Introduction. The article deals with plated (lamellar) armguards (‘oversleeves’) used by warriors of the Chagatai Ulus and the Timurid Empire. Goals. The study aims to identify key trends in the evolution of plated armguards across the Chagatai Ulus, the empire of Amir Timur, and the Timurid states in the late 14th to early 16th centuries. Results. The study reveals oversleeve-type armguards were not that rare and exotic in the then armour patterns as is sometimes believed, and for several centuries the former successfully competed with vambraces and other armour elements supposed to protect shoulders and forearms. In a historical perspective, the late medieval armguards proved somewhat manifested optimization and modernization of the imperial-era ‘Genghisid’ armour from the 13th and 14th centuries. The High and Late Middle Ages, as well as early modern times, witnessed the use of segmented armguards by armoured warriors across Southern Siberia, West, Central, South, and mainland East Asia. However, evolutionary trends were distinguished by certain specifics in different regions. Such armguards existed mainly in the mid-14th to early 16th centuries. The oversleeve-type armguards were evolutionarily drifting toward the optimization of plate embedding patterns (belts be replaced by rivets), as well as a gradual increase in the elasticity of this armour element via plate size reduction. The latter made it possible to place plates in several rows and expand the protected area up to the wrist. The final stage in the development of such plated armguards across the Muslim East was mail and plate ‘sleeves’. Segmented armguards could be worn with body armour characterized by different plate embedding structures (i.e., plates riveted, sewn, laced or connected with pieces of chainmail, as well as onto chainmail only). The main consumers of long plated oversleeve-type armguards in troops of Timur and Timurids were representatives of the nobility and line officers. Conclusions. The plated armguards were left behind by Central Asian communities as a result of transformed local military traditions in the aftermath of the collapse of the Timurid states in the early 16th century.

Introduction. The paper investigates interactions between memory projects — both all-Russia ones and those implemented in regions bordering Kazakhstan. Special attention is paid to the unfolding narratives underlying annual commemoration ceremonies in Orenburg and Volgograd oblasts for Yestekbay Batyr (hero of war against Dzungars) and for soldiers/officers who participated in the Great Patriotic War, military conflicts in Afghanistan, Chechnya, and Special Military Operation in Ukraine. Goals. The work aims to describe memorial objects associated with individuals who performed exploits for the sake of their compatriots, and to analyze commemorative practices carried out by local communities. Results. The article focuses on activities of local Kazakh communities of Orenburg and Volgograd oblasts aimed at memorializing war heroes collected by our research group during field studies of places sacred to Kazakhs, summarizes the authors’ observations and stories recorded from informants. Acts of commemoration for warriors are somewhat re-readings or re-inclusions of the past into the present-day agenda. Such venerations articulate significant ethnic values, norms, and behavioral patterns. The work traces a certain trend towards ‘militarization of consciousness’ in commemorative practices associated with particularly revered places of memory relating to the Great Patriotic War — and in sacralizing names of soldiers/officers who have taken part in local military conflicts.

Introduction. The 19th century witnessed the emergence of a powerful Muslim merchant class in the steppe zone of Imperial Russia. Those were ethnic Tatars, Kazakhs, Sarts, Bukharans, Uighurs, and Shala Kazakhs based in Petropavlovsk and Semipalatinsk. Goals. The work aims to identify outcomes of charitable activities undertaken by Muslim merchants. Another objective is to distinguish the specifics of charity efforts and the latter’s main directions. Material and methods. The paper investigates documents housed at the Central State Archive of Kazakhstan, Historical Archive of Omsk Oblast, National Archive (former Central State Historical Archive) of Bashkortostan, Russian State Historical Archive, Archive of North Kazakhstan Region, and pre-revolutionary periodicals, reports of Muslim charitable societies, reference and encyclopedic materials. The study employs both general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special historical research methods (comparative-historical and retrospective ones). Results. The paper outlines key directions of Muslim charities in the steppe, namely: social support, enlightening and educational endeavors. Muslim merchant benefactors tended to meet not only intra-confessional needs but also nationwide ones too. And while the imperial administration did welcome the assistance from entrepreneurs in solving country-wide problems, Muslim philanthropy would still face a number of obstacles. Officials were reluctant enough to grant permits for mosque constructions, inclined to limit the functioning of madrassas and charitable organizations, banned waqfs. However, despite all the bureaucratic and administrative barriers Muslims did manage to create a coherent system of funding their needs. 

