Already described in written sources since 1482, the cult of the
mystic fire and the fire
ritual practices have played a prominent role in the lives of all the Albanian people until the 20th century, and in rural areas they continue to be important for Albanian traditional customs even in the present days. In Albanian tradition the fire worship and rituals are associated with the cult of the Sun (
Dielli), the cult of the hearth (
vatër) and the
ancestor, and the cult of fertility in
agriculture and
animal husbandry. Calendar fires (Albanian:
zjarret e vitit) are associated with the cosmic cycle and the rhythms of agricultural and pastoral life. The practices associated with ritual fires among Albanians have been historically fought by the Christian clergy, without success.
Symbolism Edith Durham, who extensively studied Balkan traditional tattooing with fieldwork research, was able to thoroughly explain the patterns of traditional tattoos only after asking to Albanians of
Thethi–Shala for a description of all the little lines (or twigs) that accompanied a semicircle incised on an old gravestone. They answered that those twigs were "the light coming from the Moon, of course". For Albanians, the twigs or little lines were the traditional way to represent light, emanated from the Sun (
Dielli) and from the Moon (
Hana), which was often represented as a crescent. So, the patterns of Catholic tattoos in Bosnia, which until then were known as "circles, semicircles, and lines or twigs", eventually were clearly explained as compounds of rayed (emanating light) suns, moons, and crosses, from an expression of Nature-worship and hearth-worship. Furthermore, the crosses (including
swastikas) have been explained by scholars as symbols of the deified Fire, and in particular of the fire god Enji. Also appearing in other expressions of Albanian traditional art (graves, jewellery, embroidery, and house carvings), those patterns represent celestial, light, fire and hearth worship, expressing the favor of the light within the
dualistic struggle between light and darkness in Albanian mythology.
Prominent fire god The belief in a fire god, who was referred to as
I Verbti ("the blind one"), survived in northern
Albania until recent times. Under Christianization this deity was
demonized and considered a
false god, and it was spread about that anyone who invoked him would be blinded by fire. However, in folk beliefs the god I Verbti was often considered more powerful than the Christian
God. The struggle between the old and the new god and the former predominant popularity of I Verbti among Albanians is expressed in
a traditional tale narrated from a Christian point of view. The
purifying power of fire underlies the Albanian folk belief according to which the god I Verbti is the enemy of uncleanliness and the opponent of filth.
Ritual and hearth Fire Solemn oaths and curse formulas In Albanian tradition Fire is deeply respected. To spit into it is
taboo.
Albanian solemn oaths are taken "by fire", such as "by this fire" (), "by this fire and if I lie, may my hearth fire be extinguished! (). The worst Albanian curse formulas are cast for the extinguishing of the individual's, family's and clan's fire. Curse formulas include: "may your fire be extinguished!" (), "may your hearth fire be extinguished!" (), "may your candle go out" (), "may your light turn off" ().
Sun's offspring and tribe's continuity '') of a house of
Shkreli, northern Albania, drawn by
Edith Durham in 1909. In Albanian tradition the fire of the hearth (
zjarri i vatrës) is deified, and it is regarded as the
Sun's offspring (
pjella e Diellit), which is symbolized by the fire hearth (
vatra e zjarrit). The place of the ignition of fire is traditionally built in the center of the house and of circular shape representing the Sun. Traditionally the fire of the hearth,
zjarri i vatrës, is identified with the existence of the family and its extinguishing is considered a bad omen for the family. The hearth fire is considered the sustainer of the continuity between the world of the living and that of the dead. After death, the souls of the ancestors () assume a divine connotation and remain in contact with the family through the fire of the domestic hearth, of which they are considered protectors. The fire of the domestic hearth is considered to ensure the continuity of the tribe () from generation to generation. In Albanian tradition, indeed, the lineage is identified with an original fire (); the members of a same tribe/clan are "from the same fire" (). The fire burns into the hearth (), where it assumes another connotation besides the primordial concept: the fire of the domestic hearth is considered also as a place of common existence and commensality. Some of the information Catholic priest
Ernesto Cozzi had given
Edith Durham about Albanian folk beliefs and customs of the very early 19th century was recorded by her, also in particular about the fire cult in northern Albania:
Rose Wilder Lane (1923) provided the following description regarding the northern Albanian fire cult: Mythological figures protectors of the hearth are
Gjarpri i Vatrës ("the Serpent of the Hearth"), a household benign serpent, and
Nëna e Vatrës ("the Mother of the Hearth").
