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DOI: 10.46698/s2784-1387-0320-b

A. SJOGREN`S EXPERIENCE OF LEARNING THE RELIGION OF THE OSSETIANS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE POLICY OF THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE CAUCASUS REGION

Bitsoti, Boris B.
Kavkaz Forum. 2020. Issue 4.
Abstract:
This article analyzes the publications of A. M. Sjogren devoted to the religious
beliefs of the Ossetians in the periodicals «Mayak» and «Kavkaz» in 1843 and 1846,
respectively. The article of the scientist reviews both the current state of religious
beliefs of the Ossetians in the first half of the XIXth century, and the author’s attitude
to them, which was formed under the influence of the prevailing theories of
the origin of the Caucasian ethnic group recently integrated into the Russian Empire.
Not all the rituals and beliefs of the Ossetians were understood and described
correctly by the scientist. However, due to the absence of other similar studies, it
is the wording and conclusions of Sjogren, as evidenced by the sources, until the
end of the XIXth century. served as one of the main guidelines for representatives
of the regional administration in choosing the direction of religious and educational
policy towards the Ossetians. Many Ossetian rituals and cults found their
more correct explanation only in the works of the scientists of the next generation,
such as V. B. Pfaff, V. F. Miller and Y. A. Kulakovsky. But despite all the shortcomings
that later became obvious, the article by Sjogren is a unique source of knowledge
about the religious beliefs of Ossetians and deserves close attention. Ossetia was
not the only destination of the scientist during his stay in the Caucasus, and the beliefs
of Ossetians were not the main area of interest for A. M. Sjogren. For a proper
understanding of the tone of the author and his conclusions, made on the basis of
the analysis, we must review Sjogren publications in the context of pan-Caucasian
phenomena of the first half of the nineteenth century.
Keywords: religion of the Ossetians, heritage of A. M. Sjegren, article by A. M. Sjegren «Religious rites of Ossetians, Ingush and their tribesmen», legend of Khetag, M. S. Vorontsov and religious policy of the administration of the Caucasus region.
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