Tradition / Region: Lithuanian Mythology
Alternative names: Markopols, Marcopets
Category: Gnome
The Myth
The Marcopoli are subterranean earth spirits in Prussian and Lithuanian mythology. They belong to a higher class of underground gnomes and serve Puškaitis, the god of the earth. Living beneath trees and inside the earth, they receive offerings of bread, beer, cheese, butter, and grain, which help them protect the harvest and ensure abundance.
According to one Prussian legend, the Marcopoli dwell in burrows beneath cliffs. They are described as squealing humanoid creatures with snouts like pigs or monkeys, and are said to possess a single evil eye. People were warned never to catch or steal one of their eyes.
Another legend tells that people cursed by the gods became different underground beings. Those whose inner fire was taken away became the wild, hairy Marcopoli, wandering forests and hiding in the earth, while others shrank into the smaller Barzduki, living beneath stones and underground.
Sources
Bestiary.us. (n.d.). Markopoli. In New Bestiary: Encyclopedia of Imaginary Beings. Retrieved June 29, 2026, from https://www.bestiary.us/markopoli