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DOI: 10.46698/VNC.2023.21.14.002

PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY OF THE OSSETIANS (II)

Tuallagov, Alan A. , Tuallagova, Olga A.
Kavkaz Forum. 2023. Issue 14.
Abstract:
Data from Ossetian ethnography and the Nart epic indicate a strict ban on
the participation of women in the activities of such assemblies. But some versions
of the tales of the Nart epic of the Ossetians give reason to suspect that they retain
echoes of the former openness of such meetings for women. The relevance of
the problem under consideration is objectively dictated by the presence of these
sources that were not previously involved, whose study allows us to advance in
the study of the history of the formation of people’s assemblies. The scientific
novelty of the work lies in the direct involvement of original sources in the analysis.
The purpose of the study is to analyze the problem of the genesis of Ossetian
people’s assemblies in the context of their ancient connection with the image of
a female deity by the method of textual research, inductive and logical analysis
while observing the principle of systematic presentation. We observe a certain
connection of the feminine principle with the water element and its female deities
in the Nart epic of the Ossetians. Particular attention is drawn to the tales in which
the mother of the sea deities appears. She freely goes to the place of folk assembly
in her world. It should be assumed that in her image the image of the ancient
goddess-progenitor, the goddess-mother, has been preserved. In this regard,
special attention is drawn to the materials of ethnography of the neighboring
peoples of the North Caucasus, confirming the validity of the observations. The
legend itself is connected with the idea of overcoming the ensuing chaos and
restoring the world order through sacrifice. The goddess is also associated with
the idea of fertility. The Alans transformed the female image of the deity to the
male one. It was also subjected to some Christian influence.
Keywords: folk assembly, Nart epic, goddess-progenitor, the Alans
For citation: Tuallagov, A. A., Tuallagovа, O. А. People’s assembly of the Ossetians (II).
KAVKAZ-FORUM. 2023, iss. 14 (21), pp. 62-72. (In Russian).
DOI 10.46698/VNC.2023.21.14.002
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