Introduction. Analysis of Soviet religious policies essentially represented by government-Muslim relations is most important to the history of our motherland. An indicator to characterize the quality of these relations is efforts of authorities in organizing Hajj trips, including multifaceted interaction with leaders of Soviet Muslims. Goals. The article examines archival documents — some to be newly introduced into scientific circulation — and attempts an analysis of the actual conditions, scope of related work, and conclusions articulated by officials who were to arrange comprehensive interaction with Muslims and Hajj participants. The study seeks to answer a number of questions pertaining to Hajj-related activities of the Council for Religious Affairs (under the USSR Council of Ministers) and Muslim spiritual directorates in 1966–1967. Materials and methods. The paper focuses on documents stored at the State Archive of the Russian Federation (coll. Р-6991 ‘Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR’) covering the period from 1943 to 1991, with special emphasis be laid on analyses of files contained in Catalogue 6 ‘Council for Religious Affairs under the Council of Ministers of the USSR: 1966–1991’. It is in 1966 that the Soviet government agency created by way of merger (Council for the Russian Orthodox Church and Council for Religious Cults) and established by a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers began its actual work with all registered religious organizations. Methods and tools of analysis, synthesis, and that of historical reconstruction proved most instrumental in investigating efforts of the Council. Results. The work introduces into scientific circulation some archival documents that have remained unknown both to experts and the public at large, provides a  historiographic review of the problem on the basis of publications authored by famous foreign and domestic researchers. Conclusions. The study shows certain peculiarities of government-Muslim relations during the period under consideration, namely: the Hajj was being prepared when the key body supposed to facilitate such constructive relations (Council for Religious Cults) had ceased its work, and the new one (Council for Religious Affairs) was not yet completely staffed.

Goals. The article analyzes materials from anniversary events, historical discussions, examines fundamental publications and academic editions for an insight into the evolution of ideas about Buryatia’s historical path. Ceremonial events and publications issued on the occasion of anniversaries are of particular historiographic value: on the one hand, those reflect achievements and problems of a certain period, and, on the other hand, narrate about dominant political ideologies and patterns of historical consciousness. In the meantime, anniversary scientific conferences usually attended by leading officials and scholars of the Republic were to somewhat comprehend actual results and discuss further development prospects. Materials and methods. The paper examines documents stored at the State Archive of Buryatia, Scientific Archives of the Buryat Scientific Center (SB RAS), Center of Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs affiliated to the Institute for Mongolian, Buddhist and Tibetan Studies (SB RAS). The principle of historicism proves instrumental in reconstructing how historical thought has evolved within the general trends of state development and Buryatia’s political life throughout the 100 years. Results. On 30 May 1923, the Presidium of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee decided to unite Siberian and Far Eastern autonomous oblasts of Buryat-Mongols into one autonomous socialist Soviet republic to be centered around the city of Verkhneudinsk. In terms of theory pertaining to historical science and historical enlightenment, the formation of the Buryat-Mongol ASSR set forth a most important task of comprehending experiences and paths of Buryatia’s peoples in accordance with the Marxist-Leninist paradigm of historical process, while in terms of practice it was urgent to substantiate the Soviet ideology and socialist reforms. All this required that experts joined their efforts to develop conventional approaches in the field of historical knowledge and nation/state building. So, the history of Buryatia was to be generalized and systemized by the academic publications as follows: History of the Buryat-Mongol ASSR (1951, 1954, 1959); Essays on Buryatia’s History and Culture (1972, 1974); History of Buryatia in three volumes (2011), etc. The 100th anniversary of the Republic has been welcomed with another two-volume edition — Republic of Buryatia in the 20th–21st Centuries: Chronicles, Events, Comments — that provides a systemic overview of its peoples’ historical paths (and milestones), illustrates quantitative and qualitative transformations in politics, economy, culture, and demography, that had formed a vector of progressive and constructive development which survived even in most dramatic periods. The centenary celebrations have been pinnacled by the international scientific conference — Cross-Border Regions of Russia’s East in Modernization Processes, 20th–21st Centuries: [Celebrating the] 100th Anniversary of the Republic of Buryatia.

