The Giants of Eurasia: From Myth to History

Abstract

The article examines the epic plot about the mythological generation of giants that perished with the appearance of real people, which is widespread in Eurasia. In folk memory this generation is associated with the ancient peoples-conquerors (obry – the Avars, alangasary – Alans/Khazars, etc.); according to the legend, giants lived in the era of transition from the time of creation to the historical time. They participated in the creation of landscapes; ancient settlements are considered to be their dwellings, and giant bones are the evidence of their sojourn on earth. The folklore mythological story about a giant’s meeting a ploughman marks the end of an era of the giants, and the giants turn into the rocks. The article discusses the problem of historicity of these concepts and the origin of the names of the giants.