Mythological Beliefs Research Articles

Силезский Демонический Топос В Номинативной Специфике. Топография . = The Silesian Demonic Topos In The Nomination Perspective. The Topography

The aim of this paper is to determine the conceptual system of the Silesian mythological beliefs that is reflected in the names of demonic figures. These names are not only typical for the region of Silesia but they often refer to other parts of Poland (close or further to/from Silesia). The paper deals with the names of the figures and with their meanings. These meanings are the starting point to determine the features which are helpful for describing figures (and the set of their characteristic features) and for the presentation of the whole conceptual system. The fundamental elements of this system are the four basic categories – spatial locations, outward appearance, functional features (typical actions and roles) and harmfulness/harmlessness to a man. All the features of the demonic figures are presented here according to the levels being the manifestations and projections of these four basic categories.

Ngytarma and Ngamteru: Concepts of the Dead and (Non)Interactions with Them in Northern Siberia

This article examines some features of the mythological beliefs and funeral rites of Siberia’s two related Uralic peoples—the Nenets and the Nganasans. The afterlife fate in the mythology of Nenets and Nganasans is similar—the souls of the dead go to the Lower World, where they continue to live as they lived on Earth. However, the two cultures’ attitudes towards the dead have intriguing differences. A comparison of Nenets and Nganasan beliefs and rituals reveals significant correspondences between the ideas about the benevolence of the dead (the Nenets) or their harmfulness (the Nganasans), on the one hand, and the presence of the practices of substitutional incarnation (images of the dead) (the Nenets) or the absence of such images (the Nganasans) on the other. The differences between the Nenets and the Nganasans, as I suggest, are due to the origin and history of the peoples: the Nenets’ customs reflect the traditions of the Uralic tribes who came to the far north from Southern Siberia in ancient times. At the same time, the Nganasans’ ideas are probably rooted in typical concepts of the Palaeo-Siberian population assimilated by the Uralic tribes.

The Xenology of the Powder Keg of Europe: the Reflection of the Peculiarities of the Friend Oo Foe Dichotomy intThe Balkan Model of the World in the Xenopejorative Vocabulary of the Languages of The Balkan Sprachbund. Articulation of Issue

This article discusses the reflection of the features of the “friend or foe” dichotomy in the Balkan model of the world in the xenologic pejorative vocabulary of the Balkan sprachbund languages: Albanian, Aromanian, Bulgarian, Modern Greek, Macedonian, Romanian and Serbo-Croatian. The author gives a brief review of the historical, cultural and geopolitical specifics of the Balkan-Carpathian region, which influenced the local peoples’ ideas about strangers; some traditional mythological beliefs of the Balkan peoples related to the conceptual field of otherness are also presented. Based on the analysis of the internal history of the word, an attempt is made to define the main models for constructing derogatory names for strangers in order to compare the data for various Balkan languages and, to the extent possible, build an integral image of the concept of alien in the Balkan conceptual worldview. According to the results of the study, the xenopejorative vocabulary of languages of the Balkan sprachbund shows significant similarities both in terms of form and content. Pejoratives with undifferentiated evaluativity predominate, which could account for the richness of the Balkan derivational morphology and a large number of lexical borrowings in each of the languages; pejoratives with an indication of appearance, features of language and peculiarities of behaviour are also widely represented; however, the first are referentially limited, while the second and the third are universal, from which it is concluded that the prototypical Balkan alien is someone who speaks differently and behaves different-y. At the same time, the most common target for pejorative vocabulary in the Balkan languages among all strangers is the Romani people, which is due both to a number of stereotypical ideas about the physical and behavioural features of this ethnic group, and to the historical isolation caused by the nomadic way of life and the closedness of the Romani community from outsiders.