Introduction. A continental stage in the Northern Caspian geological history began with the Mangyshlak regression when sands that would shape the Ryn Desert were freed from marine waters, and the region started being actively invaded by humans, which is evidenced by numerous Stone Age sites. The bulk of the latter are represented by ‘open-air’ materials — some mixed complexes with few ceramic remains — and this does complicate chronological attributions of such archaeological collections. So, the study of monuments with preserved ‘cultural layers’ instrumental in obtaining a series of absolute dates is a primary task in understanding historical and cultural processes of the Mesolithic/Eneolithic in the Northern Caspian. Goals. The article aims to introduce into scientific circulation some materials discovered at the site of Shapi in the Ryn-Peski Desert. Materials and methods. The site of Shapi is located in the north-northwest of the Ryn Desert, 30 km south of Lake Aralsor in present-day Bokey Orda District of West Kazakhstan Region. The stone artefacts obtained are few enough, mainly of quartzitic sandstone, and number 67, e.g., 6 items are tools — arrowheads, an arrowhead fragment, a notched piece, a flake with a distinguished point, and a flake with retouch. There are 8 flint artefacts, including 5 tools — an arrowhead, fragments of blades with retouch, and two flakes with retouch. A pit was dug out on the spot abundant in finds, and it yielded bone remains of cattle, goats and sheep, a horse, a camel, and a dog (wolf). Results. Despite tool forms are few enough, one can note the presence of pieces with bifacial retouch and concave-based arrowheads with small wings. Species composition analysis of the bone remains shows those are dominated by cloven-hoofed animals, essentials of the examined bone complex attest to these are kitchen waste. Bone remains at depths of 20–40 and 40–60 cm yielded a series of calibration dates between 4048 and 3956 BCE. Conclusions. Chronologically, the site clusters with Late Eneolithic ones, and may be attributed to the late Khvalynsk and Altata cultures.

Introduction. The paper is a continuation of the authors’ study dealing with the Middle Bronze Age population in Kalmykia. The study focuses on anthropological material from burials of the Catacomb culture within kurgan groups investigated in the Yergeni Upland. Goals. The article attempts a paleodemographic analysis of the population from four archaeological sites. Insights into general demographic conditions of the then population have been facilitated by anthropological material from burials of the mentioned era discovered in the Don and Azov regions of Rostov Oblast. The identification of pathological features, markers of physiological stress, and traces of traumas on bones makes it possible to depict an overall picture of living conditions experienced by representatives of the considered group. Results. Our paleodemographic analysis reveals the group was characterized by a very low lifespan (22.7 yrs) which resulted from the high infant mortality — 46,2 % of the investigated remains belong to children. The bulk of deceased adults are aged 30 to 40. Such figures are considered typical of Middle Bronze Age populations.

Introduction. Tuvan clan history (and that of certain clan clusters) dates back to most ancient times and is characterized by long and intertwined paths of formation and development. So, it had — and still does — attracted the attention of researchers representing various fields of science. However, there have been no fundamental works involving both historical, ethnographic, and anthropological insights into Tuvan clans. Goals. The article attempts a historical investigation into origins of Tuvan clans and particularly the Mongush one. Materials and methods. The paper focuses on scientific works by Tsarist and Soviet scientists, analyzes field data collected by the authors. The study employs the principle of historicism which makes it possible to consider the Mongush tribal group in retrospective and trace its development. The method of comparative typology (the Mongush of Tuva and the Mungush of Kyrgyzstan) supplemented with that of participant observation prove most efficient. In terms of historical science, events and phenomena are considered through temporal sequences, changes of periods and development stages. Results. The authors’ findings reveal the Mongush clan has a number of branches, while scrupulous insights into writings of earlier researchers have yielded a clarified etymology of the word mongush and certain demographic data on the group.