Divination (pyromancy) Several forms of
divination by means of fire (
pyromancy) are traditionally practiced by Albanians. Proofs for
determining the placement of a house plot among Albanians were mainly of mystic nature, and sometimes of techno-practical nature. The latter were easier to deal with, as they consisted in checking a place with or without moisture, a strong
subsoil or a slippery soil, etc. As for the mystical aspects, such as luck and prosperity, they were harder to detect, and several concerns emerged about them. The elders, who preserved much historical and legendary knowledge, were also consulted. Houses could certainly be built in the land of the ancestors whose permanent prosperity was well-known, or in the place where a prosperous cattle stable used to be located. A mystic test, widespread in all Albanian lands, consisted in performing a particular ritual with ashes poured in the area of the future domestic hearth (
vatër), repeating it three times during three nights, and there were special people who knew how to decipher the signs that appeared in the ashes. Another test was performed using fire, which was kindled at the center of the tested plot on a calm and windless night with waxing moon. If the smoke spread over the ground in a soft and uniform manner, it was a good sign; if the smoke went up and only from one side, it was a bad sign and another place was to be tested. Ash and fire are clearly related to the cult of fire and the hearth, regarded as symbols of the continuity of life across generations, showing whether the future generations will prosper in the new plot or they will encounter misfortunes, perhaps even to the point of extinction or abandonment of the new house.
Purification Traditionally kindled with rudimentary
fire making tools and techniques,
Zjarri i Gjallë,
Zjarri i Egër, or
Zjarri i Keq, is the ritual purifying Fire used for the cleansing, protection, healing, and energizing of livestock and humans. During traditional feasts Albanians use to sing and dance around the purifying fire in order to use its supernatural power for protection against
evil. A traditional ritual practiced for the livestock protection or healing from possible diseases is to shroud them in smoke. It has been usually performed in the spring, before livestock goes out for grazing, in a fire traditionally made with rudimentary tools. For this purpose, in many cases, the fire is lit either with flints and reeds or by the friction of two sticks (hence referred to as
Zjarri i Gjallë "Living Fire"). In some regions the sticks (of hazelnut, for instance) for fire making are traditionally obtained after being put on the ceiling of the house near the hearth fire for three years. Sticks dried in this way are traditionally rubbed by two young and powerful men. Some dried moss is also usually put in the point of friction, which is ignited by fire from the friction. From the flame caused by the friction of two pieces of wood, a big fire was made with scraps, rags and straw. Livestock are passed through the smoke of the fire thus created. In some cases, coals are taken from this fire, they are immersed and dissolved in water, and the mixture thus created is used to sprinkle the livestock. For prevention, protection, and healing from the
evil eye (), other rituals with fire, smoke, ashes and embers are practiced. A typical ritual performed by the oldest woman of the family consists in taking a bunch of dry grass and burning it somewhere near the cloth that is being woven, so that the smoke goes towards it. If the grass crackled during the burning, even the evil eye would explode and not be able to do any harm, granting the good luck of the cloth. Ashes and embers are believed to have protective and healing properties, especially for children. In order to get protection against the evil eye, the face of a child is covered with ashes. When children have been taken by the evil eye, they are washed on the ashes. Other Albanian rituals to avert evil, illness, and harm in general are performed with fire and fire-related objects, using the fire's supernatural power.
In traditional feasts and particular events in
Tropojë, northern Albania. Kindled on the eve or before sunrise in order to give strength to the Sun (
Dielli), people dance and sing around it or jump across it, a ritual practiced for the end of winter, renewal, purification and apotropaic purposes. The ritual collective fires (based on the house, kinship, or neighborhood) or bonfires in yards (especially on high places) lit before
sunrise to celebrate the main traditional Albanian festivities such as
Dita e Verës (
spring equinox),
Shëngjergji,
Shën Gjini–Shën Gjoni (
summer solstice), the
winter festivals (
winter solstice), or mountain pilgrimages, often accompanied by
animal sacrifices, are related to the cult of the Sun, and in particular they are practiced with the function to give strength to the Sun and to
ward off evil according to the old beliefs. Albanian traditional festivities around the winter solstice celebrate the return of the Sun for summer and the lengthening of the days. The rites related to the cult of vegetation, which expressed the desire for increased production in agriculture and animal husbandry, were accompanied by animal sacrifices to the fire, lighting pine trees at night, luck
divination tests with crackling in the fire or with coins in ritual bread, making and consuming ritual foods, performing various magical ritualistic actions in livestock, fields, vineyards and orchards, and so on.
