It is a research by ethnographer and philologist – specialist in Slavic language and literature, Izmail Ivanovich Sreznevsky (1812-1880). He set a task to establish peculiarities of Slavic mythology and Paganism, and to make some general conclusions. He tries to explain Slavic rituals on the base of remnants of pagan rites preserved in folk culture and written sources.

In the introduction, he gives an essay of pagan beliefs of Slavs. Among the main ones, the author mentions conceptions of the power of deities in the nature and its influence on people, particularly, about the immortality of soul. The main part of the work consists of two chapters: ‘Sanctuaries for the Divine Service’ and ‘Rites of the Divine Service’. In the first chapter, the author notes that Slavs divided the heavenly and earthly gods, respectively; and the sanctuaries were located in different places: for earthly gods – where the gods lived, and for the heavenly gods – in special constructions and temples. He describes places associated with the worship for water and fire, provides information about forest and mountain sanctuaries, ancient settlements (according to the author, representing the transition from the altar to the temple), temples and idolatry. In the second chapter, devoted to the very process of worship, the author discusses the priests, divine service and prayers, sacrifices, divinations and prophecies, and the order of the liturgical rite.

The author draws the following conclusions: I. Contemporary legends and testimonies of the Slavic pagan cults do not contradict each other and can be complementary. II. The main basis of worship of the pagan Slavs were certain religious conceptions. III. The sanctuaries of the Slavs included altars, hill sites, and temples. IV. The priests were a special class of people, and it was typical for all Slavic tribes. V. Prayers, divinations, and sacrifices were the main parts of pagan worship, perceived by the pagans themselves as their duty and right. VI. The calendar rites were based on the cult of the sun.