Introduction. Due to remoteness, limited accessibility and ethnocultural uniqueness, Chukotka used to be — and still is — a particular region of Russia. In Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, the nationwide and specifically ‘northern’ political, economic, social and cultural processes are paralleled by vivid local specifics manifested in all life spheres. The work introduces accounts of the current sociocultural situation articulated by rural residents of Providensky Urban Okrug. Goals. The paper aims to deliver native inhabitants’ opinions on village life, including which realms of social agenda they tend to view as promising, their actual challenges, controversies, and threats. Materials and methods. The study focuses on field materials collected in the town of Provideniya, villages of Enmelen, Nunligran, Sireniki, Novoye Chaplino, and Yanrakynnot in 2021. Special attention is paid to publications characterizing the socioeconomic situation of Chukotka’s indigenous peoples. Part One of the article reviews publications summarizing results of expeditions to Providensky District, briefly describes traditional occupations of rural dwellers, characterizes the sociocultural situation in the villages of Enmelen, Sireniki and Nunligran. Part Two shall deal with the sociocultural situation in the villages of Novoye Chaplino and Yanrakynnot. Conclusions. According to the Russian Census of 2020, the population of Providensky Urban Okrug is 3,707 people, of which 2,140 live in urban areas and 1,567 — in rural ones. About half of the residents are ethnic Chukchis (36.7%) and Eskimos (Siberian Yupiks; 19,1 %). The last ten years have witnessed a minor population growth only in two settlements — town of Provideniya and village of Novoye Chaplino. The main reasons of rural depopulation are low living standards, deterioration of housing facilities, underdevelopment of rural infrastructure, poor educational and medical services, under- and unemployment, low wages, isolation and limited leisure time opportunities. All the interviewed residents stress the importance of sea-hunting industry as a basis of present-day life in the villages. Elders still hope for further development of reindeer breeding and related sectors. The language situation is characterized by a virtually complete displacement of native languages in family and everyday communicative practices.

Introduction. The early-to-mid 19th-century Kalmyk Steppe witnessed certain changes in the system of governing the Kalmyk people that were to introduce the region into the unified agenda of Russia’s administrative and territorial structures. And it was Kalmyk Affairs Commission that became the first agency to have implemented such administrative functions and solved issues related to the life of Kalmyks. Documents containing evidence of its activities were included in Collection-2 (similarly referred to as ‘Kalmyk Affairs Commission’, 1825–1836) of Kalmykia’s National Archive. Goals. The study attempts an analysis of the documents’ composition, investigates paperwork procedures adopted by the Commission, and explores whether (and to what extent) the latter actually complied with the then general nationwide norms of records keeping and management. These shall be achieved through an insight into the consideration of a petition insisting Emchi Gelyung Dzhalov be awarded a medal ‘For Smallpox Vaccination’. Results. Documents of Kalmyk Affairs Commission are unique written sources for the study of records keeping and management practices in pre-revolutionary Kalmykia. The examined archival materials hereby introduced into scientific circulation can also become a source for further research into the formation and development of pre-revolutionary Kalmykia’s healthcare system.

Introduction. The issues of identifying primary sources for handwritten Oirat-language (Clear Script) collections and selections of texts preserved by Kalmyks, delineating their constituent elements, finding correspondences between the former and Tibetan-language works still constitute a topical area of Oirat and Mongolian studies at large. Goals. The study aims to perform an archaeographic description, transliterate, and translate the text under consideration to introduce into scientific circulation this Oirat-language handwritten collection attesting to that the cult of Buddha Amitabha and his pure land has existed among Kalmyks. Materials. The work investigates the handwritten collection titled ‘Sukhvadiyin Oroni Bayidal Keyigēd Irel Tobči Xyrāngγu’ from scientific archives of Kalmyk Scientific Center RAS (O. Dordzhiev / Rev. Tugmyud Gavji Collection). Results. The manuscript comprises texts compiled at later stages of Clear Script’s dissemination among Kalmyks. It is characterized by erroneous spellings of graphemes, words, lack of punctuation marks, which complicates transliteration and translation efforts. It is the colophon that contains most interesting data about the author of the original Tibetan-language text which served as a basis for the Oirat translation included in the collection — Dolpopa Sherab Gyaltsen, a renown Tibetan Buddhist preacher (late 13th – mid-14th cc.). This text is evidence that Kalmyk clerics did create short collections of compositions to perform various cults and practices, including those aimed at worshiping Buddha Amitabha, his pure land, and taking vows for rebirth in heavenly realms of Sukhavati.

