Fire-Mother of the Mordvins

Erzya/Moksha ⟨Тол ава⟩ Tol ava (tol 'fire' + ava 'mother'). Fire was tended and tabooed in the Mordvin household; Tol-ava is its owner. Parallel to the Mari fire-spirit and to the wider Finno-Ugric hearth-mother concept.

Domains

• fire and hearth

Powers

• owns the flame of hearth and sacred fire

Sources

• Holmberg (Harva), Uno. Finno-Ugric Mythology (The Mythology of All Races, vol. IV). Boston, 1927, Mordvin sections.
• 'Mari and Mordvin Religion.' Encyclopedia of Religion (Encyclopedia.com), s.v. Mordvin nature-spirits (Vir-ava, Ved-ava, Tol-ava).