View source for Pre-Christian Alpine traditions

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{{Cleanup rewrite|date=May 2016}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2007}}

The central and eastern [[Alps]] of Europe are rich in [[folklore]] traditions dating back to pre-Christian times, with surviving elements originating from [[Germanic paganism|Germanic]], [[Celtic paganism|Gaulish]] ([[Gallo-Roman]]), [[Slavic paganism|Slavic]] ([[Carantanians|Carantanian]]) and [[Raetians|Raetian]] culture.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

== Survival through the ages ==
{{further|Crypto-paganism|Syncretism}}
Ancient customs survived in the [[rural]] parts of [[Austria]], [[Switzerland]], [[Bavaria]], [[Slovenia]], western and northern [[Croatia]] and north eastern [[Italy]] in the form of [[dance]], [[art]], processions, [[rituals]] and [[game]]s. The high regional diversity results from the mutual isolation of Alpine communities. In the Alps, the relationship between the [[Roman Catholic Church]] and paganism has been an ambivalent one. While some customs survived only in the remote [[valley]]s inaccessible to the church's influence, other customs were actively assimilated over the centuries. In light of the dwindling rural population of the Alps, many customs have evolved into more modern interpretations.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}}

==Pastoral traditions==
Around September 8, the feast of the Nativity of Mary, it is customary to bring the cattle down from the [[upland pasture]]s for the winter. In Bavaria, women weave fir wreaths decorated with paper roses and small mirrors to ward off demons during the downhill journey. It has been suggested that this may have been derived from end-of-summer festivals for the Germanic goddess [[Iðunn]]; however, it is also appropriate that shepherds would have come down from the alps on the feast of the birth of Mary as [[Saint Joachim]] did on hearing it heralded by an angel while sheltering among Jewish shepherds.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=IKqOUfqt4cIC&dq=Pre-Christian+Alpine+traditions&pg=PA77 Roy, Christian. "Alpine Pastoral Customs", ''Traditional Festivals'', Vol. 1, ABC-CLIO, 2005] {{ISBN|9781576070895}}</ref>

==Winter traditions==

===Krampus===
{{Main|Krampus}}
[[File:Krampus at Perchtenlauf Klagenfurt.jpg|right|thumb|Krampus]]
The word ''Krampus'' originates from the [[Old High German]] word for [[claw]] (''Krampen''). In the Alpine regions, the Krampus is a mythical horned figure represented as [[Companions of Saint Nicholas|accompanying Saint Nicholas]]. Krampus acts as an anti–Saint Nicholas, who, instead of giving gifts to good children, gives warnings and punishments to the bad children.<ref>[http://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/krampus-could-come-you-holiday-season-180957438/?no-ist Billock, Jennifer. "The Origin of Krampus, Europe's Evil Twist on Santa", Smithsonian.com, December 4, 2015]</ref> Traditionally, young men dress up as the Krampus in the first two weeks of December, particularly in the evening of December 5, and roam the streets frightening children and women with rusty chains, hammers and bells. This figure is believed to originate from stories of [[house spirits]] such as [[kobolds]] or [[elves]].

===Perchten===
{{Main|Perchta}}
Originally, the word ''Perchten'' (plural of ''Perchta'') referred to the female masks representing the entourage of an ancient [[goddess]], ''Frau Perchta'', or ''Pehta Baba'' as it is known in Slovenia. Some claim a connection to the [[Nordic countries|Nordic]] goddess [[Freyja]], though this is uncertain. Traditionally, the masks were displayed in processions (''Perchtenlauf'') during the last week of December and first week of January, and particularly on January 6. The costume consists of a brown wooden mask and brown or white sheep's skin. In recent times Krampus and Perchten have increasingly been displayed in a single event, leading to a loss of distinction of the two. Perchten are associated with [[midwinter]] and the embodiment of [[Destiny|fate]] and the [[soul]]s of the dead. The name originates from the Old High German word ''peraht'' ("brilliant" or "bright").

