Legend
The barn that sank into Iieniidi spring
In north-west Saaremaa, about a kilometre north-east of Jauni village and far from any house, a round spring some 18 metres across lies in a marshy meadow ringed by forest and bog. In pagan times the spring and the nearby sacred meadow, Iieniit, were believed to be the dwelling place of the gods. After Christianity arrived, the spot gained a bad name and became the subject of superstitious tales. The most memorable says that a whole barn once sank into the spring and was never found again. People also believed the spring was linked underground to a stream that disappears into the earth near the villages of Selgase and Silla. Archaeologist A. M. Tallgren recorded it as an offering spring, and it remains a hidden, solemn place.
Open it on the map See the spot on the old maps and as it is today
Eesti keeles
Loode-Saaremaal, umbes kilomeetri kaugusel Jauni külast kirdes ja kaugel igast majast, asub metsa ja rabaga ümbritsetud soisel niidul umbes 18-meetrise läbimõõduga ümar allikas. Muinasajal peeti allikat ja selle kõrval asuvat püha niitu, Iieniitu, jumalate elupaigaks. Pärast ristiusu tulekut sai koht halva kuulsuse ja sellest hakati rääkima ebausklikke lugusid. Kõige meeldejäävama järgi vajus kord terve küün allikasse ja seda ei leitud enam kunagi. Usuti ka, et allikas on maa all ühenduses ojaga, mis kaob maa sisse Selgase ja Silla küla lähedal. Arheoloog A. M. Tallgren kirjeldas seda ohvriallikana, ja see on siiani varjatud, pühalik paik.