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Memories of A.C. Benkendorf about the 1802 trip to the mouth of the Ob River as ethnographic source

The article presents the analysis of the ethnographic information found in the notes of A.C. Benkendorf on his journey from Tobolsk to Obdorsk in summer 1802; the data have been compared with published materials close in chronology and subject. We have revealed the circumstances of the acquiring of ethnographic information and its content, and assessed its reliability and degree of uniqueness. The attribution of a number of drawings related to the North Ob River areas, made by Benkendorf's companion — artist E.M. Korneev — presented a particular task of the study. As a result, the events of the trip, location and ethnicity of people depicted in the drawings have been clarified. The research has shown that the information gathered by Benkendorf certainly contributes to the existing corpus of published sources on the ethnography of the northern communities of Western Siberia. The notes are small in volume, fragmentary, and have inaccuracies, but they contain vivid observations and author's spontaneity; importantly, it was possible to correlate them with specific territories of the Ob region and local ethnic groups. It was found that the ethnographic information collected by the participants of the 1802 trip relates not only to the Ob Khanty and Obdorsk Nenets populations, but also, possibly, to the Berezov Mansi. A significant advantage of the notes is that they were corroborated and supplemented by E.M. Korneev’s drawings.

Keywords: ethnography of Western Siberia, Ob Ugrians, Nenets, Prince Taishin, artist E.M. Korneev.

Family composition of the local dialectic groups of Mansi and Middle Ob River Selkups: an experience of comparative analysis

This article presents the results of comparative analysis of the family compositions of several local groups of Mansi and Selkups. On the one hand, lists of surnames of northern (Lyapinsk-Sosvinsky), southern (Tavdinsky), western (Pelymsk-Lozvinsky), and eastern (Kondinsky) Mansi have been identified; on the other hand, surnames of Selkups of the central (Tymsk-Vasyugansk-Parabelsk-Narymsky Chumylkups) and southern dialectic areas have been included in the analytical review (Ket and Ob (Sondor) syussykums, Ob shoeshkups, Chaya syussykojgula). Primarily, it has been revealed that, in general, the Mansiysk pool of surnames is noticeably more extensive in quantitaty than the Selkup one. Furthermore, both the Mansi and the Selkups have their own specific set of surnames in each local group or dialect area; familial intersections between the groups within the same ethnic group are insignificant. Yet, the comparative study has revealed that there are some intersections in the family composition of these ethnic groups: the Lyapin-Sosva group of Mansi and the “farthest” southern Selkups. In addition, several surnames of the Kondinsky Mansi and of the Selkups who lived along the Ob River between the Keta, Chaya, and Chulym estuaries appear to be phonetically very close.

Keywords: Mansi, Selkups, local groups, family composition, areal-genetic relationships.

Kostomarov V.M., Turov S.V., Krestyannikov K.Yu.

Traditional hydraulic engineering in the context of landscape-spatial interconnections in Western Siberia (17^th — early 20^th century)

The article presents the results of analysis of the use of hydrological resources through the construction of special structures known in the literature as watermills. The aim of this research is to examine the utilisation by the Russian population of the Trans-Urals of watermills in their economy. It has been hypothesized that the watermills were not only structures for processing grain, but also hydraulic engineering facilities. The research methods included landscape analysis based on a digital elevation model, reconstruction of catchment areas at the watermill locations, and the survey of regulatory and administrative documents evidencing the mutual influence of landscape systems and hydraulic structures. The landscape analysis in GIS and the analysis of historical sources confirmed the hypothesis. Patterns were identified that demonstrate the profound expertise of the Russian population in Siberia in the construction of complex engineering structures, as well as significant spontaneous and deliberate changes in floodplain-type landscape systems. It has been therefore concluded that watermills had a multifunctional purpose, and that this tradition was widely distributed both chronologically and geographically.

Keywords: watermills, hydraulic engineering, modeling, landscape, GIS, Russian population of the Trans-Urals.

Rud' A.A., Karas' P.L.

Natural and geographical features of sacred landscapes of the Khanty in the Surgut Ob region

The aim of the study was to identify the natural features of landscapes that determine their sacralization by the Surgut Khanty people. This was achieved by addressing the following objectives: conducting a review of the mechanisms of sacralization of space and factors influencing this process, categorization of natural landscapes associated by the Surgut Khanty with different types of supernatural beings (deities and spirits), and identification of patterns in the location of sacred landscapes. The sources for the study were represented by publications on the sacred places of the Surgut Khanty and archival sources (reports on scientific research, accounting documentation on cult objects of the Surgut Khanty of Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug — Yugra, and field materials of A.A. Rud’, collected in 2002–2017). Among the Khanty of the Surgut Ob region, the most preferable for sacralization are the heights dominating in the landscape, areas of bedrock terraces of reservoirs, river mouths, islands and capes of lakes and rivers, deep areas of reservoirs, as well as other landscapes which the Khanty consider unique. Another reason for the sacralization of natural objects may be an occasional factor. The natural landscape may be associated with certain unusual (or historical) event in life of a person or community, or with a mythological character from the traditional worldview. In this case, the sacred landscape can be confined to any point in the taiga space.

Keywords: Surgut Ob region, Surgut Khanty, sacred landscape, deities, spirits.

Glushenko M.A., Fedorov R.Yu.

Ethnocultural and adaptation aspects for the development of folk architecture of the late peasant resettlers in the Middle Angara region (first quarter of the 20^th century)

The article examines the ethnocultural and adaptation factors for the development of folk architecture of peasant resettlers of the early 20^th century who lived in the Middle Angara region. It has been concluded that in the first quarter of the 20^th century, the late resettlers sought to preserve their building technologies as much as possible, changing only those of them that prevented adaptation to new conditions. At the same time, the construction culture of the resettlers of the Bratsk District has undergone a much greater degree of transformation than that of most of their compatriots who settled in other regions, due to the need for more intensive adaptation to the specifics of the natural and climatic conditions of the Middle Angara region.

Keywords: folk architecture, the Middle Angara region, the Bratsk district, late migrants, ethnocultural adaptation.

Perevalova E.V., Kisser T.S.

The Kolguev Nenets: Island Mentality and the Crisis of Reindeer Herding

The Kolguev Nenets are a distinct group that formed in the result of migrations from the mainland into the island in the second half of the 18^th — 19^th century. Their history and culture are closely linked to reindeer herding. The Pomor-Samoyed colonization of the Kolguyev Island, where the Pomors were the masters of the sea and the Samoyeds were the masters of the tundra, can be called a mutually beneficial “partnership” development. The economic transformations of the Soviet and post-Soviet periods contributed to the strengthening of the “island” mentality of the Kolguev Nenets. The mass mortality of reindeer in 2014 demonstrated the vulnerability of traditional economy and the resilience of the island culture. On the one hand, the crisis led to an increase in the “siege mentality” and mistrust of the outside world (the prevailing opinion about the deliberate poisoning of reindeer), on the other hand, it prompted rethinking of the role of reindeer herding and a search for new forms of management (the creation of the peasant farm “Ңerm” and the SRO “Saldy”). The mentality of the Kolguev Nenets is characterized by isolation and conservatism, attachment to their native land (“fear of losing their island”), a special attitude to reindeer (“an island without reindeer is a desert”), a high degree of interdependence of the group and its dependence on the outside world. In circumstances of limited access to resources, family plays a key role in ensuring security; at the same time, “clan” disagreements and contradictions between the tundra (reindeer herders) and the village (residents of the village of Bugrino) have become acutely evident.

Keywords: Nenets (Samoyeds), Kolguev Island, reindeer herding, mentality, tradition.