Nata e Buzmit, "
Yule log's night", is celebrated between December 22 and January 6. Buzmi is a ritualistic piece of wood (or several pieces of wood) that is put to burn in the fire of the hearth on the night of a winter celebration that falls after the return of the Sun for summer (after the winter solstice), sometimes on the night of
Kërshëndella on December 24 (
Christmas Eve), sometimes on the night of
kolendra, or sometimes on
New Year's Day or on any other occasion around the same period, a tradition that is originally related to the cult of the Sun (
Dielli). A series of rituals of a magical character are performed with the buzmi, which, based on old beliefs, aims at agricultural plant growth and for the prosperity of production in the living thing (production of vegetables, trees, vineyards, etc.). The old pagan cult of the mountain and mountain tops is widespread among Albanians. Pilgrimages to sacred mountains take place regularly during the year. This ancient practice is still preserved today, notably in
Tomorr,
Pashtrik,
Lybeten,
Gjallicë, Rumia,
Koritnik,
Shkëlzen,
Mount Krujë,
Shelbuem,
Këndrevicë,
Maja e Hekurave,
Shëndelli and many others. In Albanian folk beliefs the mountain worship is strictly related to the cult of Nature in general, and the cult of the Sun in particular. Prayers to the Sun, ritual
bonfires, and
animal sacrifices have been common practices performed by Albanians during the ritual pilgrimage on mountain tops. In his short autobiographic book
My Life in Albania (, dated to 1881–1882), Lazër Tusha from
Shkodër (the first known Albanian autobiographer) described and explained in detail the customs, embroidery, and folk beliefs and superstitions of the Albanians. In particular he reported that in non-religious traditional festivities such as the eve of
Shëngjon's day (
Saint John's Eve, after sunset of 23 June and before sunrise of 24 June), people used to light fires and jump across them. At celebrations, but also at eclipses, or when about to cross a fast-flowing river, Albanians used to fire into the air with their firearms. This practice falls within the widespread Albanian fire rituals of
apotropaic nature to ward off evil and darkness, also performed during storms. The
summer solstice is celabrated by Albanians often with the name
Shën Gjini–Shën Gjoni, but also with the name
Festa e Malit or
Festa e Bjeshkës ("Mountain Feast"), as well as
Festa e Blegtorisë ("Livestock Feast"). It is associated with the production in agricultural and livestock activities. To celebrate this feast, bonfires are traditionally lit where straw is burned and ashes are thrown on the ground, as a "burning for regeneration" ritual. Tribal or community fires are traditionally made with straw, with people jumping across them. In some regions plumes of burning chaff were carried in the air, running through the fields and hills. The ashes of the straw that burned in the ritual fires of this event are traditionally thrown to the field for good luck. A typical ritual practiced in the
Opojë region before sunrise during major traditional festivities such as
Dita e Verës (Verëza) or
Shëngjergji consists in young people performing a dance on the "way of the Sun", in the east–west direction near the burning ritual fire, with which evil spirits, demons that endanger health, purification, prosperity, blessing and the beginning of the seasons are burned. Another ritual practiced during Dita e Verës in the
Korçë region and called "Spring ritual" has been described as follows: On the feast of Verëza, in Opojë girls go from house to house early in the morning, and two by two they go near the fire of the hearth and stir it saying to the lady of the house:
Oj e zonja shpisë a e qite renin e flisë. Meanwhile, the lady of the house gives them two chicken eggs. In the morning of Verëza and Shëngjergji, the old lady of the house ties knots to the chain of the hearth and says an incantation formula, then she lights the fire, which with all its power burns the demons and evil.
Sacrificial offerings to the deities associated with the hearth are traditionally practiced by Albanians at feasts, by throwing some of the food they prepared into the fire of the domestic hearth and around the hearth.
Lightning and storms During big storms with torrential rains, lightning and hail, which often cause great damage to agriculture, livestock, and to the rural economy in general, Albanians traditionally bring outdoors Fire as a continuous chain or in a container, as well as ember and fire-related metallic objects, seeking assistance from the supernatural power of the Fire, in order to turn the storm away and to avert the harms it can cause to the community. The practice has been interpreted either as a form of prayer to appease the weather god in order to turn the storm away, or an act to give strength to the divine hero
drangue for his struggle against the
kulshedra, the demon of darkness and evil that causes the storms. Indeed, Albanian folk beliefs regard the
lightning as
Zjarri i Qiellit ("the Fire of the Sky") and consider it as the "weapon of the deity" (
arma/shtiza/pushka e zotit). An Albanian word to refer to the lightning is
rrufeja, related to
rhomphaia, an ancient
polearm. A similar practice linking the lightning and the hearth fire is documented by 6th century BCE plaques from
Lake Shkodra, which belonged to the
Illyrian tribal area of what was referred in historical sources to as the
Labeatae in later times. Each of those plaques portray simultaneously sacred representations of the sky and the sun, and symbolism of lightning and fire, as well as the
tree of life and birds (eagles). In those plaques there is a mythological representation of the celestial deity: the Sun deity animated with a face and two wings, throwing lightning into a fire altar (the main thunderbolt that reaches the fire altar is also represented as a polearm at the extremity), which in some plaques is held by two men (sometimes on two boats). ==The hero Zjermi==