Culture and Art - rubric Historical culturology and the history of culture

Abstract: The article is devoted to transformation of the concepts of humans-and-gods relations at the turn of the 6th - 5th B. C. Rozin states that development of the ancient culture was accompanied and triggered by human turning to independent behavior. Even though people still relied on gods and their support, in everyday life they relied more on themselves and were more independent. The researcher analyzes the consequences of such transformation, in particular, personal growth and creativity boost, leave of kings who had been thought to be living gods, and development of democratic governments in ancient polises. The author has used the following methodology: problem statement, situation analysis, comparative law research, and conceptualisation. The methodology was also accompanied with analysis of research results and reconstruction of historical facts. As a result of the research, the author explains what factors cused the transfer from the culture of ancient kings to the ancient times, in particular, personal development and democratic governments. According to the researcher, it was a new concept of the humans-and-gods relations that changed the minds of people in those times.

Keywords: freedom, consciousness, crisis, transition, vital activity, understanding, gods, man, culture, communication

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2020.11.34490

Abstract: The subject of this article is the artistic culture of Yakutsk. Among a wide variety of regional, historical, sociological and economic research dedicated to the history of Yakutsk, very few works of culturological nature. In the early XXI century, one of the relevant methods of historical culturology becomes the architectonic method developed by I. V. Kondakov (1998). Proposed by the author architectonics of the Russian culture consists of the two-stage mechanism of cycles: 1) cumulation/divergence; 2) selection/convergence, which is of universal nature. The relevance of this research is substantiate by insufficient examination of artistic culture of Yakutia as a whole. The purpose of the article is to use the architectonic method of studying the culture of Yakutia, using the example of the city of Yakutsk. The novelty of the research shows the effectiveness of using the architectonic method in studying the culture of Yakutia. At the cumulative stage of the XVII – XIX centuries, the architectonics of culture of Yakutsk represents a semantic core of cultural integrity. At the divergent stage (late XIX – early XX centuries) this core is being divided, gradually losing its integrity. The beginning of the XX century marks the synthesizing level, stage of enlightenment of the Yakut culture, concentrated in Yakutsk. The selective level (1920s – middle of 1980s) is oriented towards achieving cultural integrity and civilizational identity through coercion and selection around the values of the Soviet culture. The convergent level suggests conditional synthesis (1990s – 2020), one of its components in “reinterpretation and modernization of the archaic”, taking conventional and game character.

Keywords: mass culture, art culture, art, images of the city, cycles, Yakutsk, civilization, architectonics, methods, modernity

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2018.1.25366

Abstract: In her research Kiryushkina focuses on the author identity of a creative individual in the history of culture. The author identity is understood as one's sense of his or her creative personality. The researcher analyzes potential of this approach for the history of aesthetics. The researcher analyzes the author identity of English enlighteners such as Alexander Pope, Anthony Ashley Shaftesbury, John Addison, Edward Young, etc. The research focuses on the concepts that were used by them to name a creative personality - 'author', 'genius', and 'poet'. The author uses these concepts to analyze what English enlighteners said about creativity. Based on the categorial analysis, the author develops a thesaurus of the author identity of a creative individual in the culture of English Englightenment. The author uses the terms that denoted an actor of a creative process, 'author', 'genius', and 'poet'. Kiryushkina concludes that these authentic categories bring forth the values that were viewed by English poets as fundamental for a creative process. Such analysis of these categories extends a concept of classicism and discovers the concepts that acted as dynamic points of culture, i.e. the points where new trends and directions of aesthetics appeared.

Keywords: genius, categorical analysis, author, neoclassic, English Enlightenment, author's consciousness, poet, Alexander Pope, Edward Young, Jhon Addison

