Swiatowid and the Archeological Museum of Krakow

This limestone pillar is an idol called "Swiatowid," and it's a replica a 9th century idol, called the Zbruch idol (because it was found in 1848 in the river Zbruch, an offshoot of the Dniester, in Podolia or Ukraine).  Dr. Ellis took this picture. The original idol is here in Krakow's archeological museum on Poselska Street, between the Rynek and the Wawel.  Some of the students went to there during a Sunday  free afternoon, and others went later on their recommendation.
We always think of Poland as a Christian state, intensely Catholic, and that's historically true, but pagan religions were an important part of Polish, Slavic, and Baltic prehistory. We know about them from the early Christian missionaries (who described them as they were trying to root them out).  

Swiatowid was a god of war and other important things like fertility; his pillar has 4 sides (he can see all directions; pretty smart, especially in wartime).  There are other similar Swiatowid idols throughout Poland. Here's a link to the Museum's website (alas, only in Polish but you can look at the pictures!)