Old sacrificial and worship site Levalõpma Iienukk

Location

State: Estonia
Region: Muhu Parish
County: Saare
Parish: Muhu

Other references to the location

Levalõpma village, 325 m along a gravel road to the North-East from the Liiva-Nõmmküla road.

Coordinates

lat=58.610448794101, lon=23.236332487236
58° 36′ 37″ N, 23° 14′ 10″ E

Description

Ca 65 ha of young forest and old deciduous forest between a field and a gravel road.

Narrative

Old sacrificial and worship site. Estonia’s sacred groves Sacred groves (hiied) are the oldest nature reserves in Estonia, preserved from development out of respect for the forces of nature and ancestors and used as a wellspring of vitality. Estonia has close to 600 known sacred groves or grove-like sites. The area of a sacred grove can span 100 ha and often it can encompass sacred springs, stones, and festive and funeral sites. The sacred grove was used for prayer, offerings, councils, healing, celebration of days on the folk calendar by people in at least one village. The principle of non-violence to people, animals and plants is paramount in the sacred grove. People visit the sacred grove in a clean and sober state and domesticated animals and pets are kept away. Over the centuries, foreign overlords have attempted to destroy and occupy the indigenous sanctuaries to break the people’s spirit of resistance and sense of self-worth. In spite of this, many shrines survived.

Attraction

Woodland area otherwise indistinguishable from the rest of the forest.

Availability

Starts directly from edge of gravel road.

Infrastructure, management, facilities

Parking for cars by the side of the gravel road.

Local info

none

Capacity

0-9

Publicity

Unknown

Legal Status

Private land, heritage conservation