E-mail: semturem@mail.ru Tel.: +7 (921) 744-97-08
4/1, Inzhenernaya str., St. Petersburg, 191186, Russian Federation
PhD in History, Leading Researcher, Department of Ethnography of the Peoples of Siberia and the Far East, Russian Museum of Ethnography
The study was supported by grant from the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, project No. 18–09–00537А.
This article analyzes the symbolism and semantics of the ornaments of one of the “small peoples” of Siberia — the Tungus-speaking Orochons of Transbaikal, the Upper Amur and Manchuria — as a reflection of their ethnic identity. For the first time, the article investigates the specifics of Orochon ornamentation — designs on clothing, utensils, hunting equipment, saddles, etc. — based on material from the late 19th — early 21st century in Russian and Chinese museums. The plastic folklore of the Orochons reflects their sensory perception of the world, of space, nature, and man’s place in it. The author considers ornamental motifs and composition within a comparative historical framework, considering both traditional and modern spiritual culture. Iconographic, typological, semantic, and ethno-cultural analysis are used as research methods. The article describes the main types of ornament, both geometric and curved. Geometric patterns include stripes, zigzags, triangles, diamond-shapes, and meandros border motifs that represent ideas of the Cosmos, top and bottom, male and female natural principles, life and death, the world of people and the world of ancestors. They derive from Neolithic and paleo-metallurgical traditions of the inhabitants of southern Manchuria, associated with the Proto-Tungus. In general, Orochon ornamental art preserves archetypal images of the Tungusic and Manchurian peoples’ Universe, ancient symbols that characterize the ancient art of southern Manchuria; it also features elements from the lower Amur region. These ornaments represent the ethno-cultural memory of their descendants and a translation of ancient traditions into modern art.
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