The History and Future of Ceramic Sculpture: From Ancient Clay Figures to Modern 3D Printing

This research aims to examine the history and future of ceramic sculpture, evaluating the development of this significant art form. It observes the role and evolving face of ceramic sculpture art from ancient times to the present, discussing its potential in the future. In ancient times, people used ceramic sculptures to express their religious and mythological beliefs. Civilizations such as Ancient Egypt, Ancient Greece, and the Roman Empire reflected their beliefs and cultures through ceramic sculptures. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods, artisans produced ceramic sculptures to enhance the aesthetic and religious aspects of churches' interior decoration. The sculptures from these periods stood out for their traditional craftsmanship and handmade techniques. With the onset of the modern era, technological advancements have fundamentally transformed ceramic sculpture art. Artists have observed diversity and change in the artistic expressions of ceramic sculptures as they address societal, political, and environmental issues, creating new and contemporary works. The relationship between ceramic art and technology has continued to grow, especially with the recent advancements in 3D printing technology, which provide artists with greater creative freedom and allow for the creation of more complex forms and details in sculptures. While ceramic sculpture art remains an essential part of our cultural heritage, artists will continue to shape the thoughts and societal consciousness of people through ceramic sculptures in the future. As a form of art that has evolved throughout history, ceramic sculpture art will persist in representing the creativity and freedom of expression of artists, enhancing the artistic experiences of individuals with the conveniences brought about by technology.

Миромоделирующие природные образы в нанайском фольклоре

Regional folklore texts contain cultural and ethnic meanings, the interpretation of which reveals the perception of the surrounding world by the population of this or that locus, their religious and mythological beliefs and national spiritual values. This paper studies the images of the river and taiga presented in the folklore of the Nanai people, one of the indigenous peoples of the Amur region. These natural images are world-modeling, as they construct the world picture of the autochthonous population of the region. The analysis demonstrates the ambivalent feelings of the Nanai toward the Amur River and the taiga surrounding their camp, which are both natural treasures and formidable destructive forces. The main river of the region and the taiga are anthropomorphic in the indigenous population’s perception. The world-modeling function of natural images is also manifested in the Nanai people’s recognition of the role of ancestor for the inhabitants of these landscape phenomena of the Far East.

Теонимическая лексика осетинского языка

The study aims to identify the semantics of theonyms, both in mythological texts and in everyday speech of the Ossetian language. The study is novel in that it is the first to analyse the use of the terms reflecting the names of sacred characters of the celestial sphere in speech structure. As a result of the study, three layers of the formation of mythological vocabulary in the Ossetian language under the influence of the ancient Iranian, Christian and Caucasian religious and mythological systems were identified. Certain aspects of mythology have already become the object of research, but theonyms as a part of the mythological vocabulary of the Ossetian language are being considered as a precedent phenomenon for the first time. The paper analyzes theonymic vocabulary to showcase the use of the terms reflecting the names of sacred characters of the upper world in speech structure and identifies the semantics of theonyms, both in mythological beliefs and in everyday speech of the Ossetian language. The study found that theonymic terms and their semantics often possess deep symbolic and metaphorical meanings that are difficult to convey in other languages or cultures.

African Vernacular Symbols of Black Intersex Children in Sinethemba Ngubane's Installations (2007-2016)

African Vernacular Symbols of Black Intersex Children in Sinethemba Ngubane's Installations (2007-2016)

Birthing ceremony: worldview and mythological beliefs of the Russian people.

Birthing ceremony: worldview and mythological beliefs of the Russian people.

MYTHIC PLOT IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF A NOVEL COMPOSITION

This article shows that the artistic structure of the work in modern Uzbek novels is built on the basis of an ancient myth (for example, the ancient myth about the "tree of life" in the novel "Chinar" by Asqad Mukhtar), the mythological plot serves as a criterion for describing the mental state of the hero (for example, in the novel "Mahmud Torabi" by Asad Dilmurod The myth of Ulgan and Erlik), the construction of the interpretation of time and space on the basis of a mythopoetic model (for example, the novels of Amon Mukhtar), the absorption of the essence of the mythological image into the character of the hero (for example, the novel "Shokh" by Shoyim Botaev) is about the meeting of different types of mythology. Images related to mythopoetic thinking in modern Uzbek novels include the introduction of the ethnopoetic context related to archaic ceremonies, paintings and rituals that express the ancient mythological beliefs of our ancestors, stylization of myth plots and motives, images related to totemistic, animistic and magical beliefs and It consists in researching such forms as the poetic transformation of symbols and ethnic mythology, that is, the use of myth plots and mythologemes related to the poetic thinking of other peoples and peoples.

Mystical and mythological believes not only limited to psychiatric diseases? A dynamic overview of medicine.

