Zojz[a] is a sky and lightning god in Albanian pagan mythology.[2] Regarded as the chief god and the highest of all gods, traces of his worship survived in northern Albania until the early 20th century, and in some forms still continue today.[3] The old beliefs in the Sky (Alb. Qielli) are pagan beliefs preserved by Albanians since ancient times.[4]
In classical antiquity Zojz is considered to have been presumably worshiped by Illyrians as the ancestors of the Albanians.[5] Albanian Zojz is the clear equivalent and cognate of Messapic Zis and Ancient Greek Zeus (all from Proto-Indo-European *Di̯ḗu̯s 'sky god').[6] The cult practiced by the Albanians on Mount Tomorr in central Albania is considered as a continuation of the ancient Indo-European sky-god worship.[7]
An epithet considered to be associated with the sky-god is "father", thought to be contained in the Albanian noun Zot ("Sky Father", from Proto-Albanian: *dźie̅u ̊ a(t)t-), used to refer to the Supreme Being.[8] In Albanian the god who rules the sky is referred to as i Bukuri i Qiellit ("the Beauty of the Sky"), who is sometimes also associated with the Sun (Dielli).[9]
The Albanian divine culture hero drangue, who plays a dominant role in Albanian mythology, is also seen as a lightning deity, apparently an Albanian equivalent of the Indo-European sky deity, holding the position of a chief god.[10] The Albanian sky and lightning god could be related to Perëndi (another name for the Supreme Being), to Baba Tomor (father god in central Albanian folk beliefs), and to Shurdh (weather and storm god in northern Albanian folk beliefs).
An Albanian mythical tale concerning the highest of the gods, who uses thunderbolts to defeat the sea-storm god Talas, has been documented in the early 20th century from the Shala region in northern Albania.[11]
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