Ukko: Finnish Thor Who Rules Over the Heavens
The sky, the weather, and the harvest all had a god in Ukko. His name originates from the Finnish word meaning thunder, “Liukkonen” or “ukonilma.” Because he rules over the heavens, he is referred to as “Tirumala” in the Kalevala. His mythical appearances are explained away as the result of purely natural causes. Ukko is most likely descended from the Baltic God Perkins and the earlier Finnish deity Ilmarinen. Ukko succeeded Ilmarinen as Sky God, but Ilmarinen was destined to become the God of a rock as a smith-hero. According to Kalevala, Ilmarinen fashioned the stars on the sky’s ceiling and the Sampo, a magical mill producing abundant food. Lightning was hit by Ukko’s hammer, axe, or sword.
Driving his chariot through clouds, he also caused thunderstorms. The Ukko’s earliest weapons were likely the boat-shaped stone axes used in the battle axe culture. Most likely, the Vasara, Ukko’s hammer, originally meant the same things as the boat stone axe. The history of stone weaponry is shrouded in mystery since they were left behind as people embraced metal technology. Stones are thought to be the striking lightning heads of Ukko weaponry. A shaman’s collection would not be complete without a stone axe, which was supposed to have both protective and destructive properties. Thunder has long been associated with the viper and the saw-like markings on its skin.
The sky, the weather, and the harvest all had a god in Ukko. His name originates from the Finnish word meaning thunder, “ukkonen” or “ukonilma.” Because he rules over the heavens, he is referred to as “ylijumala” in the Kalevala. His mythical appearances are explained away as the result of purely natural causes. Ukko is most likely descended from the Baltic God Perkons and the earlier Finnish sky god Ilmarinen. Ukko succeeded Ilmarinen as Sky God, but Ilmarinen was destined to become the God of a rock as a smith-hero. According to Kalevala, Ilmarinen fashioned the stars on the sky’s ceiling and the Sampo, a magical mill producing abundant food.
Ukko is Finnish for “old man,” which is also the meaning of the name. This may shed light on Ukko’s initial function in pre-Christian Finnish religion. Perhaps he was a god of great age or even the monarch of the gods, like the ancient Greek deity Zeus. ‘Ukko’ can also be translated as ‘thunder,’ an alternate word. Ukko is often referred to in ancient Finnish incantations about the rain and the weather. Ukko, like Thor & Jupiter, was said to fly around in a chariot. The roar of his chariot was said to be the source of thunder. Though it may have been his primary function, Ukko later identified with the sky. The Christian influence probably elevated him to the status of a supreme god when he was initially primarily a weather god than the all-powerful Sky Father.
Ukko could be linked to Zeus, Jupiter, Thor, and the Hindu Dyeus if he is a primal sky god. These gods reside in the heavens, and some held supreme power in their mythologies. These gods and goddesses can be traced back to the Proto-Indo-European sky god Dyeus Pater and are therefore considered part of an Indo-European pantheon. Scholars of Proto-Indo-European languages invented Dyeus Pater to stand in for the make-believe ancient PIE sky god. To rebuild him, we looked for characteristics shared by all Indo-European sky deities. According to etymological research, “Dyeus” comes from the Proto-Indo-European root, meaning “to shine” in ancient times. This may indicate a connection to the sun or the midday sky.
