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ÓÄÊ 393.05 (571.56) EDN: https://elibrary.ru/WLEPIU
Yakut collective burials in the context of smallpox epidemics in the 17th–19th centuries
Bravina, Rosalia I., Doctor of Historical Sciences, Head of the Department, Institute of Humanitarian Research and Problems of Indigenous Minorities of the North SB RAS, Yakutsk, Russia, bravinari@bk.ru, https://orcid.org/ 0000-0002-4902-8288
Summary
Russian archaeology features a pronounced gap in studies on the funerary rites of indigenous Siberian peoples during large-scale epidemics, which exerted a significant impact on demographic parameters and traditional modes of life. This article aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of Yakut collective burials associated with smallpox outbreaks, drawing upon ethnographic and folklore materials, as well as data from microbiology and genetics. In Central Yakutia, four cases of collective burials dating to the 17th–18th centuries have been documented. Analysis of associated artifacts suggests significant alterations to traditional funerary customs during epidemic periods. Particularly salient are the elements within the worldview sphere: the personification of diseases, the production of their visual manifestations in the form of anthropomorphic figures, and the manufacture of specialized containers, known as tyuktyuyé, intended for their confinement. Additionally, records attest to the construction of dedicated cult structures featuring “armed” idols designed to repel disease spirits, as well as altars intended for their propitiation.
Keywords: Yakutia, collective burials, Yakuts, smallpox epidemics, disease spirits, anthropomorphs.
© Bravina R.I., 2026
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Received 20.03.2026
Accepted 04.06.2026
Article is published: 15.09.2026
Funding. The work was performed within the framework of the State Assignment No. 075-00619-26-00 for 2026, Research project ¹ 124020900039-6 (project FWRS-2024-0081 “Nature and Man: Adaptation Strategies of Ancient and Traditional Cultures in Yakutia”) using the scientific equipment of the Federal Research Center “Yakutsk Scientific Center of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences”.
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