Medeina

Medeina or Medeinė is one of the main goddesses in Lithuanian mythology. She ruled the forests, trees and animals. Her name was derived from the term "medis", meaning tree, and medė which means forest. She was also closely linked to Žvorūnė or Žvorūna ((from žvėris (beast)). The hare was her sacred animal.

Based on a research conducted by Algirdas Julius Greimas, Medeina choose to remain single despite of her good physical attributes. She is described as a young lady and a she-wolf who have been escorted by wolves. She functions as the protector of the forest and not as the helper of the hunters.

References

• Gimbutas, Marija; Miriam Robbins Dexter (2001). The Living Goddesses. University of California Press. p. 210. ISBN 0520229150.
• Vaitkevičius, Vykintas (2003). "New outlook for Žvėrūna-Medeina". Lietuvos archeologija 24. ISSN 0207-8694.