Greetings in ancient Rus'. Class hour in elementary school on the topic: How people greeted each other in Rus'. Handshakes and hats

The greeting ritual is significant in terms of initiation. So, from the form of the greeting you can understand whether the interlocutor is respected or not, you can understand the gender and social status of the person to whom the greeting is assigned. This custom conceals a lot of mysterious and interesting things. Among the Slavs past and present, not everything is clear here either. But, something worth telling. So the main, core-forming thing is to wish health to the interlocutor. So let's say, the most famous greeting is “God thou art.”

This is a wish for health to the Slav. Does everyone remember the epic “You are a good fellow, good fellow”?

This expression comes from epics. We don’t think it’s worth explaining that the word “hello” is a wish for health.
Also, wishes for health can be heard in the greetings “Hello”, “Zdorovenki Buly” and many others. Wishing your interlocutor health is a sign of good manners and respect. If they wanted to greet the house and all its relatives, they said “Peace to your home!” It seems that this goes back to the ritual of greeting Domovoy and Chur. The phrase “Peace to your home” most likely meant a greeting to the Domovoi. The brownie is not just the keeper of the hearth and order in the house, but also the later incarnation of the god Rod. It’s just that the process of transformation of the Family – Ancestor – Brownie was not quick. The family began to be forgotten in the 10th century, and in subsequent centuries Rozhanitsy was already revered. But the cult of the ancestor remained in Rus'. Remember the expression when finding an ownerless thing: “Cheers, it’s mine!” This is an ancient call to Rod to witness the find. The Slavs greeted not only each other, but also the Gods. This is where the hypothesis about the self-name of the Slavs comes from the word “Glorify”. The Slavs not only glorified the Gods, but also always treated the surrounding nature correctly and politely. In epics, this is preserved in the phenomenon that heroes often greet a field, forest, or river. As mentioned above, the Slavs believed that the world is alive, and every living soul needs to be greeted. Have you ever wondered why in villages everyone, even children, still say hello even to a stranger? A Slav may not say his true name, but he is obliged to say hello. This goes back to the phenomenon that if you wished health to a person, then he will wish it for you too. And accordingly, people, even previously unfamiliar ones, become psychologically closer. And this rapprochement already, as it were, sets up a protective circle. And they no longer expect anything bad from a stranger.

The greeting of a person respected in the community was always accompanied by a low bow to the ground. Acquaintances and friends were greeted with a bow from the waist. Strangers could be greeted in different ways, but most often the hand was placed on the heart and then lowered down. A simplified version of the first two types. Although in the first two cases the hand was placed on the heart, this was how the sincerity of intentions was expressed. Also, a stranger could be greeted with a simple nod. It is characteristic that the movements in this greeting do not go towards the sun, as some modern Rodnovers try to interpret it, but towards the earth. And this is more than logical, given the fact that the Slavs revered the earth as a Divinity. When studying this issue, it is characteristic and significant that Christian clergy call the pagan Slavs as “idolaters.” They bowed to the idol, thereby expressing greeting and respect. Which is typical for the worldview of the Slavs, since Idols are deceased ancestors, and one either treats them with respect or not at all. There is not a single written source describing the movement from the heart to the sky as a greeting.

The greeting was like an initiation from the interlocutor. What will he wish in return? Yours or someone else’s (this is about the example of “goy thou”)? And today greetings are used strictly on a distinctive basis. So let's say, the ritual of greeting through shaking not the hand, but the wrist. In Rodnoverie, this is not just a characteristic greeting, but also self-identification. This greeting is explained by the antiquity of its use, as they checked whether there was a weapon in the sleeve. The esoteric meaning of this type of greeting is that when the wrists touch, the pulse, and therefore the biorhythm of the other person, is transmitted. This greeting seems to read the other person's code. Today you can find many greetings and “Glory to Rod!”, “Good day!” and many phrases from the above. And today, Rodnovers wish health and prosperity to the family. And all word forms of greeting convey warmth and participation in the fate of another person. I am glad that such a variety of greetings, although partially forgotten, has still survived to this day and has changed little!

Source

Increasingly, we greet each other with a short and often faceless “hello.” How did you say hello? The custom or ritual of greeting among the Slavs goes back centuries and is fraught with many interesting and even mysterious things. For representatives of different social status and different gender, the form of greeting and its content differed. And yet, the main greeting among the Slavs has always been the wish for health, peace and prosperity. The Slavs have always been a peaceful people and believed that they were surrounded only by living beings. In surviving epics, the hero-hero refers to the forest, river or field as a living being. According to the customs of the Slavs, wishes for health should have been answered in kind, unless you were enemies, of course. Therefore, they believed that a greeting in the form of a wish for health forms a protective circle through which evil cannot penetrate.

