Space of a Peasant House in Beliefs and Ceremonies Associated with Spirits-“masters” of Loci (Russian Mythological Texts of Perm Region)

Abstract

A reconstruction of the traditional mythological ideas of the Russian inhabitants of the Perm region about the peasant house is carried out. The structural elements and premises of the hut are considered, which are perceived by the bearers of the tradition as places of contact with the spirits — “owners” of the loci. The analysis of the mythological texts recorded on the territory of the region about the bannik, the brownie, the domovoy, the leshy and the mermaid has been carried out. This material reveals a circle of rooms and elements of the Russian hut, in which, according to legend, spirits live. Permian beliefs are compared with common Slavic ones. It is concluded that the places of contact between a person and the “host” spirits are those elements of the house that are the sacred centers of the hut (oven, table) or represent its periphery (attic, golbets, closet, kitchen, bathroom, corridor, corner) or borders (door, threshold, porch, window, roof, floor, ceiling, mat). At the same time, such characteristics of these elements as “internal — external”, “upper — lower”, “central — peripheral” turn out to be important, reflecting the opposition “one’s own — someone else’s” that is basic for Slavic culture. There is a partial modernization of the spatial code in the beliefs of the Russians of the Perm region, which leads to a slight transformation of the tradition. New ideas are built into existing cultural models (the bathroom is on a par with other non-residential premises).

Keywords

• peasant house
• perfume
• hosts of loci
• opposition own and alien
• mythological text
• perm region