector of Histria)

↪Dardani worshipped:

Andin (god of family and home's fireplace)

Dardanija (personification of Dardan land)

Zbeltiurdus (supreme god)

Divine Couple Dracco and Draccena (snake gods)

Ata (personification of a house spirit which protects the home, often a fallen warrior)

Mundrit (unknown)

Taton (unknown, possibly protector of warriors and god of water)

↪Paenians worshipped Dualos, god of wine.

↪Almost all Illyrians worshipped Medaur (god of war, medicine and health), Sedat (god of mining, protector of craftsmen) was worshipped by most tribes as well.

Since Illyrians didn’t leave traces of literacy, most information about their religion was written by Romans. Romans saw characteristics of their own gods in the Illyrian ones and therefore gave them romanized names. Such examples are Silvan and Diana. Some Illyrians also started calling their gods with a Roman name so Bindus was called Neptune and Anzotika was called Venus.

Other gods which aren't tribe specific or gods with little to no information: En (fire), Perendi (thunder), Prende (love), Liber (wine), Nautrika (children), Armatus (war), Aecorna (lakes), Laburus (sailing), Redon (travel).

Burials

Some Illyrians buried their dead ones under the home's fireplace and gave them food and drinks regularly by lowering it down through the bars on the fireplace. The dead were believed to go to the underworld but could come out to protect the home and their loved ones, having the role of a guardian spirit.

Some Illyrians buried them in graveyards with tombstones. The process of a burial was sacred, symbolic and spiritual. Women would hold each other's hands and form a half circle, the leading woman would hold a ceramic bowl with a liquid offering in her hands. They would move side to side which is a characteristic of most postmortem dances. The men were mounting horses (horse is an important symbol and is considered a holy animal).

The grave was surrounded by small rocks in order to stop evil spirits from entering the grave and the opening to the underworld made specifically for the deceased.

Graves

Illyrians used to put items along with the deceased which they could later use in the afterlife. Most of them put things like dishes, utensils, jewelry, tools, weapons, coins, food, etc.

Heroic individuals would have an image of a warrior mounting a horse engraved on their tombstone, which would ensure that they stay heroic in their afterlife. 

There was a possibility of an evil spirit disturbing the deceased so their family and friends would hold a ritual on their grave. They would get clay pots, hold it over the grave and then break it, which would disturb the evil spirit and destroy it entirely.

Snakes

Snakes were believed to be guardians of the grave. Killing a snake was seen as the worst thing one could do, especially if the snake was a guardian spirit of the deceased. Snakes would be engraved onto the tombstone and snake jewelry was buried along with the bones of the deceased.

Snakes are the most holy animals in all of Illyria. The word illyr means snake, so illyrians are believed to be snake-people and so they were called as such by Greeks and Romans. Illyrios, the ancestor of all Illyrians, was at his birth wrapped by a snake and it gave him divine powers. Snakes were worshiped because of their unusual body, silent way of moving and their ability to change skin, which reminded Illyrians of death, rebirth and immortality. Most Illyrians had a snake as a spirit guardian though other options were also possible, but every household's spirit guardian was a snake. Killing it would destroy lives and families.

Dracco and Draccena are a divine snake couple. They are gods in snake forms and were often depicted in artworks standing behind a warrior, giving him strength or protecting him, or the two of them helping the illyrian troops by killing their enemies instead. Snakes are the most important animals in this belief, and their imagery is found everywhere, from coins and pots, to armor and weapons. 

Spirals

Spiral is one of the Illyrian symbols of the afterlife. Spirals on tombstones or on objects that are used in rituals symbolize the soul of a dead person.

It can also symbolize the complicated path which their soul has to go through before it gets to the underground. Goddess Anzotika is mentioned as a goddess which helps these souls through the spiral labyrinth. By carving out a spiral on a tombstone, Illyrians hoped to make the dead's path easier.

They also carved out spirals on shields and for good health and protection. Most people wore spiral shaped bracelets and jewelry with spiral symbolism. 

Underworld deities:

Anzotika-Guides souls to the undorworld

Irija-Souls go to her motherly embrace after death

Dracco and Draccena-It was thought that snakes and underworld deities live in deep caves. The deceased would show themselves as guardian spirits in snake form, and Dracco and Draccena are rulers of all snakes

Bindus-Believed by Iapodes to be the ruler of the underworld