The concept of supernatural forces has always been part of medicine and allied science. These beliefs play a pivotal role in the patient-healthcare bond and disease awareness. Traditionally it was believed that psychiatric illnesses are mostly linked with mythologies and paranormal beings since most mental diseases appear to be lunatic and have no rational ground. Paradoxical to this conventional belief we discovered that mythological beliefs have penetrated all fields of medicine. Porphyria, hepatomegaly presenting with photosensitivity, are associated with "vampirism." Similarly, holoprosencephaly, a congenital anomaly presenting facial deformity is thought to be cyclops folktales. Epilepsy though is simply a neurologic illness believed to be "demonic possession." Patients of pellagra, a deficiency of vitamin B3 are thought to be werewolves. Thus, we found the presence of mythological association in all types of illnesses. We expect our healthcare infrastructure to not limit their management to counseling patients suffering from psychiatric illnesses only.

СРАВНИТЕЛЬНО-ИСТОРИЧЕСКОЕ ИЗУЧЕНИЕ ОБРАЗА ЗМЕИ КАК ПОКРОВИТЕЛЬНИЦЫ ПЛОДОРОДИЯ У БАШКИР

N the mythological and ritual representations of the Bashkirs, the snake acts as a sacred frst ancestor that can have a benefcial effect on the appearance of offspring in people. Moreover, the Bashkirs admitted the idea that snakes can have a positive impact on the process of normal intrauterine development of the fetus and on the successful resolution of a woman in labor from the burden. In the oral literature and everyday rituals of a number of peoples, like the Bashkirs, snakes have the talent to restore not only the natural potency of women, but also to revive the sexual sexual capacity of men. In the customs and rituals of the Bashkirs, the snake, as the patroness of fertility, also has the prerogative of stimulating the productivity of livestock and the fruitfulness of cultivated plants. Similar motifs about the snake as the patroness of fertility are found in the religious and mythological beliefs of various peoples of the world and have deep historical roots.

SACRED GROVES: A NOVICE IDEA FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION

The daily anthropogenic advancements of humans have led to an increase in global carbon emissions. Every year, there has been an increase in the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide. One of the least expensive ways to minimize this gas is by biological carbon sequestration in plants. Ecosystems of forests are the most significant carbon sinks among terrestrial ecosystems and have long-term sustainable impacts on limiting climate change. Sacred groves are less disturbed due to religious and mythological beliefs. It can serve as a model for effective carbon sequestration. Sacred groves are known as the small patches of conserved forests protected by man’s spiritual beliefs and cultural practices. These sacred forest patches were studied from the ecological, environmental and floristic points of view by several research workers. Due to their religious and mythological myths and beliefs, sacred groves and sacred plants are conserved well. Apart from being conserved, these sacred plants can also have a higher potential for carbon sequestration. Using a non-destructive method, the total biomass and carbon stored in the sacred tree species have been calculated. The main focus of the current article is on estimating the carbon sequestration of sacred tree species in sacred groves found in selected areas Abdasa Taluka of Kachchh District. Total 51 sacred groves were recorded from 33 villages which cover approximately 23.64 hectares of land area. Carbon sequestration of 537 individuals of 23 tree species was estimated through the standard method. Ficus benghalensis L.is dominated in carbon i.e., 7.36 tones followed by Tamarindus indica L. (5.77 tones), Ficus religiosa L. (5.22 tones), Delonix regia (Boj.) Raf (3.02 tones). Lowest carbon sequestration was recorded in Prosopsis cineraria (L.) Druce, Balanites aegyptiaca (L.) Delile, Azadirachta indica A. Juss., Butea monosperma (Lam.) Taub and Punica granetum L. less than 1 tons respectively.

Na Jurija, do Llia, po Dmytry. Chrononimy motywowane nazwami osobowymi w ukraińskim kalendarzu ludowym (na przykładzie gwar ukraińskich południowego Podlasia)

The article contains an analysis of chrononyms motivated by the names of three Christian saints (George, Demetrius, and Elijah) in the Ukrainian dialects of southern Podlasie. The mechanism of the formation of this type of chrononyms was described. Practices, beliefs and norms related to these holidays were characterized. The folk calendar is presented from the perspective of the fusion of Christian elements and pre-Christian mythological beliefs (agrarian and breeding practices, beliefs, rituals).