Introduction. It is urgent enough to reveal original features of epic traditions in certain ethnic environments to draw a general epic picture of Central Asian peoples. As is evident, shamanism has given rise to diverse epic and poetic genres. Shamanic and epic texts of Mongols are characterized by identical mythological patterns of world order, unified heavenly pantheons, coherent and synonymous ideas and concepts. Goals. The article aims to identify the functions of a shaman/shamaness in plots of Buryat epic narratives, determine the former’s position and status in the system of images. So, the paper shall analyze epic texts clustering with different local traditions of Cis-Baikal Buryats, delineate images of shamans and shamanesses to consider them in a comparative perspective with the involvement of ethnographic material. Materials and methods. The study employs comparative-historical and contrastive methods as key tools of analysis. It examines Buryat epic texts — both published ones and those contained in archives of the Center of Oriental Manuscripts and Xylographs (IMBTS SB RAS). Results. The paper suggests that in the Buryat epic tradition shamans and shamanesses can be viewed as traditional characters traced back to most archaic beliefs, though their functions in uligers are essentially limited and monotypic. There is a gender division at different levels of the universe: celestial deities of upper realms are represented by male shamans, while only shamanesses exhibit activity in the Middle World (i.e., on the Earth). The functions of male shaman deities are nominal and not that significant for the plot. The status of a shamaness in variants and versions of the Unga Geseriad is quite high: she serves as mediator between Heaven and Earth, defender, assistant and adviser to the main characters, clairvoyant and soothsayer — and performs the classical role of shamans in society. Narratives recorded from shaman taletellers or individuals with extensive expertise in shamanic traditions tend to entrust shamanesses with larger plot development impacts rather than those delivered by mere narrators. However, in other uligers (not included in Geseriad) the shamaness — though endowed with the same functions of a clairvoyant, soothsayer and adviser — is opposed to the main character and supports his enemies. So, such uligers often contain the motif of her physical elimination. As can be seen from the above, in Buryat uligers male shamans are rather passive and nominal characters, while shamanesses do play most active roles. In general, the status of shamanesses in the epic tradition does not quite correlate with the traditionally high status of shamans and shamanesses among Cis-Baikal Buryats.

Introduction. In the Kalmyk folktale tradition, AT type 508 (The Grateful Dead) develops through the motif of miraculous helper. The analysis shows that the main character pays some debt of the deceased one — to acquire an assistant. Goals. The study examines the motif of assistant in Kalmyk folktales clustering with AT type 508 (The Grateful Dead). Materials. The paper analyzes folktale texts published in Clear Script (Kalm. todo bičiq), Roman characters, and modern Kalmyk Cyrillic. Results. Before a long journey, the hero offers his servant to partake of some food which is a test for the latter: any refusal from the viands of humans shall indicate the companion belongs to the spirit world. The magic nature of the hero’s assistant is also manifested through his abilities to move at extremely high speed and understand the language of animals. And it is due to the latter gift that the assistant hears a dog and a cat’s conversation — to prompt the young man a remedy for the Khan’s daughter. Cat bile acts as medicine in all versions of Kalmyk folktales related to the type ‘Grateful Dead’. A. Afanasyev notes bile serves as medicine for the resurrection and eyesight recovery in the Russian fairy tale ‘Yeruslan Lazarevich’, emphasizing the ‘linguistic and mythical connection’ between — sunshine, glitter of gold, and the yellow color of bile. Being aware of the trouble, the grateful dead person protects his savior and the latter’s spouse from the snake venom. When accused of encroachments, he confesses all his good deeds (massacre of seven cannibal demons, their daughters, wives, and the former’s old mother) and sets outs towards the world of the dead ruled by Erlik Nomin Khan. The hero decides not to leave his assistant and follows him up to hell. Kalmyk folktales of the mentioned type are distinguished by description of trials experienced by the main character and his assistant in the realms of the dead. Possessions of Erlik Nomin Khan — the lord of the dead — are depicted in accordance with ideas of Buddhist hell traced in Oirat written monuments, such as The Story of Chojid-Dagini, The Tale of Molon-Toyin, The Tale of the Goose-Lama, The Tale of Naranu Gerel etc. It is the descriptions of Buddhist hell that distinguish the international type ‘Grateful Dead’ in the Kalmyk oral tradition through the motif of miraculous helper. Conclusions. The motif of helper in the considered folktales unfolds on the basis of traditional ideas with that earlier views were replaced by later Buddhist ones.

