Fall of Arkona or twilight of Slavic heathenism - Rastko Kostić
THE FALL OF ARKONA - deals with the demise and destruction of the rich and prosperous region of the Rugen island, the northernmost point of today` s Germany, on the Baltic near Denmark, which, due to being pagan and inhabited by the western Slavs (the Wends), disappeared during the Crusades in the second half of the XII century., led by the Danes under king Valdemar and bishop Absalon, and the Saxons under king Henry. During that conquest, the temples dedicated to the gods Svetovid, Rugevit, Porevit, Porenut, Scernoglav, Pizamar, Baba, were destroyed after which the Slavs have been forcefully Christianized. The history of these events – as well as the life of the Slavs from the VII to the end of the XII century – is presented though the testimonies of chroniclers and traveler-writers of Frankish, Germanic, Icelandic, Danish, Jewish and Arabic descent: Fredegar, Ibrahim ibn Yaqub the Jew, Al Masudi, Widukind of Corvey, Thietmar, Ebbo and Herbordus, Adam of Bremen, Helmold of Bosaut, Saxo Grammaticus and Olafur Thordarson, as well as though the new commentary and interpretation of Slavic religion and Old Slavic paganism made by the present-day researches of various scientific backgrounds (Raffaele Pettazoni, Paul Grinder Hansen, Richard Stoney and the author of this book.) THE FALL OF ARKONA can in many ways be considereda unique work in the research of antiquity and some translations of the medieval chronicles ands travelogues are appearing for the first time presented in this form, available now not only to scientists but a broadfreading audience.
The book is richly illustrated (29 black-and-white and 38 colour illustrations.)