It's definitely a Slavic name, the element
*-vitU in Slavic theonyms means 'lord, ruler'. Svanto- < Slavic *sve~t-o- is
probably a native Slavic word (it doesn't lend itself to internal reconstruction
within Slavic, but has Baltic cognates); its meaning, however, must have
been influenced by Iranian religious terminology (Avestan sp@...). The meaning
'holy' became dominant after the introduction of Christianity; the old central
meaning was 'powerful, vigorous', so Svantevit can be etymologised as the Mighty
Ruler -- evidently an epithet rather than his real name. He seems to have shared
many traits and attributes with Rugievit ('lord of Rügen') of the Garz sanctuary
(though the latter had seven faces as opposed to Svantevit's four; the statues
and temples of both gods are described in vivid detail by Saxo Grammaticus).
Many specialists regard them as local hypostases of Kievan Perun.
"Swan-white" is a folk etymology; so
is the popular Polish deformation "S'wiato-wid" (allegedly 'world-seeing'), and
the mediaeval theory that Svantevit = St. Vitus.
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, January 17, 2001 5:35 AM
Subject: Re: [tied] Re: Baltic Slav rebellion
[Steve:]
> The name of the diety of that shrine was Swantewit
(Swan-white). This is
said to be an ancient Teutonic diety worshiped in
an area that had been
sacred since pre -Teutonic times.
I always
thought that Svantovit came from a Baltic root *svant-, a suffixed
form of
PIE *kwen- "holy"
-Chris Gwinn