COLOUR AND SYMBOLISM IN DAGHESTAN FOLKLORE LITERATURE AND CARPETS - A FRESH LOOK

Authors

  • Saida Magomedhanovna Garunova The G. Tsadasa Institute of Language, Literature and Art of the Daghestan Scientific Centre of RAS
  • Robert Censiner St. Antony's College, University of Oxford
  • Magomedhan Magomedovic Magomedhanov The Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the Daghestan Scientific Centre of RAS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32653/CH143109-126

Keywords:

colour symbolism, colour associations, folklore, Daghestan, Caucasus, Daghestan textile, Daghe- stan carpet

Abstract

In the present article, we study more issues of color semantics and symbols. Our research is based on the analysis of mainly Daghestani folklore and ethnographic materials and colour characteristics of traditional textiles, including carpets. We examined two methods of gathering evidence about associations of colours in the minds of people. The first is to use some kind of psychological tests. The second is to use ideas incorporated in folklore and folk litera- ture, as handed down through generations of narrators and listeners. During this process, successive narrators have unconsciously filtered the material to ensure its relevance to their audience. This is clearly an indirect meth- od: nobody actually answers the questions from today’s experimenter, so any colour associations must be inferred from the context. Colours in oral tradition were considered, not in isolation, but rather in contrasting pairs or in sequences. It was found that a specific colour could have different associations in different conditions, and that generally the associations were more abstract than concrete. In surviving woolen rugs and felts and silk embroideries, colours appear to be linked with availability of dyes or decorative preferences rather than symbolism.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

  • Saida Magomedhanovna Garunova, The G. Tsadasa Institute of Language, Literature and Art of the Daghestan Scientific Centre of RAS
  • Robert Censiner, St. Antony's College, University of Oxford
  • Magomedhan Magomedovic Magomedhanov, The Institute of History, Archaeology and Ethnography of the Daghestan Scientific Centre of RAS

References

Hunt D., Chenciner R. Colour symbolism in the folk literature and textile tradition of the Caucasus.Optics and Laser Technology (OLT). Volume 38, Issues 4-6, (June-September 2006): 458-465.

Goethe IV The doctrine of color. Theory of knowledge. Trans. from German. Ed. 3rd. Moscow: Librocom, 2012: 200. Russian publication.(In Russ).

Leґvi-Strauss C. Structure of Anthropology, trans. by Claire Jacobson and Brooke Grundfest Schoepf, New York: Basic Books, 1963: 410.

Levi-Strauss С. Structural anthropology / Trans. from French by Vyach. V. Ivanov. Moscow: EKSMO-Press, 2001: 512. (In Russ)

Rudenko V.E. Color - emotions -personality InDiagnosis of mental states in the norm and pathology. L., 1980: 107-115. (In Russ).

Mironova L.N. Color science. Minsk, 1984: 286.(In Russ).

Frumkina R.M. Color, meaning, similarity. Moscow: Nauka, 1984: 175. (In Russ).

Samarina L.V. Traditional Ethical Culture and Color (Main Directions and Problems of Foreign Studies) In Ethnographic Review. Moscow, 1992. N 2: 147-156. (In Russ).

Kerlot H.E. Dictionary of symbols. M.: REFL-book, 1994: 608.

Girz K.G. Interpretation of cultures / Trans. from English. Moscow: "The Russian Political Encyclopedia" (ROSSPEN), 2004: 560.(In Russ).

Bazyma B.A. Psychology of color: Theory and practice. Moscow: Rech, 2005: 112. (In Russ).

Serov N.V. Symbolism of color. St. Petersburg: Strata, 2015: 201. (In Russ).

Uslar P. K. Something about the verbal art of the mountaineers In Collection of data about the Caucasian mountaineers. Issue. I. Tiflis, 1868. Part VI: 1-70. (In Russ).

