Tradition: Romanian Mythology
Alternative Names: Uriaș (singular), Jidovi, Novaci
Category: Giant
The Myth
The Uriași are giants in Romanian folklore, appearing in legends across the country’s historical regions. The term uriaș is the common Romanian word for a giant, while uriași is its plural form. Although these beings share many characteristics, their names and the traditions associated with them vary from one region to another.
In Oltenia, giants are commonly known as Jidovi. According to local legends, they created enormous mounds across the landscape. Some stories portray them as malevolent beings, suggesting that their immense size and power could be dangerous to humans.
In Muntenia, the giants are often called Novaci and are particularly associated with the Southern Carpathians. Their connection with this mountainous region forms part of the wider Romanian tradition of giants whose presence is reflected in local legends and landscape features.
The Uriași encompass several regional traditions rather than a single, uniformly described race of giants. Their different names reflect the diversity of Romanian folklore, in which stories about gigantic beings explain unusual features of the landscape and preserve local beliefs about the ancient inhabitants of the land.
Sources
“Uriaș.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 16, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uria%C8%99