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2024.5.70579

Abstract: The subject of the study is technology in military sports suits of Russian military personnel. The object of the study is the progress in the production technologies of military sports suits. The author examines in detail the history of the use of various materials and fabrics for the production of military sports suits, from the end of the 19th century to the beginning of the 21st century. Special attention is paid to the analysis of the properties of various materials. The author shows that fabrics with high strength, wear resistance and good breathability are most suitable for military sports suits of Russian servicemen. The fabrics used for the production of military uniforms must meet a number of requirements. At the same time, such properties of fabrics as crease, drapery, hydroscopicity, dust capacity, heat-shielding properties, shrinkage, thread shedding, thread expansion in seams, sliding should be taken into account. The main research methods were theoretical methods – the method of analysis, generalization, systematization, classification of literary sources on the research topic. The novelty of the research consists in a comprehensive analysis of the basic properties, characteristics and requirements for fabrics used for the manufacture of military suits. A retrospective analysis and comparison of costumes from different eras were carried out. The main conclusion of the study is that from the end of the 19th century to the 21st century, the use of fabrics for military clothing has undergone significant changes. It is shown that at the end of the 19th century, military clothing was mainly made from natural fabrics such as cotton, wool and linen. With the advent of synthetic fibers in the 20th century, fabrics became more durable, lightweight, quick-drying and resistant to external factors. In the 21st century, with the development of fabric production technologies for military clothing, special mixtures of natural and synthetic fibers, as well as membrane materials, began to be used to provide high protection, comfort and functionality for military personnel. The author's special contribution to the study is the generalization of the results of various studies, the comparison of the main characteristics of fabrics used in various historical times with modern fabrics and materials.

Keywords: cotton, wool, linen, silk, wear resistance, breathability, strength, types of fabrics, fabrics, military sports suits

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2022.3.37288

Abstract: In this article, the concept of ʻөpei xөөmeiʼ is a male lullaby sung by the substyle xөөmei, based on the basic type of Tuvan throat singing. The type of folk music playing that exists in traditional culture is considered by the authors in historical, musicological, psychological and ethnopedagogical aspects. The purpose of the article is to determine the essential meanings of the lullaby xөөme, reflecting the worldview, type of management, religion; poetic thinking, conveying the attitude to the child as the highest value of the family. The article shows the performing traditions of the lullaby xөөmey (chants and chants, verbal texts, specific timbre signs, etc.). The authors pay attention to the presence of a single binding in the system of performing traditions of Tuvinians (throat singing, shamanic kamlaniya, training of queens of domestic animals), which are based on belief in the magical power of words (spells, appeals, well-wishes). In the study of this phenomenon, a set of methods was used: systemic, historical-typological, cultural-historical, ethno-cultural. In the system of throat singing of Tuvinians, distinguished by a variety of species and their varieties, the lullaby xөөmei has completely preserved its original meaning and function as a form of sound-making with an original way of sound production. An in-depth analysis of this phenomenon in Tuvan culture has shown that its structural components are its own performing traditions (chants and chants, verbal texts, timbre colors, etc.); meanings characterizing the traditional worldview, type of management, ethno- and cultural genesis, spiritual element of consciousness, religion, etiquette, etc. Research and popularization lullaby xөөme are in demand in modern society in solving the problems of upbringing at an early age, when it becomes important to take into account the patterns of reflection of consciousness associated with the area of development and landscape, worldview and value orientations of the family, clan and people.

Keywords: ethnographic life, ethnomusicology, performing traditions, Tuvan folklore, Tuvan lullaby song, tuvan throat singing, lullaby hoomey, opey hoomey, Tuvan nomad, song culture

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2022.8.38564

Abstract: The article offers an analysis of the poetics of the collection of prose "Roman Deeds", which the author considers as an addition to the study of S.S. Neretina. First, the methodology of studying medieval texts, which is discussed in the "Preface" to the book, is briefly characterized, and two stories from the collection are given as cases. Neretina argues that the "Roman Acts" expresses the world of medieval culture and within it the reality of statements relating to philosophy and what we could call medieval art. The mechanism of creating short stories from the "Roman Acts" is analyzed, including, firstly, a statement beginning with a sound, opening the way to meaning and things, secondly, the disclosure of the hidden as a creation of an independent reality (science, art, etc.), thirdly, the use of tropes in the course of constructing a multi-valued medieval reality. The author shows that the picture drawn by Neretina well explains the ambiguity of reality, which is important for medieval thinking, however, the explanation of the features of the content of the stories of the "Roman Deeds" is not understood by her on the basis of the picture drawn in the "Preface"; they are interpreted from the point of view of the structure of medieval culture. Then the author discusses the concepts of reality and ambiguity that aroused his interest. At the same time, he already uses his own ideas obtained in the analysis of art. The author explains the differences in the interpretation of the "Roman Acts" by the discrepancy of discourses and views of researchers, which, in his opinion, is completely normal and serves for the benefit of thinking.