Collection of the folklore data of the peoples of Daghestan: in 20 volumes / ed. prof. M.I. Magomedov. M.: Nauka, 2013. Volume 3. Domestic Tales [invent. F.A. Aliyeva; ed. A.M. Adzhiev] - 2013: 566. (In Russ).

Collection of the folklore data of the peoples of the peoples of Daghestan: in 20 volumes / ed. acad. G.G. Gamzatov. M.: Nauka, 2011. Volume 2. Fairy tales / [invent. A.M. Ganieva; ed. A.M. Adzhiev] - 2011: 651.

Collection of the folklore data of the peoples of the peoples of Daghestan: in 20 volumes / ed. prof. M.I. Magomedov. M.: Nauka, 2012. Volume 4. Mythological prose / [invent. M.R. Khalidova; ed. A.M. Adzhiev] - 2012: 294. (In Russ).

Ortabaeva R.A.-K., Khadzhieva T.M, Kholaev A. Z. Narts. The heroic epic of Balkarians and Karachais. M.: Nauka, 1994: 656. (In Russ).

Virsaladze E.B. Georgian folk myths and legends. Moscow: Nauka 1973. - 367 p. (In Russ).

Ataev D.M. Avar folk tales. M.: Nauka, 1972. - 176 p. (In Russ).

Bgazhba Kh. S. Abkhazian Tales. Sukhumi: Alashara. 1985. - 359 p. (In Russ).

Dolidze N.I. Georgian folk tales. A hundred tales. Ed. by prof. M. Ya. Chikovani. Tbilisi: Merani, 1971: 350. (In Russ).

Malsagova A.O. Tales and legends of the Ingush and the Chechens. Moscow: Nauka, 1983: 384. (In Russ).

Colarusso J. Nart Sagas from the Caucasus: Myths and Legends from the Circassians, Abazins, Abkhaz, and Ubykhs. Princeton, USA: Princeton Univ. Press; 2002: 567.

Byhan A. La civilisation Caucasienne.Paris: Payot, 1936: 259.

Dalgat U.B. The heroic epic of the Chechens and Ingush. Research and texts. M.: Nauka, 1972: 467.(In Russ).

Caucasian folk-tales / selected & translated from the originals by Adolf Dirr; translated into English by Lucy Menzies. London; Toronto: J.M. Dent& Sons Ltd., 1925: 306.

Education and understanding: big history around the World. From big bang to galactic civilizations: a big history anthology. Delhi: Primus books, 2016: 392.

Mythology of the peoples of Daghestan. Ed. by M.R. Khalidova. Makhachkala, 1984: 188.

Likhachev D. The Christening of Russia and the State // The New World, vol. 6, 1988: 249-258.

Badalov F. The Astral Religion of the Lezgins: Cosmogonic and Anthropogonic Views, the Pantheon of Deities. Moscow: Ethno-On lain, 2006: 431.

Seferbekov R.I. Traditional religious beliefs of the Tabasarans (Gods and demons: beliefs related to animals). Makhachkala, 2000: 59.

Dalgat B. The Primitive Religion of the Chechens and Ingush. Moscow: Nauka, 2004: 126.

Tylor E. Primitive Culture. Transl. from English. Moscow: Potitizdat, 1989: 573.

Vovk O. Signs and Symbols in the History of Civilizations. Moscow: Veche, 2005: 384.

Zukhba S. The Typology of the Abkhaz, Not Fairy-Tale Prose. Maikop: Meoti, 1995: 333.

Markgraf O.V. Essay on handicrafts in the North Caucasus with a description of production techniques. Moscow, 1882: 289.

Piralov A.S. A short essay on the handicraft industries of the Caucasus. St. Petersburg, 1913: 128.

Kilchevskaya E.V., Ivanov A.Y. Art crafts of Daghestan. Moscow, 1959: 176.

Debirov P.M. Stone carving in Daghestan. Moscow: Nauka, 1966: 210.

