Alardy
mythological figure in Ossetia
Alardy (Ossetian: Аларды, from Georgian: ალავერდობა - Alaverdoba) is a spirit or god of the Ossetian mythology, who inflicts smallpox and measles on children.
In the Nart saga, Alardy appears episodically in different cycles. He protects the Narts from skin diseases or sends them.
Etymology
The name Alardy comes from the locus of Alaverdoba in Kakheti region with the ancient and highly revered in Eastern Georgia church of John the Baptist, where a festival was held annually in September, attracting many pilgrims, including many sick people who came in the hope of receiving healing. In confirmation of the origin from the celebration of Alaverdoba Abaev writes that among the Ossetians and Georgians-Mokhevians of the Darial Gorge, the celebration to the deity of Alardy coincides with the day of John the Baptist. Also the analogue of the Ossetian Alardy is Aku Zushan (the god of smallpox) among the Abkhazians.
In folklore
The earliest mention of the cult of Alardy is in the work of B. Gatiev “Superstitions and prejudices among the Ossetians”. The cycle of spring holidays celebrated twice a year includes the cult of the “patron of smallpox Alarda”, which is mentioned by Miller and Ouarziati.
Alardy was represented as a celestial descending to earth along a golden or silver staircase and depicted as a red winged monster with an ugly face that instilled fear in people. In order to ease the anger of this spirit, superstitious Ossetians built numerous sanctuaries in his honor and prayed to him: in North Ossetia there are more than 30 sanctuaries in honor of Alardy and in South Ossetia - more than 7.
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