Обряд «Проводов души» у мордвы Поволжья в середине XIX – начале XXI вв.

Abstract

On the basis of field researches, forwarding data of middle XX century made and collected by V.N. Belitser, stored in the archive of Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology Russian Academy of Science, as well as the analysis of published information made by culture researchers, the rites of the Mordvins associated with funerals and existed in the middle of the XIX – beginning of XXI century are examined. It is revealed that the funeral and memorial rites of the ethnic group are a synthesis of pre-Christian beliefs of the Mordvins with Christian ones. The changes that occurred in the funeral ceremonies of the Mordvins after adoption of Christianity, during the years of Soviet regime and over the past decades are described. As a result of the study, it was found that the funeral rites on the 40th day of the Mordvins, the Mokshas and the Erzi were largely identical; the differences were more regional than ethnic.