MOUNTAINS AND CAVES IN THE ANDIS’ RITES OF THE SUN AND RAIN MAKING

Authors

  • Z B Ramazanova Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography, Dagestan Scientific Center, RAS
  • M R Seferbekov Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography, Dagestan Scientific Center, RAS

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32653/CH133120-124

Keywords:

orolatry, calendar rites, healing magic, peoples of Dagestan, Andis, traditional culture, everyday Islam

Abstract

Mod and Bakhargan were the most revered mountains for the Andis. According to the authors, the Andis used mountains and caves, as parts of the sacred landscape, on calendar holidays and in the rites of meteorological and healing magic. Thus, rites of the sun and rain making were held here. On the mountain of Bakhargan, there was a spring with healing water. The mountain of Bakhargan was used in the ceremonies of folk medicine: praying for healing, sick people described three circles round the rocks of the sacred mountain in the counterclockwise direction. In the mythology of the Andis, the tops of the mountains were the habitat of the supreme god and mountain angels. The Andis associated mountains with legends, containing the motifs of the biblical legend of the Flood. After converting to Islam, the most revered mountains were turned into places of worship, where the rite of dhikr was conducted and alms were dealt out during the prayers. Many of the rites for changing weather were led by local religious authorities or elders. Besides the use of mountains and caves in the rites of the sun and rain making, the Andis also had other rites of meteorological magic. The most common of them was the rite with a mummer. There were also rites with the use of the skull of a stallion and a snake, probably related to zoolatry. Analysis of orolatry, meteorological and healing magic of the Andis testifies to the syncretism of their spiritual culture. This confusion of traditional beliefs and Muslim religious prescriptions is peculiar to the so-called “everyday Islam”. This syncretism was common to other peoples of Dagestan and the North Caucasus.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Author Biographies

  • Z B Ramazanova, Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography, Dagestan Scientific Center, RAS
  • M R Seferbekov, Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography, Dagestan Scientific Center, RAS

References

Агларов М.А. Языческое святилище на вершине горы Бахарган (К изучению общинных и региональных культов в Дагестане) // Мифология народов Дагестана. Махачкала, 1984. С. 67-71.

Агларов М.А. Из верований народов Западного Дагестана (божество ЦIоб) // Проблемы мифологии и верований народов Дагестана. Махачкала, 1988. С. 36-42.

Агларов М.А. Андийцы: Историко-этнографическое исследование. Махачкала: Юпитер, 2002. - 303 с.

Мусаева М.К. Обряды вызывания дождя и солнца у хваршин // Календарь и календарные обряды у народов Дагестана. Махачкала, 1987.С. 99-105.

Рамазанова З.Б. Обряды вызывания дождя и солнца у лакцев в XIX - начале XX в. // Календарь и календарные обряды народов Дагестана. Махачкала, 1987. С. 82-88.

Сефербеков М.Р. Мифологические и обрядовые функции горы в верованиях народов Дагестана // XI Конгресс антропологов и этнологов России: Сборник материалов. Екатеринбург, 2-5 июля 2015 г. М.: Екатеринбург, 2015. С. 342.

Сефербеков М.Р. Гора как элемент сакрального ландшафта в верованиях и обрядах народов Дагестана // Материалы международной научно-практической конференции «Проблемы сохранения черкесского фольклора, культуры и языка», посвященной памяти М. И. Мижаева (пос. Нижний Архыз, 26-28 ноября 2014 г.) / Сост. М. М. Паштова. Майкоп: ИП Паштов З.В., 2015. С. 214-218.

Сефербеков М.Р. Культ пещер в «народном исламе» табасаранцев // Лавровский сборник. Материалы XXXVIII и XXXIX Среднеазиатско-Кавказских чтений 2014-2015 гг. Этнология, история, археология, культурология. СПб.: МАЭ РАН, 2015. С. 375-377.

Seferbekov M.R. Notes on Mountain Cults in Dagestan // Iran and the Caucasus. Leiden: Boston: BRILL, 2016. № 20. P. 215-218.

Сефербеков Р.И. Синкретизм мифологического и исламского в религиозных верованиях андийцев // Исламоведение. Махачкала, 2013. № 3. С. 75-84.

Downloads

Published

2017-09-15

Issue

Section

Articles

How to Cite

1.
Ramazanova ZB, Seferbekov MR. MOUNTAINS AND CAVES IN THE ANDIS’ RITES OF THE SUN AND RAIN MAKING. ИАЭК. 2017;13(3):120-124. doi:10.32653/CH133120-124