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Paper short abstract

Latvian and Estonian folklore mentions so called four-eyed dogs – type of dogs who has different colour fur above the eyes, creating an impression they have four eyes. Cluster of folk songs and sayings mention beliefs of such dogs that are able to see supernatural things as souls of deceased people.

Paper long abstract

A thread from the tapestry of intangible cultural heritage - the Latvian and Estonian folklore mentions so called four-eyed dogs – type of dogs who has different colour fur above the eyes, creating a visual impression they have four eyes. Cluster of folk songs and sayings mention beliefs of such dogs that are able to see supernatural things as souls of deceased people who visit homes of alive during fall (see Šmits 1941:1746, 1765, Viluoja 1997:42). The Dog co-burial tradition practised by Eastern Baltic Finno-Ugric people (Livonians, Finns, Osilians and coastal Estonians) during the Late Iron Age (10th-12th c. AD) widens variety of described human-dog coexistence forms and yet perform a dog as a medium between natural and supernatural worlds. Dogs have been guarded people from unwilling guests not only during their lifetime. Being buried with the owner express value and emotional closeness and also symbolically continue to perform practical functions as a guards, herders, hunting companions, consumers of leftovers after the meals, pets that have been cuddled before going to sleep and family members that also will fall asleep some day forever. The Livonian dog sacrifice ritual and co-burying tradition, due to its rarity (in the territory of Latvia 52 dog co-burials have been archaeologically investigated yet) and both material and emotional value, was a public act attesting to the welfare, social status and religious beliefs of the deceased and also of his or her kin.