Russkaya Starina

108-121

Authors: Varvara Е. Dobrovolskaya

The article discusses the function of the inscriptions on various objects in the traditional culture. Such inscriptions were attached by importance and were not a part of the decoration. In this case, they often were placed on the back side of the object. In some cases, they became a part of the ornament, and then their content was usually enlarged. The inscription could be a commentary on some image, sometimes complementing it, explaining what was going on, but in some cases the inscription changed the meaning of the portrayed events. Things “with the words” became fashionable and popular, and in some cases played the role of “propaganda”. But at the same time the inscription was interpreted as having large magical sense. It was thought that it may ruin or to protect its owner, to сonserve one's feelings, etc. Finally, the inscription on the things might remind you of some person, thus being a kind of monument to him.

143-153

Authors: Tatyana Yu. Vlaskina

The article deals with the anthropological aspects of the history of Russian revolutions. Primary focus is on the life of railway engineer N. Gorinov, a native of the provincial merchant family. The example of the Gorinovs reveals the unrealized prospects for peaceful evolution in the social and economic development on the Don that took place at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, examines the possible motives for the personal political choice faced by family members during the events of the Revolution and the Civil War. The first part represents the life story of the Gorinovs until the middle of 1915, characters and relations between family members. The main theme of the second part is the young man’s perception of the First World War events and the changes that are taking place with him. The study is based on the documents of the family archive.

173-185

Authors: Leonid L. Smilovitsky

The article is devoted to the little studied theme of the role of female servicemen in the Red Army during the war and their position in the men's group. Among the 800,000 women in the Soviet Union who participated in the war, the majority took part in the fighting. The author tries to explain how women, who by nature should give birth, educate, teach, and save, but not kill, were able to become soldiers as required in the war. Women shared all the hardships of the front-line situation and bore the burden of war on a par with men. They died from bullets, shells and bombs, burned in airplanes, were wounded and became crippled without arms and legs. Some of them, having withstood all the trials, lost the gift of motherhood and could not create families. The author comes to the conclusion that the greatest merit of women in the army during the war years was that by their presence they allowed men to feel their own strength, to be courageous, to do their duty, to fight and win. This study is based on WW2 correspondence, letters and diaries of Soviet Jews who served in the Red Army, which were recently collected in the archives of the Diaspora Research Center at Tel Aviv University (2012-2017) and now, for the first time, are used for academic purposes.

196-208

Authors: Maria A. Andrunina

The article investigates the mythological background of the calendar remembrance rites – belief in the migration of souls in natural and domestic areas. In Russian, Ukranian and Belorussian sources, on which the article is based, main calendar remembrance dates are “dedy” (literally “grandfathers”, taking place several times a year and observed at home) and dedicated to dead days during Easter and Whit Sunday periods. Capital difference between these dates and corresponding rites happens to be actual place selected for them (home, cemetery, forest, crossroad et.) according to ancient beliefs where souls expected to be in different seasons. In winter and fall rites are mostly held at home (“dedy”) in shape of common ritual supper of living and dead, including “nurturing” of souls, who will provide rich harvest in payment for reverent behavior of their live relatives. Also, Christmas festivals include gift collection by carol-singers, who believed to be personifications of dead forefathers, visiting at that time their heirs. With the coming of spring, “opening” the earth, returning of birds and the growth of plants sous of dead are released from the Otherworld, they are frequent in cemeteries and masses of people are visiting their graves, giving presents and communicating with them. In Easter time souls could be present everywhere in the world, in homes of their kinfolk, who used to prepare special food for them and held to strict rules for their benefit; in cemeteries, in fields and forests, where burial keens are performed to the sounds of cuckoo, who imagined to be incarnation of late family member. In Whit period, however, remembrance rites are transferred to different group of souls – mostly to those, who died young, which indicates most ancient basic of spring dead concerning beliefs and practices. The closer to the time of harvest, the lesser rites are becoming – souls previously inhabiting plants, cereals and flowers and making them to grow are starting to retreat, leaving the world with birds. But in this time special type of remembrance rite takes place — sacrificing first fruits of the new harvest to the dead, this custom is later turned into belief of unholy spirits presence in fruits and plants, demanding the chirch blessing of them. In winter souls are believed to be in the Otherworld, from which they are ritually invited to the festive suppers in the circle of their living relatives. This way, through the “opening” and “closing” of earth, growing plants, coming and going of birds the ritual year of remembrance rites is constantly renewing.