drurës

Drurës is a term found in the folklore of the lowland tribes of the eastern Drunian Basin, referring to a type of protective spirit said to inhabit sacred sites such as burial mounds, spring springs, and ancestral shrines. The word is believed to derive from the Proto‑Drunian verb *drúra*, meaning “to guard,” and it is often used in plural form in oral narratives.

Described as translucent beings with elongated limbs, drurës are said to appear as a shimmering blue glow at twilight. In many stories they are portrayed as keeping watch over the dead, preventing the disturbance of graves and protecting the living from malevolent forces. The spirits are traditionally invoked during funerary rites and spring‑time renewal festivals, where offerings of millet bread and honey are presented to appease them.

The earliest documented reference to drurës occurs in the Codex Druratius, a 12th‑century manuscript preserved in the archives of the University of Parnis. The codex depicts a series of carvings that anthropologists have linked to known Drunian iconography of water spirits. Modern scholarship, including the work of ethnologist Dr. Elena Mijanoska, suggests that drurës may be a syncretic blend of pre‑slavic protective deities and later Christian saint traditions.

While no empirical evidence confirms the existence of drurës, the concept remains a significant element of regional cultural identity. The spirit’s symbolism as a guardian of continuity and respect for ancestral heritage continues to influence local art, literature, and communal rituals within the Drunian communities today.