Keywords: meaning, reconstruction, reader, stories, poetics, middle ages, human, culture, composition, mind

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2019.7.29120

Abstract: The object of the study is the Pushkin heritage. The subject of the study is historical and geographical features of formation and spread of memorials, which are related to the life and art of A.S. Pushkin in pre-revolutionary and Soviet Russia, across the country. Special attention is paid to the preservation of Pushkin heritage. Memorable places associated with A.S. Pushkin; processes of creation of outstanding monuments, dedicated to the poet; perpetuating of his name in the names of cities and streets, in the development of tourist routes, were studied. A historical and geographical research method was chosen as a principal one, also a historical-comparative, historical-systemic, statistical, and cartographic methods were used. The main conclusions of the conducted research are: close attention was paid to the memorialization of Pushkin heritage at all stages of development of the Russian statehood. The vast majority of memorial objects, tourist routes to Pushkin places is located in the European part of Russia. The name of Pushkin is one of the most common in the toponymy of the country.

Keywords: cities named after Pushkin, Pushkin travel routes, streets named after Pushkin, toponymy, tourist routes, museums, reserve museums, monuments to Pushkin, historical and geographical aspects, Pushkin heritage

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2017.4.18508

Abstract: The subject of the research is the Japanese etiquette as an essential part of Cultural Japanese society. The etiquette interwines with all spheres of social life of a contemporary Japanese man or woman. As a part of cultural tradition, it is an essential element of martial arts. Analysis of marital arts etiquette that is still taught at Japanese martial arts schools allows to understand the essense and role thereof in the development of Japanese marital culture. By briefly reviewing the process of the evolution of marital culture, we may understand the main reasons of developing and implementing a complex system of etiquette in Japanese society. The research is based on using historical and logical research methods that allow to describe the process of cultural and historical development. In the course of studying the etiquette at Japanese martial arts school the author has also used the empirical research method. At the end of the article the author concludes that Japanese etiquette is a specific cultural mechanism that limits violence in military society. Development of that mechanism allowed to reduce or even eliminate situations when dignity of a warrior could have been harmed which, in its turn, made a certain impact on the stability of social relations and further development of culture.

Keywords: violence, Japanese etiquette, Japanese culture, Japan, martial culture, samurai, martial arts, etiquette, cultural mechanism, warriors' ethos

Abstract: The article is devoted to the verse XIII of the poem ‘Yezerskiy’. This verse is full of profound philosophy and meaning and, based on the author, has a concrete historical implication. The verse describes the events happened in 1815 when Napoleoe escaped from Elba Island and moved to Paris – evolution of Buonaparte’s ideas and his retaining his power and government. The verse also very well proves Pushkin’s tendency to ‘parody history and Shakespear’.

Keywords: cultural studies, Alexander Pushkin, Napoleone Buonaparte, history of Russia, history of France, Hund red Days, memoirs, Jacobinism, proclamation, empire.

Abstract: The author of the article applies M. Foucault’s methodology to researching and teaching the Russian culture. The conception of the archeology of knowledge combined with other methodological concepts (by Thomas Kuhn, Erwin Panofsky, Naum Pevsner) allows to establish the research frame for analyzing the mechanisms of interaction and mutual infl uence of the historical epoch and concrete spheres of culture. In order to describe his original views on development of culture, the author makes his own categories of terms allowing to avoid a discriminated description of the culture-historical process (the spirit of the time, culturehistorical paradigm, leading cultural practice).

Keywords: cultural studies, culture-historical process, Russian Empire, Baroque, Modern Age culture, archeology (genealogy) of knowledge, the spirit of times (German Zeitgeist), culture-historical paradigm, leading cultural practice.

Abstract: The article provides an analysis of the fundamental research project as it was depictured in a final document of the first stage of the project, i.e. published as the opening volume of ‘Outlines of History of the Russian Culture. Late XIX – early ХХ века (published in Moscow in 2011). The author of the article describes the strengths of the project and their relevance for the modern society and culture. The project is being realized by the laboratory of history of culture of the History Faculty at Lomonosov Moscow State University with the support of the Russian Foundation for Humanities.

