Studia mythologica Slavica

Vitomir Belaj

Andrej Pleterski — 2024-08-13

On the Occasion of the 90th Anniversary of Dr Emily Lyle

Mirjam Mencej — 2024-08-13

School of N.I. Tolstoy and Studies of Slavic Folklore in Ukraine – Directions, Themes, Methods

Oksana Mykytenko — 2024-08-13

The Cult of Saints (Awliya) and Pilgrims in Social Networks (Based on the Materials of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia)

Ainur Tuzbekov — 2024-08-13

The article analyses the practice of pilgrimages to the graves of awliya (Islamic saints) in the Republic of Bashkortostan. The authors propose that pilgrims should be studied as a distinct socio-cultural group using the methods of online research. In the course of the research, digital netnography methods were applied by scientists to study the internet group “Sufi RB”, created and moderated by the followers of the Naqshbandiyya Haqqani Tariqah. The results of the study of pilgrims as a socio-cultural group using digital netnography methods, supplemented with the results of field surveys, indicate that this approach is effective and provide a basis for its use in scientific research.

Political Archaeology. Deconstructing the Political Exploitation of Myths in Iraq (1958–2003)

Goodarz Haddadi Nasab — 2024-08-13

The Middle East is widely recognised as one of the most influential regions in the world, primarily due to its rich cultural diversity encompassing linguistic, ethnic and religious variations. However, despite the potential significance of myths in shaping national identity and political developments, limited research has been conducted in this area. This study aimed to explore the role of myths in the political governance of Iraq during the period from 1958 to 2003, a challenging era within the Middle East. Considering Iraq’s ancient history, this research sought to elucidate the ideological perspectives of the rulers during the republican era, as well as the factors influencing their selection of specific myths for political purposes. It is worth noting that this study can contribute to enhancing awareness in future investigations on the role of myths in political governance across other regions within the Middle East.

Those Infinite, Multiform Stories without Fixity: Myth and History, a Very Long Engagement

Gergor Pobežin — 2024-08-13

This paper deals with the problematic relationship between ancient historiography and mythology, or mythological stories as historical sources for historical research. Although Greek historiography had, in a sense, already been confronted with the problem of mythological intrusions into the substance of methodologically well-developed historical procedures (as early as the 5th century BC), Roman historiography continued for a long time to critically investigate and purify the stories of the foundation myths. This paper presents a detailed analysis of some methodologically relevant passages that reveal the attitudes of individual Greek and Roman historiographers towards myth as a (non-)source. At the same time, it questions the attitude of (early) Roman historiography towards myth by examining the philosophical treatise of the 2nd/3rd century philosopher Sextus Empiricus.

Supernatural Being škrat among Slovenes Living in Natisone Valley and Torre Valley: Mythologization of Souls of the “Impure” Deads in the Folklore and Believes of the Italian-Slovenian Borderland

Marija V. Jasinskaja — 2024-08-13

The article analyzes the mythological concepts of škrati (gnomes) among the Slovenes of the Natisone and Torre Valleys in Italy, against the backdrop of representations of these supernatural beings in Slovenia, as well as among their Romance neighbors – the Italians and Friulians. A characteristic local feature of škrati in Slavia Friulana is their origin from the souls of infants who died before baptism. This feature determines both the functions and the habitats of these characters, as well as the plots of mythological stories about them. The connection of škrati with the unclean dead is reinforced by beliefs about their association with weather phenomena. On the phraseological level (in both literary language and dialects), škrati are associated with unruly, mischievous children.