Until now, in rural areas, especially in small villages, people will definitely say hello to a stranger. A wish for health is not only a sign of good manners, but also a tribute. Before the adoption of Christianity, the Slavs revered many gods, and among the most revered was the god Rod. Hence the cultic attitude towards ancestors and the veneration of ancestors. What remains from this cult is the tradition of greeting the owner of the house and all his relatives with the words “Peace to your home!” The transformation in the minds of the Slavs of the god Rod into Domovoy, who is the keeper of the hearth, still requires them to respect this creature and, in a kind of coded message, that their appearance does not bring any trouble to the owners of the house.

The existing hypothesis of the origin of the term “Slavs” because these tribes not only praised the gods and treated each other with respect, but also revered their ancestors, can be confirmed by such a ritual as a bow. They were greeted by acquaintances and friends. A person respected in the community was supposed to bow deeply to the ground. In epics and fairy tales we read that the hero, going to a foreign land, bows to all four corners of the world. The stranger was greeted by putting his hand to his heart and then lowering it down. This gesture denoted a cordial disposition, the joy of meeting. An ordinary meeting could be accompanied by the usual nod. The ritual of shaking hands in ancient times expressed not so much the meaning of greeting, but rather represented a check for the presence of weapons in the sleeve of a stranger’s clothing. Therefore, when meeting, they squeezed not the hands, but the wrists, to make sure of good intentions. In Rodnoverie, this ritual of shaking wrists has been preserved to this day not so much as a gesture of characteristic greeting of the Slavs, carried through the centuries, but has an esoteric meaning. It is believed that when the wrists touch, not only the pulse is transmitted, but also the biorhythm of the other person. The code of another person is read and his affiliation, or lack thereof, with modern admirers of the traditions and beliefs of the ancient Slavs is determined.

In terms of initiation, the greeting ritual is significant. So, from the form of the greeting you can understand whether the interlocutor is respected or not, you can understand the gender and social status of the person to whom the greeting is assigned. This custom conceals a lot of mysterious and interesting things. Among the Slavs past and present, not everything is clear here either. But, something worth telling. So the main, core-forming thing is to wish health to the interlocutor. So let's say, the most famous greeting is “God thou art.” This is a wish for health to the Slav. Does everyone remember the epic “You are a good fellow, good fellow”?

This expression comes from epics. We don’t think it’s worth explaining that the word “hello” is a wish for health. Also, wishes for health can be heard in the greetings “Hello”, “Zdorovenki Buly” and many others. Wishing your interlocutor health is a sign of good manners and respect. If they wanted to greet the house and all its relatives, they said “Peace to your home!” It seems that this goes back to the ritual of greeting Domovoy and Chur. The phrase “Peace to your home” most likely meant a greeting to the Domovoi. The brownie is not just the keeper of the hearth and order in the house, but also the later incarnation of the God of Rod. It’s just that the process of transformation of the Family – Ancestor – Brownie was not quick. The family began to be forgotten in the 10th century, and in subsequent centuries Rozhanitsy was already revered. But the cult of the ancestor remained in Rus'. Remember the expression when finding an ownerless thing: “Cheers, it’s mine!” This is an ancient call to Rod to witness the find. The Slavs greeted not only each other, but also the Gods. This is where the hypothesis about the self-name of the Slavs comes from the word “Glorify”. The Slavs not only glorified the Gods, but also always treated the surrounding nature correctly and politely. In epics, this is preserved in the phenomenon that heroes often greet a field, forest, or river. As mentioned above, the Slavs believed that the world is alive, and every living soul needs to be greeted. Have you ever wondered why in villages everyone, even children, still say hello even to a stranger? A Slav may not say his true name, but he is obliged to say hello. This goes back to the phenomenon that if you wished health to a person, then he will wish it for you too. And accordingly, people, even previously unfamiliar ones, become psychologically closer. And this rapprochement already seems to create a protective circle. And they no longer expect anything bad from a stranger.

