Ideas about the human body in the traditional Udmurt culture
English
journal number:
Journal’s Subject Headings:
History, ethnography, archeology
About author:
Udmurt Federal Research Center, Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Izhevsk, Russian Federation, tatyana_russkih@mail.ru
ABSTRACT
Introduction: based on the analysis of Udmurt mythology and folklore, the article examines the concepts of the human body and its symbolic semantics. The process of creating a human body by a demiurge is illustrated, the main features inherent in the human body are
highlighted and make it possible to distinguish a healthy body from an unhealthy one, to identify representatives of the other world. In the course of the study, the hierarchical structure of human body parts was determined.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: based on the analysis of Udmurt mythology and folklore, the article examines the concepts of the human body and its symbolic semantics. The process of creating a human body by a demiurge is illustrated, the main features inherent in the human body are
highlighted and make it possible to distinguish a healthy body from an unhealthy one, to identify representatives of the other world. In the course of the study, the hierarchical structure of human body parts was determined.
Objective: to identify the main characteristics and iconic semantics of the human body in the traditional Udmurt culture.
Research materials: field ethnographic materials of the author, collections of Udmurt folklore, phraseological dictionaries, the national corpus of the Udmurt language.
Results and novelty of the research: for the first time, the main characteristics and iconic semantics of the human body in the traditional Udmurt culture are presented on a wide range of folklore and ethnographic material. The key features of the human body are integrity and
proportionality. Violation of the integrity of the body is associated with illness, the effects of otherworldly forces. In Udmurt folk beliefs, it is possible to improve the physical condition of the human body and make it invulnerable through a variety of conspiracies. Only sorcerers
have the ability to change their appearance, but even they cannot change their gender identity. Udmurt folklore demonstrates the coexistence of different bodily ideals. Legends focus on physical strength and advanced intelligence, which are directly related to adaptive abilities. In the legends, the ideal is people whose physical strength and intelligence have secured them a place in the leadership class.
Key words: body, physicality, traditional ideas, Udmurt people, folklore
For citation: Russkikh T. N. Ideas about the human body in the traditional Udmurt culture // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric Studies. 2026; 16 (1/64): 128–138.
Research materials: field ethnographic materials of the author, collections of Udmurt folklore, phraseological dictionaries, the national corpus of the Udmurt language.
Results and novelty of the research: for the first time, the main characteristics and iconic semantics of the human body in the traditional Udmurt culture are presented on a wide range of folklore and ethnographic material. The key features of the human body are integrity and
proportionality. Violation of the integrity of the body is associated with illness, the effects of otherworldly forces. In Udmurt folk beliefs, it is possible to improve the physical condition of the human body and make it invulnerable through a variety of conspiracies. Only sorcerers
have the ability to change their appearance, but even they cannot change their gender identity. Udmurt folklore demonstrates the coexistence of different bodily ideals. Legends focus on physical strength and advanced intelligence, which are directly related to adaptive abilities. In the legends, the ideal is people whose physical strength and intelligence have secured them a place in the leadership class.
Key words: body, physicality, traditional ideas, Udmurt people, folklore
For citation: Russkikh T. N. Ideas about the human body in the traditional Udmurt culture // Vestnik ugrovedenia = Bulletin of Ugric Studies. 2026; 16 (1/64): 128–138.
