Konkka A., A. SPRUCE WITH GOLDEN TOP, OR TREE OF ANCESTORS (MATERIALS OF KARELIAN MYTOLOGY AND CEREMONIAL RITES) // Proceedings of Petrozavodsk State University. 2018. No 7 (176). DOI: 10.15393/uchz.art.2018.238


Ethnology, anthropology and ethnography

SPRUCE WITH GOLDEN TOP, OR TREE OF ANCESTORS (MATERIALS OF KARELIAN MYTOLOGY AND CEREMONIAL RITES)

Konkka A.
A. 		Karelian Research Centre of the RAS
Keywords:
Karelian folklore
«spruce with golden top»
spruce as a sacrificial family tree
spruce groves - Karelian cemeteries
spruce in the world of the dead		 Summary: The article is about the role of spruce in Karelian folklore. In the epic poetry of Karelia such «spruce with golden top» is connected with the world tree and national heroes Vajnemyojnen and Ilmarinen. This spruce gives the birth to the first animals and birds, such as a bear, a marte and a cuckoo (both recent with golden chests). According to the documents of the 19th century spruce is the family tree, sacrificial tree. At the same time it is connected with the world of dead. That is why old cemeteries were located in fir-wood. Funerary semantics of spruce has deep historical roots. To prove this we compare Karelians with the related peoples. In both traditions spruce branches become home for the soul of dead man.



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