ENGLISH

Introduction

KOHANIMEVIHIK is an Estonian-language website dedicated to the historical study of early Estonian place names and their cultural and religious background.

Place names are not random labels. They are historical sources that preserve information about landscapes, settlement patterns, linguistic layers and belief systems. Studying place names together with early religious traditions helps reveal deeper historical meanings connected to specific locations.

The website presents analyses and conclusions in a transparent and source-based manner. Its aim is not to offer final truths, but to provide readers with tools and foundational data for independent research.

The website has recently been launched and is continuously expanding. English and Swedish content is planned for the future.

About the Structure of the Website

The website consists of blogs and lexicons:

UURIJALE (For the Researcher) – methodological guidance and practical insights for place-name research.

KOHANIMED (Place Names Lexicon) – selected analyses of place names and their historical forms.

MÄRKSÕNAD (Etymological Keywords Lexicon) – prefixes, suffixes and key concepts found in place names, including foreign-language parallels.

MUINASEESTI USK (Early Estonian Beliefs) – articles on deities and belief systems and their possible connections to landscapes and place names.

MUINASPÕHJA USK (Old Norse Beliefs) – studies of Scandinavian mythology and its potential connections to Estonian place names.

AI INFO (AI Background Articles) – thematic background articles related to Estonian history.

RELIGIOON (Religion) – historical descriptions of belief-related practices and concepts.

All materials are freely accessible and may be cited according to academic standards.

About the Author

Lea Stroh is an independent researcher based in Sweden. Her professional background is in cultural heritage and historical buildings, both in Estonia and Sweden.

She began researching place names after studying historical maps and noticing linguistic layers that had not been fully considered in previous interpretations.

Her advantage lies in her knowledge of Scandinavian languages and her long-term familiarity with both Estonian and Nordic historical contexts. This allows access to Nordic archival and linguistic sources that are not always readily available to researchers working solely within Estonia.

She conducts this research independently and at her own expense.
Her goal is to broaden the understanding of Estonian place names and highlight overlooked historical connections.

Voluntary Support

All content on this website is freely accessible.
If you find the research valuable, you are welcome to support the project with a voluntary contribution. Support payments help sustain ongoing independent research and publication work. They do not constitute payment for a product, service, or religious activity.