The greeting of a person respected in the community was always accompanied by a low bow to the ground. Acquaintances and friends were greeted with a bow from the waist. Strangers could be greeted in different ways, but most often the hand was placed on the heart and then lowered down. A simplified version of the first two types. Although in the first two cases the hand was placed on the heart, this was how the sincerity of intentions was expressed. Also, a stranger could be greeted with a simple nod. It is characteristic that the movements in this greeting do not go towards the sun, as some modern Rodnovers try to interpret it, but towards the earth. And this is more than logical, given the fact that the Slavs revered the earth as a Divinity. When studying this issue, it is characteristic and significant that Christian clergy call the pagan Slavs as “idolaters.” They bowed to the idol, thereby expressing greeting and respect. Which is typical for the worldview of the Slavs, since Idols are deceased ancestors, and one either treats them with respect or not at all. There is not a single written source describing the movement from the heart to the sky as a greeting.

The greeting was like an initiation from the interlocutor. What will he wish in return? Yours or someone else’s (this is about the example of “goy thou”)? And today greetings are used strictly on a distinctive basis. So let's say, the ritual of greeting through shaking not the hand, but the wrist. In Rodnoverie, this is not just a characteristic greeting, but also self-identification. This greeting is explained by the antiquity of its use, as they checked whether there was a weapon in the sleeve. The esoteric meaning of this type of greeting is that when the wrists touch, the pulse, and therefore the biorhythm of the other person, is transmitted. This greeting seems to read the other person's code. Today you can find many greetings and “Glory to Rod!”, “Good day!” and many phrases from the above. And today, Rodnovers wish health and prosperity to the family. And all word forms of greeting convey warmth and participation in the fate of another person. I am glad that such a variety of greetings, although partially forgotten, has still survived to this day and has changed little!

The greeting ritual is significant in terms of initiation. So, from the form of the greeting you can understand whether the interlocutor is respected or not, you can understand the gender and social status of the person to whom the greeting is assigned. This custom conceals a lot of mysterious and interesting things. Among the Slavs past and present, not everything is clear here either. But, something worth telling. So the main, core-forming thing is to wish health to the interlocutor. So let's say, the most famous greeting is “God thou art.” This is a wish for health to the Slav. Does everyone remember the epic “You are a good fellow, good fellow”?

This expression comes from epics. We don’t think it’s worth explaining that the word “hello” is a wish for health. Also, wishes for health can be heard in the greetings “Hello”, “Zdorovenki Buly” and many others. Wishing your interlocutor health is a sign of good manners and respect. If they wanted to greet the house and all its relatives, they said “Peace to your home!” It seems that this goes back to the ritual of greeting Domovoy and Chur. The phrase “Peace to your home” most likely meant a greeting to the Domovoi. The brownie is not just the keeper of the hearth and order in the house, but also the later incarnation of the god Rod. It’s just that the process of transformation of the Family – Ancestor – Brownie was not quick. The family began to be forgotten in the 10th century, and in subsequent centuries Rozhanitsy was already revered. But the cult of the ancestor remained in Rus'. Remember the expression when finding an ownerless thing: “Cheers, it’s mine!” This is an ancient call to Rod to witness the find. The Slavs greeted not only each other, but also the Gods. This is where the hypothesis about the self-name of the Slavs comes from the word “Glorify”. The Slavs not only glorified the Gods, but also always treated the surrounding nature correctly and politely. In epics, this is preserved in the phenomenon that heroes often greet a field, forest, or river. As mentioned above, the Slavs believed that the world is alive, and every living soul needs to be greeted. Have you ever wondered why in villages everyone, even children, still say hello even to a stranger? A Slav may not say his true name, but he is obliged to say hello. This goes back to the phenomenon that if you wished health to a person, then he will wish it for you too. And accordingly, people, even previously unfamiliar ones, become psychologically closer. And this rapprochement already seems to create a protective circle. And they no longer expect anything bad from a stranger.

The greeting of a person respected in the community was always accompanied by a low bow to the ground. Acquaintances and friends were greeted with a bow from the waist. Strangers could be greeted in different ways, but most often the hand was placed on the heart and then lowered down. A simplified version of the first two types. Although in the first two cases the hand was placed on the heart, this was how the sincerity of intentions was expressed. Also, a stranger could be greeted with a simple nod. It is characteristic that the movements in this greeting do not go towards the sun, as some modern Rodnovers try to interpret it, but towards the earth. And this is more than logical, given the fact that the Slavs revered the earth as a Divinity. When studying this issue, it is characteristic and significant that Christian clergy call the pagan Slavs as “idolaters.” They bowed to the idol, thereby expressing greeting and respect. Which is typical for the worldview of the Slavs, since Idols are deceased ancestors, and one either treats them with respect or not at all. There is not a single written source describing the movement from the heart to the sky as a greeting.