Verbal Bonds in the Slovenian Folklore System: A Semiotic Outline of the Genre Framework

Rok Mrvič — 2024-08-13

The article addresses the folkloristic genre framework, serving a detailed description of the cultural-linguistic practice of verbal bonds in the Slovenian folklore system, based on the selection of archival sources, published studies, and field research data. The formation of a genre model for the purpose of interpreting archival material and achieving a more precise and in-depth understanding of contemporary fieldwork material is presented through three groups of materials. The first group consists of examples of legal oath forms from the mid-18th century, the second group comprises short folklore forms of curses and verbal bonds from the late 19th century, and the third group consists of various contemporary short folklore forms collected in the 21st century. Each group of materials can be defined by common semantic-pragmatic categories of a general semiotic model of verbal bonds, opening new perspectives and starting points for further folkloristic examination of this short folklore genre. Texts and cases of verbal bonds in Slovenian have not been systematically addressed so far, despite their strong presence in Slovenian folklore material, demonstrating long continuity and diverse functionality.

To See and to Respect: On the Relations between Humans, Supernatural Beings and the Landscape in Northeast Iceland

Ana Svetel — 2024-08-13

This article explores selected aspects of relationships between humans, supernatural beings and the landscape in Northeast Iceland. The landscape is understood as a changeable and dynamic dimension, encompassing all the continuously emerging processes of the terrain, vegetation, land, water, gases and atmospheric phenomena. In local perceptions, both humans, with their social practices and meaning-making, and non-humans – in our case especially supernatural beings – are integrated into this dynamic landscape. Belief traditions and interactions with the supernatural have an influence on agricultural and everyday practices, as well as on the social relationships within the community. Moreover, they are always situated in a specific environment. This intertwining of visible and invisible, material and immaterial elements and actors brings forth the question of respect, through which we can think the complex relationality between humans, non-humans and the landscape.

From Drought to Deity: Borrowing Freshwater Worship in Third Millennium BCE Shahdad

Fariba Mosapour Negari — 2024-08-13

Despite its severe climate, Shahdad, an ancient civilisation on the edge of the Lut Desert, thrived in the third millennium BCE. This article examines the worship of Enki, the Mesopotamian god of fresh water, in this area. An abundance of archaeological data found at Shahdad suggests that there were contacts with Mesopotamia in the third millennium BCE. This may be related to Shahdad’s adoration of a water and fertility deity because it involves the presence of expert stoneworkers versed in Mesopotamian temple construction methods, the iconography of a water deity on the city seal and flag, and unique stone building elements. Although there is evidence of Mesopotamian influence in the freshwater deity worshipped in Shahdad, it is more likely that this interaction contributed to the emergence of a distinct freshwater deity. Archaeological excavations have unearthed unique artefacts that lend credence to this theory. These include pottery depicting water conservation practices, stone objects used in water rituals, and clay statues portraying figures praying for water.

In Search of Treasure in Šalek: Creating Local Identity through Narrative Ostension

Ambrož Kvartič — 2024-08-13

People transform concrete real-life events into narratives, but the reverse is also true; folklore and narratives in general can also provoke a creative or active response in people and significantly shape their worldview and way of life. The cases in which this happens (through processes of narrative ostension) are also of interest to folklorists, as they provide crucial contextual information about how (folk) narratives function, spread and acquire meaning. Stories about hidden or buried treasure are among the most important narratives that provoke such ostensive (re)actions. People who live with them sometimes venture out into the symbolically significant but very real elements of local space (e.g. castles) and actively search for the treasure mentioned in a legend. Such is the case of Šalek Castle (in Velenje), where local folklore about buried treasure has prompted several generations of locals to head up to the castle and start digging.

Pagan Customs of the Veleti According to Notker Labeo

Oleg Vladislavovich Kutarev — 2024-08-13

The article studies a literary fragment written by Notker Labeo around 1000 in Old High German, which mentions a strange cannibalistic custom of the Slavs. This fragment had almost been forgotten by scholars of pre-Christian Slavic culture. It is a commentary on Notker’s translation of De nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii by Martianus Capella, which was considerably influenced by a certain literary tradition. The paper looks into Notker’s sources, his influences and the trustworthiness of his evidence.

José Manuel Losada, Mitocrítica cultural: Una definición del mito

José Manuel Correoso-Rodenas — 2024-08-13