The Xenology of the Powder Keg of Europe: the Reflection of the Peculiarities of Own — Alien Dichotomy in the Balkan Model of the World in the Xenopejorative Vocabulary of the Languages of the Balkan Sprachbund — Articulation of Issue

The article discusses the reflection of the features of the own — alien dichotomy in the Balkan model of the world in the xenologic pejorative vocabulary of the Balkan sprachbund languages: Albanian, Aromanian, Bulgarian, Modern Greek, Macedonian, Romanian and Serbo-Croatian. The author gives a brief review of the historical, cultural and geopolitical specifics of the Balkan-Carpathian region, which influenced the local peoples’ ideas about strangers; some traditional mythological beliefs of the Balkanians related to the conceptual field of otherness are also presented. Based on the analysis of the internal history of the word, an attempt is made to define the main models for constructing derogatory names for strangers in order to compare the data for various Balkan languages and, to the extent possible, build an integral image of the concept of alien in the Balkan conceptual worldview. According to the results of the study, the xenopejorative vocabulary of languages of the Balkan sprachbund shows significant similarities both in terms of form and content. Pejoratives with undifferentiated evaluativity absolutely predominate, which could account for the richness of the Balkan derivational morphology and a large number of lexical borrowings in each of the languages; pejoratives with an indication of appearance, features of language and peculiarities of behavior are also widely represented, however, the first are referentially limited, while the second and the third are universal, from which it is concluded that the prototypical Balkan alien is someone who speaks differently and behaves differently. At the same time, the most common target for pejorative vocabulary in the Balkan languages among all strangers is Roma people, which is bound both to a number of stereotyped ideas about the physical and behavioral distinctive features of this ethnic group, and to the historical isolation caused by the nomadic way of life and the closedness of the Roma community from outsiders.

“Notes of a Zamoskvorechye resident” as a prologue to the “Zamoskvorechye text” of A.N. Ostrovsky’s plays

The article discusses the features of the chronotope in “Notes of a Zamoskvorechye resident”. It is noted that the basis of the “Zamoskvorechye text” is the antinomian perception of space, the archetypal opposition of “one's own — another’s” and the mythological beliefs arising from the location beyond the Moscow River that Zamoskvorechye is another world and that crossing the river is a symbol of marriage. The features revealed in the early work are traced in further work of Ostrovsky, namely in the trilogy about Balzaminov and the plays “Hard days” and “Abyss”.

Rocks in the Religious Beliefs and Rites of the Ob Ugrians

This study, based on materials collected in the 18th–20th centuries, and on the author’s field findings over the last 40 years, shows the role of rocks in the Ob Ugrian worldview and ritual practices. Evidence is provided on the veneration of various natural stone objects. Reasons for the cult of worshipping such places are discussed. One reason was that the rock resembled a human or animal figure. In legends and myths, the stone houses of heroic ancestors were correlated with numerous caves in the Ural Mountains. The main part of the article introduces materials relating to the stone figures of deities and patron spirits, supported by mythical narratives explaining the ways that a mythological hero was changed into stone. Examples are given of the figures of deities with a stone base found among local groups of the Ob Ugrians, such as the Lyapin and Sosva Mansi, Synya and Polui Khanty. The role of rocks in childbirth and funerary rites is examined, as well as their role in economic practices such as fishing. In Khanty and Mansi mythological beliefs, the modifier «stony» was equivalent to «iron» or «strong».

A Mythological Criticism of Manaqib al-Arefi Based on the Theory of Mircea Eliade

Manaqib al-Arefin, authored by Shams al-Din Ahmad Aflaki, describes the life of Mawlawi family and the elders of Mawlawiyya Order. In this book, Aflaki portrayed mythological and surreal characters of the predecessors and contemporaries. Many mystical issues of Manaqib al-Arefin are consistent with mythological concepts; and mythological beliefs play a role in the formation of the contents of this mystical biography. This research has raised the question of which components of mystical themes of Manaqib al-Arefin are proportional to the mythological themes of Eliade. In this paper, Manaqib al-Arefin has been analyzed using a descriptive-analytical method and a mythological approach based on Eliade’s perspective to explain the extent of conformity between mysticism and myth. The results show that in this work, the hero has already been designated as a savior according to the archetypes. In Mawlawi’s life cycle, one can clearly see the stages of purification, renewal of life and manifestation; he performs the ritual of holy washing before entering his subconscious domain and prepares himself to join the assembly of holiness, and on his inner journey, he transcends the human requirements and attains the witnessing of God Exalted, the angels, prophets, and spirits. Moreover, in Manaqib al-Arefin, the roof of school and the bath pool are exemplary types of the center of the world where the earthly world and spiritual world join.

