AL DEMON IN THE CONTEXT OF CAUCASIAN CONTACT ZONES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32653/CH1941074-1081Keywords:
Keywords, low mythology, demon Al, Armenia, Dagestan, Georgia, Iran, contact zonesAbstract
The cultural landscape of the South and North Caucasus is marked by distinct religious characteristics, exhibiting a shared essence typical of contact zones. Within the religious mosaic of the local population, there is a blend of indigenous and imported, deeply ancient layers. Since at the core of people’s worldview are beliefs connected not only with gods or God but also with all kinds of “lower,” unclean beings that do not have the status of God, mythical creatures called demons and spirits, which interfere in human destinies, lives, living among people and transforming into them. In Armenian scholarly circles, the topic of lower mythology was initially addressed by Manuk Abegyan (1865-1944) in 1899 in his work “Armenian Folk Beliefs.” Grounded in Armenian pre-Christian tradition, he labeled this phenomenon as “lower mythology,” present among all peoples of the world, emphasizing the conservatism of thinking. The similarity of demonological representations among Armenians and neighboring peoples, including identical names with some linguistic nuances, was already observed in the 19th century within Armenian scientific circles. The peoples of the South and North Caucasus are primarily indigenous to the region, and comprehensive demonological studies providing a holistic picture of the region are lacking. Based on the above, this study aims to consolidate various theories of the origin of the demon/demoness “Al” and its functions. It also seeks to understand the pathways through which this character spread to the Caucasus, specifically the North Caucasus. The article employs interdisciplinary methods, drawing on existing literature on the subject, field ethnographic research, and information from Armenian manuscripts at Matenadaran (the Mesrop Mashtots Institute of Ancient Manuscripts). Based on the information provided in the article, it can be asserted that Al is a demon or demoness who harms newborns and women in labor. Additionally, Al has similar names and functions among the peoples of the South and North Caucasus. Considering the fact that there are three theories about the origin of Al - Iranian, Turkic, and Mesopotamian (with most experts inclined to consider Al as the demonization of the Iranian supreme deity Ahura Mazda), it is more likely that Al is either an indigenous character in the South Caucasus and the North Caucasus, or Al migrated to the North Caucasus through Armenian and Georgian substrates.
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