kõrglained

Kõrglained is a term used in Estonian folklore and ethnology to denote the high gods or celestial beings in the traditional Estonian belief system. The phrase conveys a sense of supreme powers occupying the highest place in the cosmic order, often associated with sky, weather, and fertility.

The exact identities and number of kõrglained varied across regions and historical periods. Unlike a fixed classical pantheon, the concept served as a framework for describing the most powerful deities or powers, sometimes referred to as heavenly or overarching gods. In folk songs, prayers, and ritual texts, kõrglained are typically portrayed as distant, powerful figures who govern fundamental processes such as rain, harvest, and the cycles of the year. They are commonly distinguished from lower spirits tied to specific places, such as lakes, forests, or households, as well as from ancestral or household ancestors.

With Christianization and later scholarly interpretation, the notion of kõrglained became a topic for comparative Finnic and Baltic mythology studies. In academic discussions, the term helps scholars analyze how prehistoric Estonians imagined hierarchy among divine beings, how celestial authority related to earthly life, and how these beliefs related to ritual practice and social organization. However, because primary traditions varied by locality and time, there is no universally fixed list of kõrglained.

In modern usage, kõrglained appears mainly in studies of Estonian myth and folklore as a descriptor for the upper tier of divine powers, rather than as a fixed, canonical group of deities. See also Estonian mythology, Kalevipoeg, and Finnic mythological concepts.