Stones-Notes on Maximilian Voloshin’s Grave

The author examines the vernacular “cult” that arose at the poet Maximilian Voloshin’s grave (Crimea, Koktebel village). Visitors to the grave, ascending the Kuchuk-Yenishar mountain, bring stones on which they write messages to the poet. In these messages, Voloshin acts as a giver of benefits, he is approached with requests for health, creation and well-being of a family, material prosperity, career success, etc. The article provides a quantitative analysis of written appeals to Voloshin. For comparison, the author presents materials of a similar “cult” that exists near one of the Novodevichy Convent towers in Moscow. Those two cases have similar structures of appeals to the mythologized sacred addressee. They differ only in particulars; that are determined by the characteristics of the addressee, place and time of address. The requests generally reflect the values of Russian citizens, revealed by sociological surveys; thus, the categories of health, family values, well-being and safety of loved ones come first. Voloshin’s grave and the tower of the Novodevichy Convent are tourist attractions. The vast majority of visitors come to them not to seek help (for example, miraculous healing), but simply as part of leisure. When “honouring” Voloshin, the first place is not the solution of current human issues, but gaming activity, largely motivated by the aesthetics of what is happening

Art · History · History of Science and Medicine · Medical History and Research

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