Enji (deity)

Albanian fire god and cult Sun (Dielli) and Fire symbols in Albanian traditional tattoo patterns (19th century). The cross (also swastika in some tattoos) is the Albanian traditional way to represent the deified Fire – Zjarri, evidently also called with the theonym Enji. Also appearing in other expressions of Albanian traditional art, they represent celestial, light, fire and hearth worship, expressing the favor of the light within the dualistic struggle between light and darkness. Albanian warrior dance in circle around fire, drawing from the book Childe Harold's Pilgrimage written by Lord Byron in the early 19th century. Practiced for several hours with very short intervals, the dance gets new vigour from the words of the accompanying song that starts with a battle cry invoking war drums, and which is of a piece with the movement and usually changed only once or twice during the whole performance. The ritual purifying fire is traditionally used by Albanians, in particular singing and dancing around it, to gain protection and energizing from its supernatural power. Hearth fire lighting a dark room in a house of Mirdita, northern Albania. Drawn by Edith Durham in 1909. Part of a