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«BULLETIN OF THE IRKUTSK STATE UNIVERSITY. GEOARCHAEOLOGY, ETHNOLOGY, AND ANTHROPOLOGY SERIES»
ISSN 2227-2380 (Print)

List of issues > «Geoarchaeology, Ethnology, and Anthropology Series». 2022. Vol 39

Zoomorphic Images of Diseases Among the Turkic-Mongolian Peoples of Siberia

Full text (russian)
Author(s)
M. M. Sodnompilova
Abstract
The study of the causes of a wide range of diseases in the traditional worldview of the Turko-Mongolian peoples revealed a wide range of “culprits” that cause diseases, the nature of which people could not explain. First, these are infectious diseases, mental illnesses, diseases of internal organs and many others. The images of supernatural forces that cause diseases are well known – these are deities and spirits of all spheres of the mythological universe, heavenly bodies, winds, fogs. But, if the images of the “owners” of diseases are well known, then the question of what kind of diseases themselves could have remains unresolved. Information about how people in traditional society representes each specific disease is very scarce. Nevertheless, they exist, and their study is of great interest, since these ideas contribute to the understanding of folk methods of healing, measures that protect against diseases. Thus, the article aims to identify popular ideas about the appearance of diseases, their causes, methods of their treatment and prevention in the traditional culture of the Turko- Mongolian peoples of Siberia. Known information regarding the images of some common diseases shows that they were mainly images of a worm, snake, hairspring. These images arose under the influence of ideas about reptiles and amphibians, as well as parasites, which the population of Siberia suffered everywhere in the 19th century. Attention is drawn to the image of diseases affecting the joints and bones. These diseases were represented by the spirit of a dog killed by a man who took revenge on his killer by gnawing his bones and causing him excruciating pain. This image is most likely inspired by the nature of the painful sensations caused by rheumatism, arthrosis, and other diseases of the musculoskeletal system. In some situations, specific images of diseases justified the methods of healing, for example, the use of ointments prepared from worms. Part of the healing techniques was aimed at expelling the disease from the patient's body, and in this case, they used to mean that frightened the spirit of the disease, or harmed him - fire, poisonous mixtures. At the same time, rational methods of treatment were also used in folk medicine. The use of hot medicinal baths, poultices from medicinal plants in the treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, certainly reflects the positive experience of the population of Siberia, accumulated over many centuries. Rational also seems to be the classification of household products and clothing made from natural materials according to useful and harmful properties.
About the Authors
Sodnompilova Marina Mikhailovna, Doctor of Sciences (History), Leading Researcher, Department of History, Ethnology and Sociology, Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies SB RAS; 6, Sakhyanova st., Ulan-Ude, 670047, Russian Federation, e-mail: sodnompilova@yandex.ru
For citation
Sodnompilova M. M. Zoomorphic Images of Diseases Among the Turkic-Mongolian Peoples of Siberia. Bulletin of the Irkutsk State University. Geoarchaeology, Ethnology, and Anthropology Series. 2022, Vol. 39, pp. 56–64. https://doi.org/10.26516/2227-2380.2022.39.56 (in Russ.)
Keywords
Turkic and Mongolian peoples, traditional worldview, images of diseases, healing techniques.
UDC
391(+130.121)
DOI
https://doi.org/10.26516/2227-2380.2022.39.56
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