Veles or Weles – A warrior God of earth, waters, forests and the underworld in Old-Slavic mythology. Presented as a horned, strong young man, but sometimes also as a gray-haired old man with a white beard and a shepherd’s staff.

In Old-Slavic mythology Veles was considered as God from whom they sought survival. He was in charge of the crops, the fields, and the animals, both wild and domestic. The bear was a forest emperor in Old-Slavic culture, and Veles, as the God of the beasts often had its form.

Veles is the opponent of the supreme thunder-God Perun. Considered by Lechites (Western Slavic people and ancestors of modern Poles) a God of law and oaths who is willing to fight to defend his domain.

The origin of Veles, meaning and interpretation cause difficulties to the researchers. Only in Celtic mythology, there is a God similar to Veles, a God called Cernunnos. Veles name might be connected, among others, with Greek Champs-Elysees or Nordic Valhalla. Such connection seems very likely, because of the fact, that Veles is a gate keeper of the entry to the underworld called Navia.

Controlling Navia is not the only task of Veles. In mythology portrayed as “cattle God” and considered a highest Guardian of the cattle. Being a Lord of cattle reflected prosperity and was a meter of wealth. Veles has a force that lets him protect « the herd » from the « wild animals ».