Dr. Jožko Šavli introduced his new book to the public at an open house on January 15, 2009 at the Etnografski muzej of Lublana.

The symbolic golden flower has been selected for the front cover of the new book,

while the back cover features ancient Carantanian deities like Triglav, Orjak, Živa and Korant...

Zlati cvet (Golden Flower), Slovenian Mythology, is the name of the new book, written in Slovenian by Dr. Jožko Šavli, who is also a contributor to Carantha. In his new book, Dr. Šavli explores the mythology of Slovenia (Carantania). Some of the articles were already published on this website. The book (140 x 230) contains over 500 pages and is richly illustrated with black - white pictures. The main part of the book is dedicated to the pre-Christian deities of Carantania in their traditional forms, which the author discovered in the Slovenian people's tradition and folklore. Another chapter unfolds spiritual beings, like witches, dwarfs, fairies etc., that appear in Slovenian fairy tales and legends.

The author's research reveals, that with the Christianization of Carantania - Slovenia several local pagan deities remained concealed, but the primary ritual was transferred to Saint-protectors. The culture of the pre-Christian world was not destroyed but Christianized. Pagan customs intertwined with Christian traditions and have been preserved until this very day in numerous Slovenian festivities like Christmas, Easter, May devotions etc. Evidently, the missionaries acted in much the same way as St. Augustinus' De Doctrina Cristiana, according to which the cultural values of the pagan world, as long as they are not contrary to Christianity, should be preserved. This happened precisely during the Christianization of Carantania.

The author has already published several works in English concerning the rich history of Carantanian deities and mythology on the Carantha website. They were the starting point for his present book, the contents of which was widely extended and perfected with new discoveries. In the Carantanian pantheon we encounter several deities, which appear elsewhere, like Mother Earth (Zemlja), Mother Nature (Maya), Živa, Vesna, or the Sunny God Belin, but the majority are indigenous deities: Orjak, Korant (or Kurent), Pust, Kresnik... It reveals our true spiritual heritage, which has been preserved in the Slovenian people's tradition. Therefore, the book justifiably bears a further sub-title: The Spiritual Legacy of Carantania. - (Nov. 14/2008)

Nova knjiga "Zlati cvet" avtorja dr. Jožka Šavlija

Slovenci smo ponovno bogatejši in za to se lahko zahvalimo našemu vztrajnemu raziskovalcu naše preteklosti in marljivemu ustvarjalcu dr. Jožku Šavliju, ki je napisal novo knjigo o slovenski mitologiji iz predkršcanskih casov. Knjiga je že v tisku in bo kmalu v javnosti. Kot še receno nam raziskovalec razkriva, da je s kristijanizacijo sicer res bila izrinjena iz slovenske folklore velika vecina poganskih božanstev, vendar pa se je njihova legenda velikokrat ohranila v novi kršcanski podobi.

Kdor je spremljal dr. Šavlijevo delo, je že delno seznanjen s to tematiko, kot jo naš raziskovalec razlaga, saj je objavil celo vrsto clankov na spletnih straneh Caranthe (http://www.carantha.net/). Splet je sicer namenjen v glavnem predstavitvi "necenzurirane" slovenske zgodovine tuji javnosti in je vsebina tam vecinoma v anglešcini. Nasprotno pa je nova knjiga napisana v slovenšcini in ima vec kot 500 strani ter je dobrodošla novost v naši literaturi na tem podrocju. Z razliko Zmaga Šmitka v delu "Mitološko izrocilo Slovencev", v katerem avtor išce slovenske paralele s tujimi mitologijami, se tej tematiki doslej še ni nihce posvetil kot dr. Šavli, to je na osnovi izvirne slovenske etnologije.

Poudariti hocem prav dejstvo, da gre za slovensko in ne slovansko etnologijo, kot je tudi razvidno iz podnaslova knjige "Bajeslovje Slovencev". To je pomembna razlika, saj sem ob razlicnih prilikah, ko smo se po forumih pogovarjali o dr. Šavlijevem delu na tem podrocju pogostokrat srecali s pristaši slovenskih akademskih smernic, ki se skoraj sramežljivo skrivajo za besedo Slovani in to tudi takrat, ko bi morali govoriti o Slovencih. V tem smislu je pojem slovanska-etimologija oksimoron »bistroumni nesmisel« in prav tako kot je beseda Slovan (Slovani) 200 let stara umetna konstrukcija, je tudi »slovanska narodnost« oksimoron. Slovani se delimo v razlicne etnicne skupine, ki imajo vsaka svoje etimološke in druge etnicne znacilnosti. Le te segajo casovno dosti globlje v preteklost kot pa uradno poimenovanje teh skupnosti v zadnji polovici prejšnjega tisocletja. Etnologija, etimologija in jeziki so prakticno naši najboljši pokazatelji te daljne preteklosti. Na žalost so postali uradni zgodovinarji pod velikim pritiskom mocnejših tujih akademskih in politicnih struktur zelo nedosledni in površni, ko govorimo o posamicnih slovanskih narodih.

Za razliko od uradnih zgodovinarjev, ki si ne upajo ali pa ne znajo pogledati na podrocje slovenske etimologije skozi slovenske oci, ni prav nic presenetljivo, da dr. Šavli ni pod nobenim pritiskom skrivati naš slovenski element. Gre torej za slovensko in ne slovansko mitologijo. Kurent, Triglav, Dogana (Zarja), Vesna, Noreia, Korontan, Svarog, Kresnik, Maja, Baba, Korant, Vodin, Zemla, Jarnik, Živa, Svetovid, Belin so tipicno slovenske mitološke podobe ali osebe.

Hvala Vam za vaše vztrajno delo in trud dr. Šavli!
Igor H. Pirnovar