Arkona (Yaromarsburg) is a city and religious center of the Baltic Slavic tribe Ruyan. The city of Arkona existed until the XII century and was located on the cape of the same name on the island of Rügen. It was described in detail by a contemporary Dane Saxon Grammaticus in Acts of the Danes, XIV: “The city of Arkona lies on top of a high cliff; from the north, east and south it is protected by natural protection … from the west it is protected by a high embankment of 50 cubits …"
Then comes the description of the idol of Svyatovit (at the end of the description of the temple, the author, catching himself, explains “Svyatovit - that was the name of the statue”): “In the building there is a huge statue, in everything similar to the human body, but exceeding in size, surprised with four heads and as many necks, from of which two were visible from the side of the chest, two from the back. Both in front and behind one head to the right, the other to the left looked. Shaggy beards and trimmed hair showed that the artist's art imitated the Ruyan custom of grooming.
In his right hand [the god] held a horn made of various kinds of metals, which the priest of this sanctuary used to fill with wine every year in order to predict the next year's harvest from the liquid level. The left hand, like a bow, rested on the side. The shirt fell down to the shins, which, made of various kinds of wood, were united so hidden in the knees that the place of fastening could not be noticed except by careful examination. The feet touched the ground, and their bases were hidden in the ground.
Not far away were the bridle and saddle of the god and many signs of his divinity. Of these, the remarkable size of the sword caused surprise, the scabbard and handle of which, in addition to the excellent carved decoration, were decorated with silver details."
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In 1168, Arkona was destroyed by the Danes under King Valdemar I, who defeated the Ruyan prince Jaromir. In 1185, stones from Jaromarsburg were used to build a church in Altenkirchen, on the Witt peninsula. Altenkirchen still has the Svantevitstein stone. Probably, it is he who is described by the chroniclers: David Hitraeus in the Saxon Chronicle, 16th century: “The image of the Ruyan idol, carved in stone, can be seen in the village of Altenkirchen, in the narthex of the temple.
More like a monstrous evil demon than any god; the former inhabitants of the island called him Svyatovit, the current ones Vitold "and in" History of the Kamensk diocese ", XVII century:" Hence the evil god the Devil and Chernobog, that is, the Black God, the good Belbog, that is, the white god. The figure of this idol, carved in stone, can still be seen on Ruyan, on the Vitt peninsula, popularly referred to as Vittold, as it were, "Ancient Vit". With a big head, a thick beard, he looks more like a monster than a fictional god."