Introduction. In the Buryat tradition, healing was a most common function attributed to shamans. The main pragmatic aspect of healing depends on the semiotic component of a ritual, communicative connection with the other world being a key indicative. Healing practices of Turko-Mongolian shamans were distinguished by that rituals were accompanied by spells aimed at propitiating or neutralizing spirits of disease to be communicated with during the ritual. Goals. The study seeks to analyze archival shamanic verbal materials of Western Buryats once articulated in the course of utilitarian pragmatic ritual efforts supposed to treat the sick. The Buryat shamanic practices have not yet been considered in this perspective. Materials and methods. The work involves scientific and methodological experiences of scientists who had investigated main issues of traditional Mongolian medicines from historical and ethnographic perspectives. The paper approaches medical practices of Mongols in the context of religious and mythological ideas. The main research method is the semantic-hermeneutical analysis of verbal material. Results. Shamanic healing practices of Buryats are ritual and magical activities serving to propitiate and appease the mythological spirit of disease. The shaman/shamaness implement no therapeutic measures, they only somewhat actualize some magical functions aimed at eliminating causes of the disease. Conclusions. Semiotic rituals are main elements of a ritual performance; the ritual basis of Buryat shamanic healing practices is essentially monotypic, and rests on belief in magical powers of word and ritual; the actual types of rituals implemented during treatment correspond to main calendar and life-cycle rituals. The healing ritual uses rudiments and fragments of earlier healing methods preserved in the folk tradition.

Introduction. The article deals with two samples of Tibetan-language jātaka texts traced back to the story of the tigress — from the Jātakamālā or Garland of Birth Stories” (Tib. skyes pa'i rabs kyi rgyud, 4th c. AD) and Sutra of the Wise and the Fool (Tib. ’Dzangs blun zhes bya ba theg pa chen po’i mdo, 5th–7th cc. AD). In the narratives under consideration, the Bodhisattva sacrificed himself to a tigress that suffered from starvation and was unable to feed two cubs of hers. Despite the setup and resolution parts associated with the image of a starving tigress and the Bodhisattva’s deed of ‘giving one’s own body’ (Tib. lus sbyin pa) are identical enough, the narrative constructs at large, main and secondary characters do differ significantly in the two stories. The article analyzes some distinctive aspects of compositional components inherent to the canonical Tibetan original texts, describes the plots proper, and identifies common and differing features. Goals. The paper aims to consider contents of the two stories — Jātaka of the Tigress and [Story] of How Prince Mahasattva Sacrificed His Body to a Tigress (Chapter 2), respectively — arising from the plot archetype of giving one’s own body to a tigress, yield genre affiliations, provide comparative data about characters of the stories. The work employs methods of textual and literary analysis Results. Our analysis of the texts shows the latter differ significantly, and the differences touch upon some aspects, such as belonging to the canonical corpus (which accordingly influences structural patterns), numbers of storylines and images of the main character, composition of characters, etc. The work also examines semantics of the concept ‘generosity’ (Tib. sbyin pa) articulated in the title of the Sutra’s chapter. Conclusions. The plot contents of the analyzed jātaka texts vary essentially but the plot archetype of sacrificing one’s body to a tigress remains unchanged.