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Ukko is the supreme god of Finnish mythology and - like Zeus, Thor and Jupiter - he was also a deity in control of thunder. Some have theorized that this may point to a common Indo-European origin. Of course, Ukko also had unique aspects, which we will explore.
Ukko: Old Man Thunder
The paramount Finnish deity, Ukko, is described as an old man, who reigned from his home in the centre of the sky, far removed from mortals. He controlled thunder through an axe or hammer, which he always carried with him. Stones believed to have been property of Ukko were carried around by believers, so as to ward off evil spirits.
One important aspect of Ukko was that he was also considered the weather god, and this conferred even more importance on him. In spring, when the seeds had been sown, he was frequently asked to bring rain and water the soil. To curry favour with the god, a festival was held, Ukon Vakat, during which sacred ale was drunk, made of corn, barley or oats, left on the roofs of houses to be moistened by Ukko's rain. Food offerings, held in a container called a vakka, was also brought along to where the festivities were held, usually on a hill or high lying area. There a ritual poem was also read in honour of Ukko. After all of the ceremony, the people took part in the revelry.
It seems that Ukko wasn't the supreme deity for all of Finland's history. The fact that the sky deity Ilmarinen became associated with iron-working at some point during the Iron Age, suggests that he was displaced by the Old Man as the most important deity. This could've occurred under influence of Christianity and the neighboring Scandinavian mythology as well. Ukko is, as a result, a fascinating display of how deity evolves over time and increases in importance.
Thank you for reading!
Ukko is the supreme god of Finnish mythology and - like Zeus, Thor and Jupiter - he was also a deity in control of thunder. Some have theorized that this may point to a common Indo-European origin. Of course, Ukko also had unique aspects, which we will explore.
Ukko: Old Man Thunder
The paramount Finnish deity, Ukko, is described as an old man, who reigned from his home in the centre of the sky, far removed from mortals. He controlled thunder through an axe or hammer, which he always carried with him. Stones believed to have been property of Ukko were carried around by believers, so as to ward off evil spirits.
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| Drawing of a stone carving found in Karelia. It is believed to have characteristics of both snake and thunder. |
One important aspect of Ukko was that he was also considered the weather god, and this conferred even more importance on him. In spring, when the seeds had been sown, he was frequently asked to bring rain and water the soil. To curry favour with the god, a festival was held, Ukon Vakat, during which sacred ale was drunk, made of corn, barley or oats, left on the roofs of houses to be moistened by Ukko's rain. Food offerings, held in a container called a vakka, was also brought along to where the festivities were held, usually on a hill or high lying area. There a ritual poem was also read in honour of Ukko. After all of the ceremony, the people took part in the revelry.
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| Ukonkivi (English: Ukko's rock) in Lapland. It was a holy site where offerings have been unearthed by archaeologists (Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ukonkivi2.jpg). |
It seems that Ukko wasn't the supreme deity for all of Finland's history. The fact that the sky deity Ilmarinen became associated with iron-working at some point during the Iron Age, suggests that he was displaced by the Old Man as the most important deity. This could've occurred under influence of Christianity and the neighboring Scandinavian mythology as well. Ukko is, as a result, a fascinating display of how deity evolves over time and increases in importance.
Thank you for reading!
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