Sacrificial Linens of the Ob Ugrians: The Outcome of a Hundred Years of Studies

Abstract

This article summarizes the outcome of century-long research on a remarkable phenomenon of material culture among the Khant and Mansi, namely the sacrificial linens. I examine both the general features and types of sacrificial linens, and the particular examples of sacrificial cloths found among local groups of the Ob Ugrians. Special attention is paid to the techniques of making the linens, the ways in which they are employed in rituals, and the manner in which they are stored and handled. Drawing on the available archaeological data, I propose a hypothesis about the origin of tradition of making the sacrificial linens, as well as development of the iconography of images represented on them.