The Bashkirs' Rain Stones as Historical & Mythological Phenomenon

The given study aims to detect archaic manifestations in the Bahkirs' spiritual culture through a comparative historical analysis of the rain stones phenomenon. The items for effecting the weather are divided into carryable smaller of odd shapes, colors or origin and monumental rock slabs. The first group of items features vivid little stones, white quartz pebbles or colorful jade, quartz crystals, pebbles from birds' and animals' stomachs also known as bezoardic stones. The other group lists monumental items: large slabs, exposed rocks, boulders; often they have odd shapes or are situated in sacred places. Rain stones are found all across the habitation area of Turcic tribes. Furthermore, first-group stones are exclusive for the eastern part of the Turcic world - the Altai - Sayan mountains. Only the Bashkirs reveal ritualistic practices associated with both groups of rain stones. The research demonstrates that, upon the nature of the rain stones, the Bashkir's habitation is divided into the north mountain-forest zone and the south steppe zone. The north mountain-forest zone features monumental items. Furthermore, rain summoning prayers were allowed only for selected individuals to be said. Some of these slabs and rocks served for particular actions, such as chipping or whipping. These items were prayed on for a wider range of problems too. The south steppe zone features collective rites associated with various manipulations with smaller stones or with grave watering. The ritualistic complex resembles Nowruz new year celebration. It allows to assume that it formed under the influence of the Iranian culture during the early Middle Ages. The north mountain-forest complex finds equivalents in the Northern ethnicities' sacerdotal practices. Most similarities are found in the Nenets' worshipping of stones / rocks. Whereas, the Bashkirs living in the mountains demonstrate archaic manifestations in the ritualistic mutilation of rain stones and show other evidence of the Bashkir mythology and ethnography worshipping stones. These features reveal non-accidental analogies with various stone rites among the Urals ancient people.

Mythology · Phenomenon · Range (aeronautics) · Situated · Steppe · White (mutation) · Cultural and Sociopolitical Studies · Cultural, Linguistic, Economic Studies · Eurasian Exchange Networks