FLAG AND SANZHAK ĠN SELJUK

Flags have had great importance for the states and other flag-owning institutions and establishments. Flags had significant meanings in the ancient times in which symbols were especially carried great significance. Flags represented the states and the rulers legitimated their rule by their flags. Turks, since their emergence in history, have cared to use flags because of the influence of either the mythological beliefs they had or states they had a relation with. Before their adoption of Islam, Turks used flags in accordance with their old beliefs. After adopting Islam, they started to use Islamic symbols in their flags. Seljuks had a similar attitude and used flags with Islamic motifs. In the initial periods of their rule, they used symbols from their pre-statehood past but after their recognition by the Abbasid, they used symbols in their flags indicating this state of recognition.

УЯВЛЕННЯ ПРО ДОЛЮ В ТРАДИЦІЙНІЙ КУЛЬТУРІ УКРАЇНЦІВ

Understanding the concept of «fate» for representatives of traditional Ukrainian society had several options. For the average person, this word can mean the course of events, coincidences, the direction of life, which are completely independent of the desires and will of a man. The article considers aspects of the semantic meaning of the concept of destiny for Ukrainians in the linguistic and mythological aspect. This topic cannot be considered fully disclosed in the scientific literature. Studies on this phenomenon are often descriptive works, containing accumulations of rich folklore material, mainly in the form of fairy tales and songs. Theoretical elaboration of folklore materials, which creates a full picture of a variety of meanings, that give them a phenomenon, we can meet quite rarely. The article is based on the analysis of folklore material in the form of fairy tales, lyrics and paremias, collected in different times: from the end of the XIX century up to the beginning of the XXI century, and, as well, at the works of individual ethnographers, where fate is described as a strong part of a construct of mythological beliefs. In the course of the research, the authors find out that the idea of destiny has various factors of formation. Perceptions of destiny as a structural part of the traditional worldview are binary in nature, expressed in a clear distinction between «good» and «bad» in this area, but the word itself does not have a clear negative or positive meaning. Meanings often depend on circumstances and epithets, provided in a given situation. The ideas about the peculiarities of the formation of human destiny and the factors that were perceived as able to influence it are considered. The ambivalent attitude of the people to the immutability of human destiny is traced. In folklore we can find many examples of how fate can be changed. Researchers have paid special attention to the characteristics of destiny as a character that brings it closer and combines it, in a sense, with other mythological creatures, such as Friday, ancestral spirits, house spirit «domovyk» and relative to it «hodovanets». In conclusion, the authors made an attempt to systematize the available data and to create a definition of the concept of «fate», which would reflect a generalized version of the ideas that existed in Ukrainian society. There are two definitions, according to such aspects as mythological meaning and everyday language use.

«Змея-целительница» в мифоритуальной традиции башкир

In the oral tradition and everyday rituals of the Bashkirs, the snake, as the first ancestor and patroness, acts as a healer of people. In Bashkir folklore, beneficent snakes resurrect heroes cut into pieces, restore their sight and give advice on how to revive a person. The Bashkirs believed that at home, yards where snakes live, diseases are bypassed. In the mystical views and magical practice of the Bashkirs, healing properties were attributed to individual parts of the snake body. So, the Bashkirs, when abscesses appeared under the nails, applied a snake crawl to the sore spot. Snake skin was also used for eye diseases, and also as a wet poultice for joint pain and swelling. Stewed meat of a black snake was used for damage to vision. In Bashkir folklore, plots of the use of the ashes of a burnt snake for medicinal purposes are recorded. Snakes resorted to help not only in case of illness of people, but also in case of illness of livestock. The snake, having the gift of healing ailments, can at the same time endow people with these abilities. According to the prejudices of the Bashkirs, the hands of a person who found a snake crawled out were recognized as healing. Similar ideas about the «healer snake» are in the religious and mythological beliefs of the most diverse peoples of the world