Sometimes, ''[[The Devil|der Teufel]]'' is viewed to be the most ''schiach'' ("ugly") '''Percht''' (masculine singular of ''Perchten'') and ''[[Perchta|Frau Perchta]]'' to be the most ''schön'' ("beautiful") '''Perchtin''' (female singular of ''Perchten'').

==Spring traditions==
[[Chalandamarz]] is an ancient festival celebrated by the [[Romansh language|Romansh]] speaking part of the Swiss Canton [[Graubünden]]. It is celebrated on the first of March and marks the end of winter and the arrival of spring. Its object is to scare away the evil spirits of winter and wake up the good spirits of spring.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=vf4TBwAAQBAJ&dq=Pre-Christian+Alpine+traditions&pg=PA361 Haarmann, Harald. ''Native Peoples of the World''], ([[Steven L. Danver]], ed.), Routledge, Mar 10, 2015, p.361 {{ISBN|9781317464006}}</ref>

== Badalisc ==
{{Main|Badalisc}}
The [[Badalisc]] is a "good" mythological animal who lives in the woods of Andrista, in [[Val Camonica]], [[Italy]]. During an annual town festival someone dresses up as the creature and is "captured" and brought to the town. The animal is made to tell the people of the town gossip. At the end of the festival the creature is released until the next year's ceremony.<ref>[http://www.demologia.it/brescia/feste/3cevo/basalisk.htm ADL ©Atlante Demologico Lombardo: Il Bresciano - Festa del Badalisc ad Andrista di Cevo]</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Krampus Salzburg 5.jpg|Krampus 
File:Krampus Morzger Pass Salzburg 2008 04.jpg|Krampus, Salzburg 2008
Image:Perchten4.jpg|Procession in [[Klagenfurt]]
Image:Maschera del Badalisc - Andrista - Cevo (Foto Luca Giarelli).jpg|The Badalisc in [[Val Camonica]]
Image:Perchtenlauf2009.jpg|Procession in [[Leibnitz]] ([[Austria]])
File:Bacchu-ber 2003.jpg|The [[Bacchu-ber]], a [[sword dance]], in [[Briançon|Pont-de-Cervières]] ([[France]])
</gallery>

== See also ==
{{columns-list|colwidth=30em|
*[[Kallikantzaros|Kallikantzari]]
*[[Berchtoldstag]]
*[[Fasnacht]]
*[[Funkenfeuer]]
*[[Busójárás]]
*[[Kurentovanje]]
*[[La Vijanera]]
*[[Zvončari]]
*[[History of the Alps]]
*[[Transhumance in the Alps]]
*[[Rhaetians]]
*[[Alemanni]]
*[[Swiss folklore]]
*[[Continental Germanic mythology]]
*[[Pre-Christian traditions of the Low Countries]]
*[[Companions of Saint Nicholas]]
*[[Namahage]]
}}
{{Portal|Christianity}}

== References ==

<references/>

*''Wenn die Hexen umgehen'', Claudia Lagler, 5 January 1999, [http://www.diepresse.at Die Presse] (newspaper), (in German)

== External links ==
*[http://altesitte.ch/ Swiss neopagan site focussing on pre-Christian Alpine traditions] {{in lang|de}}
*[https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/schweiz/sagen_schweiz.htm Swiss legends] and [https://www.sagen.at/texte/sagen/oesterreich/sagen_oesterreich.htm Austrian legends] on Sagen.at {{in lang|de}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Pre-Christian Alpine Traditions}}
[[Category:Alpine folklore]]
[[Category:German folklore]]
[[Category:Germanic paganism]]
[[Category:Paganism in Europe]]
[[Category:Religion in Austria]]
[[Category:Christian folklore]]
[[Category:Swiss folklore]]
[[Category:Winter traditions]]
[[Category:Ritual animal disguise]]
[[Category:Slavic paganism]]