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Incredible Pagan-Themed Photoshoot By Polish Photographer Reveals Stunning Beauty Of Slavic Culture
When you think of Slavic culture, the first things that come to mind are probably vodka, fur hats, and the Orthodox church. Polish photographer Marcin Nagraba, however, wanted to show the world a more ancient view of Slavic people in his dark pictures - by dialing it all the way back to Pagan times.
Christianity arrived in this world between the 7th and 12th centuries, but before that, the region was a hotbed of Slavic mythology and polytheism. Though little is known to this day about the mysterious Pagan rituals, accounts by early Byzantine explorers describe the ancient Slavs as worshipers of thunder and earth - no doubt referring to Perun, the highest god of the pantheon and the Slavic equivalent of the Greek Zeus.
With the help of costume designer Agnieszka Osipa, the Warsaw-based visionary captures the breathtaking photoshoot idea which reminds us of the wonder and wisdom of ages past. Experience every cool photo for yourself below, and let yourself drift back in time for a moment.
More info: Marcin Nagraba, Agnieszka Osipa (h/t: DYT)
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Zana Berisha 9 years ago
Very similar (or the same) as "Nusja" - The Bride in Albanian tradition.
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Derek Stocker 6 years ago
I bless the harvest of Dionysus for from my head emerge the twisted daggers of your fate!
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Sami Thompson 9 years ago
Love the headpiece, costume, & palm jewels - everything is beautiful!
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Sami Thompson 9 years ago
Everything is perfect - but the lace eyelashes are a teensy bit disturbing.
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Derek Stocker 6 years ago
South American. Add colour could be Inca or Aztec. Even if there was contact the centuries do not match. I was going to mention Scarab/Dung Beetle but 8 legs - Arachnid - Parasitic Tick. The Wheat? Signifies? A successful harvest or votive offerings for the harvest to come? When did humans begin to cultivate winter wheat? I just find her lined features mesmerising.
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Terri Rowland 9 years ago
If I wear this my dog and every other dog from miles around would love me and follow me everywhere 🤗 💝 🌹 🌈 🐩🐶
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Terri Rowland 9 years ago
When I first looked at this one I thought that the antlers were attached to her boobies ❤ 🤣🤣🤣
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DeMarie Ingraham 9 years ago
I can't imagine how much time these elaborate dressings took to construct. They are incredible.
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Bartek Banach 6 years ago
If you got all the way to 60 you probably recognized some patterns. Constant war since 3000bc sad slave history. I'd like to just cut off that bad intro. Person who writes the article has no knowledge of slav natives in Europe pre Christian times. And for our gods sake! Russians are eastern Slavs and are Wareg Viking descendants which puts their orthodox church and furry hats where they suppose to be. The photography shows a lot of Royal Polabian people culture as well as B.C. slav culture that was unfortunately conquered by Danes, great Roman Empire, Crusades etc. Beautiful take
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What do you think ?
Leni 9 years ago
The photos are really cool, but without a little more in depth explanation I feel like I still know jack s**t about slavic culture.
Renata Justkowski 9 years ago
That is because you are not 'feeling' the pics. Do they make you sad? Happy? There is a tone of death, pain, sadness in every pic, no matter how many pearls you throw in. This is because Poland has been through hell, and yet still is resilient, still here, after being wiped off the face of the globe 3x. I wouldn't expect anyone without at least a small understanding of the history of Poland to 'get' these images.
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aneys 9 years ago
I'm Polish and I have no idea what these pictures are supposed to represent.
elmartino 9 years ago
same here, I can hardly match these photos with deities
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Rose Symotiuk 9 years ago
This is cool and all, but different slavic countries are really different. Like Poland doesn't have an orthodox church (perhaps you've heard of some guy called Pope John II?) So was the description written by the artist? Also, would a Polish person say that they have no culture. You kindof can't walk around Poland for a second without running into a museum, statue, or concert hall. In fact, the artist's hometown has an enormous Mordor-esque communist building called the Palace of Culture. The photos are amazing but the headline and text are super confusing!
Gregory Hammer 9 years ago
You're focusing on recent history. What this article is referring to is that the world believes no people existed in Eastern Europe until Christianity came along and converted everyone... who did it convert, what were they like and what did they believe?
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Leni 9 years ago
The photos are really cool, but without a little more in depth explanation I feel like I still know jack s**t about slavic culture.
Renata Justkowski 9 years ago
That is because you are not 'feeling' the pics. Do they make you sad? Happy? There is a tone of death, pain, sadness in every pic, no matter how many pearls you throw in. This is because Poland has been through hell, and yet still is resilient, still here, after being wiped off the face of the globe 3x. I wouldn't expect anyone without at least a small understanding of the history of Poland to 'get' these images.
Load More Replies... aneys 9 years ago
I'm Polish and I have no idea what these pictures are supposed to represent.
elmartino 9 years ago
same here, I can hardly match these photos with deities
Load More Replies... Rose Symotiuk 9 years ago
This is cool and all, but different slavic countries are really different. Like Poland doesn't have an orthodox church (perhaps you've heard of some guy called Pope John II?) So was the description written by the artist? Also, would a Polish person say that they have no culture. You kindof can't walk around Poland for a second without running into a museum, statue, or concert hall. In fact, the artist's hometown has an enormous Mordor-esque communist building called the Palace of Culture. The photos are amazing but the headline and text are super confusing!
Gregory Hammer 9 years ago
You're focusing on recent history. What this article is referring to is that the world believes no people existed in Eastern Europe until Christianity came along and converted everyone... who did it convert, what were they like and what did they believe?
Load More Replies...
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