The greeting was like an initiation from the interlocutor. What will he wish in return? Yours or someone else’s (this is about the example of “goy thou”)? And today greetings are used strictly on a distinctive basis. So let's say, the ritual of greeting through shaking not the hand, but the wrist. In Rodnoverie, this is not just a characteristic greeting, but also self-identification. This greeting is explained by the antiquity of its use, as they checked whether there was a weapon in the sleeve. The esoteric meaning of this type of greeting is that when the wrists touch, the pulse, and therefore the biorhythm of the other person, is transmitted. This greeting seems to read the other person's code. Today you can find many greetings and “Glory to Rod!”, “Good day!” and many phrases from the above. And today, Rodnovers wish health and prosperity to the family. And all word forms of greeting convey warmth and participation in the fate of another person. I am glad that such a variety of greetings, although partially forgotten, has still survived to this day and has changed little!

To wish a person well and health, to glorify his Family and God is the first thing our ancestors did when they met. Today, not everyone remembers this custom, having switched to the already familiar: “Hello!” And it’s worth remembering the sacred meaning of the greeting that our forefathers used

.Hello!

Everyone knows that “hello” is a wish for health. Greetings “Hello”, “Zdorovenki Buly” and many others - also a wish of health to the interlocutor. This is a sign of good manners and respect. The origin of these greetings is very interesting, since the word “hello,” for example, cannot be reduced simply to the word “health,” that is, health. The root of “zdrav” and “zdrov” is found in ancient Indian, Greek, and Avestan languages. Initially, the word “hello” consisted of two parts: “Sъ-” and “*dorvo-”, where the first meant “good”, and the second was related to the concept of “tree”. It turns out that for the ancient Slavs the tree was a symbol of strength and prosperity. That is, such a greeting means that a person wishes another person strength, endurance and well-being.

Hey you, good fellow!

Goy is almost the oldest Russian word, which has meanings associated with life and life-giving force. “Goy” means “to live,” and “esi” means “to eat.” Literally: “You exist now and still be alive!”

“Here you are, good fellow” - this is how they greet everyone to whom they wish goodness and health.

Interestingly, this ancient root is preserved in the word outcast. And if “goy” is “to live, life,” then “outcast” is its antonym - a person cut off from life, deprived of it.

Peace to your home!

The phrase “Peace to your home!” greeted all the relatives of the person they met and his family. There is an opinion that perhaps this greeting meant a greeting to Domovoy and Chura. The brownie was not just the keeper of the hearth and order in the house, but also the embodiment of the god Rod. Over time, Rod transformed into the Ancestor, and then into the Brownie.

But the cult of the ancestor remained in Rus'. You’ve probably heard the expression when finding an ownerless item: “Cheers, it’s mine!” This is an ancient call to Rod to witness the find.

Bows

Since ancient times, the Slavs greeted a respected person with a low bow to the ground. In addition, touching the earth (kissing) served as a ritual of receiving strength and grace from the earth. They bowed from the waist to acquaintances and friends, and most often bowed to strangers, putting their hand to their heart and then lowering it down.

Also, a stranger could be greeted with a simple nod. In this case, the movement should not go towards the sun, but towards the earth. The Slavs greeted a person respected in the community with a low bow to the ground, sometimes even touching or kissing it. This bow was called the “great custom.”

Acquaintances and friends were greeted with a “small custom” - a bow from the waist, and strangers with almost no custom: putting a hand to the heart and then lowering it down. In general, any bow means humility before your interlocutor. In addition, as a person bows to another, he exposes his neck, becoming defenseless, this is a kind of trust.
Wrist Squeeze

We are used to shaking hands, but before we used to say hello by shaking the wrist. It was a kind of self-identification. They checked whether there were weapons in their hands. And also, when the wrists touch, not only the pulse is transmitted, but also the biorhythm of the other person. The code of another person is read and his affiliation, or lack thereof, with modern admirers of the traditions and beliefs of the ancient Slavs is determined.

Fortunately, along with borrowed greetings in our modern speech, we also use original Slavic ones. So, “Glory to Rod!”, “Good day,” “Be healthy!” - all these words and phrases convey warmth, care and participation in the fate of another person, an interlocutor.