Debirov P.M. Woodcarving in Daghestan. Moscow: Nauka, 1982: 240.

Mammayev M.M. Decorative and applied arts of Daghestan: origins and formation. Makhachkala, 1989: 345.

Magomedov A. J. Traditional art craft of Daghestan (XIX - the beginning of the XX century) / Ed. by D.M. Magomedov. Makhachkala, 1999: 205.

Debirov P.M. The history of the ornament of Daghestan. The emergence and development of the main motives. Moscow: Nauka, 2001: 416.

Musaeva M.K. Traditional material culture of the minority peoples of Western Daghestan (Panoramic Review). Makhachkala, 2003: 128.

Gamzatova P.R. Archaic traditions in folk arts and crafts: To the problem of cultural archetype. M., 2004: 139.

Gadzhalova F.A. Folk embroidery of Daghestan: artistic and stylistic features, historical and cultural influences. Makhachkala, 2005: 132.

Guseinov K.М. The Avar’s carpet weaving (late XIX - early XX century). Makhachkala, 2006: 180.

Debirov P.M. Carpets of Daghestan: traditional and modern art of carpet weaving. Makhachkala, 2006: 82.

Magomedova A.I. Daghestan carpets. Makhachkala, 2009: 78.

Chenciner R., Hunt D., Magomedkhanov M. Dragons, Padlocks and Tamerlane's balls. A material-culture memoir of textiles, art, metals and myths. London, 2013: 128.

Muradov V., Magomedkhanov M.M. Derbent carpet weaving. Baku: Elm, 2016: 246.

Garunova S.M. Derbent carpet weaving in the context of the history of ethnocultures In Bulletin of the Daghestan Scientific Center. №60. Makhachkala, 2016: 38-45.

Chenciner R., Garunova S., Magomedkhanov M. A survey of rugs and textiles with dragons from Azerbaijan and Daghestan InAzerbaijani carpets. Vol. 7. № 24. Baku, 2017: 62-71.

Chesnov Y. The Woman and the Ethics of Life in the Mentality of the Chechens.Soviet Ethnography.Vol. 5, 1994: 34-44.

Pchelina E. Funerary complexes of Sokhta, Urs Dzuar and Ruk in South Ossetia.Proceedings of the South-Ossetia Scientific Research Institute.Vol. 15. Tskhinvali: Knigoizdat, 1968: 131-154.

Cooper James. Encyclopedia of Symbols. Moscow: Zolotoi vek. 1995: 401.

Averintsev S. Water InMyths of the Peoples of the World: Encyclopedia. Vol. 1, ed. by Sergey Tokarev. Moscow: Bolshaya Rossiyskaya Encyclopedia, 1994.

Khalilov Kh. M. Reflection of Pagan Ideas in Rituals and Folklore of the Laks Mythology of the Peoples of Daghestan: Folklore Texts. Ed. by Misai Khalidova, Makhachkala, 1984: 63-81.

Gimbatova M. The Spiritual Culture of the Nogais in the XIX century to the beginning of the XX century. Makhachkala: Epocha, 2005: 187.

Anisimov I. Caucasian Mountain Jews. Ed. by S.I. Weinstein, Moscow: Nauka, 2002: 191.

Chenciner R. Kaitag Textile Art of Daghestan. London: Textile Art Publications; 1994: 298.

Nioradze G. Begraёbnis und Totenkultus bei dem Chewsuren. Stuttgart: Strecker und Schoeder; 1931.

Chenciner R. Madder red. A history of luxury and trade. London: Curzon; 2000: 384.

Downloads

Published

2018-12-15

Issue

Section

Ethnography

How to Cite

1.
Garunova SM, Censiner R, Magomedhanov MM. COLOUR AND SYMBOLISM IN DAGHESTAN FOLKLORE LITERATURE AND CARPETS - A FRESH LOOK. ИАЭК. 2018;14(3):109-126. doi:10.32653/CH143109-126