Keywords: cultural studies, history of culture, Russian culture, socio-cultural processes, periods of historical optimism, comparative analysis of real and past times, traditional methodology, cultural artifact, succession of cultural and historical paradigms, problematic

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2018.12.28482

Abstract: The subject of the research is the functions of Mordovian traditional costume in their everyday life. Shigurova analyzes the stages of the traditional costume getting closer not only to the body but also to the soul of human and step-by-step development of additional meaning and cultural functions. The main source of the research is the materials of the Russian Geographical Society as well as folklore of the Mordovian people. The author's analysis of Mordovian traditional costume from the point of view of its social functions brings the focus to human as a creator and bearer of costume which allows to analyze one's attitude to clothing and particular elements thereof. In her research Shigurova has applied general reseaerch methods based on the information semiotic approach to analyzing the cultural phenomenon which allows to observe which elements of the traditional costume gain meaning in the process of their creation. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author defines Mordovian traditional costume as a result of creative activity of needlework mistresses reorganized into an item due to attentive observation and evaluation of the society. Complex socio-cultural processes reflect in the mentality of an ethnos, proverbs and stayings that describe the most important values of human.

Keywords: moral qualities of a person, values, meanings, Mordovian people, spiritual culture, everyday life, functions, traditional costume, proverbs, sayings

Abstract: in this article, using the methodology of architectural (V. Paperny, B. Vilkovsky) and Art Criticism (E. Panofsky) and in general humanities (Michel Foucault) attempt to examine classicism as an option for national style in Russia, whose formulation was one of the main tasks of the Russian authorities and architecture XVIII–XX centuries. The subject of this study is a process of “nationalization” of European classicism and building the basis for his version of national style. The focus of the author of various transformation/mutation associated with the use of the ideological and artistic classical heritage for formulating different versions of national style. This is accomplished using three periods of Russian history — the era of classicism as mainstream ideology and style of architecture: classicism (neoclassicism) 1770–1820, Neo-Classicism 1900–1910 and Soviet neoclassicism 1930–1950’s.

Keywords: classicism, national style, Russian Archaic (Antiquity), neoclassicism, «romantic classicism», Soviet neoclassicism, national Romanism, Stalin’s Empire, «Gothic- Russian» style, pseudoGothic style, (neo) Naryshkin style.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2016.1.14853

Abstract: The subject of the research is the philosophy of the Japanese martial arts schools. The article deals with the philosophical category of "essence" and "phenomenon", as the most developed components of the philosophical system of Japanese martial arts schools. On the basis of Zen Neo-Confucian and Buddhist concepts, martial arts masters and founders developed their own philosophical system aimed primarily at the practical implementation of philosophical principles in martial arts and warrior path in general. The research is based on the analysis of historical sources, works of masters of martial arts as well as articles and scientific papers of leading specialists in this field. The author of the article demonstrates that based on the conceptual framework 'essence - phenomenon' the masters and founders of Japanese martial arts schools developed strategic principles and tactics that implied the application of theoretical philosophical concepts to daily practice and training of a soldier. In addition, theoretical description of these categories is also interesting.

Keywords: essence, phenomenon, martial arts, Japanese philosophy, orientalism, oriental philosophy, zen, Neo-Confucianism, philosophy of martial arts, philosophical categories

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2016.1.67329

Keywords: philosophy of martial arts, essence, phenomenon, martial arts, Japanese philosophy, orientalism, oriental philosophy, zen, Neo-Confucianism, philosophical categories

Abstract: The article is devoted to the role of cultural concept and cultural approaches in historiography. The author of the article raises questions about interdisciplinarity of modern socio-humanitarian knowledge as well as borders and interactions of history, history of culture and cultural studies.

Keywords: cultural studies, history, culture, borders, dialogue, interdisciplinarity, transdisciplinarity, historio graphy, anthropology, hermeneutics.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2023.8.39760

Abstract: The subject of the study is such a phenomenon in the cult architecture of the Near East region (Levant, Mesopotamia, Anatolia, Elam) as the erection of stelae. Special attention is paid to the semantics of stelae, which had a sacred meaning for ancient people. The purpose of the research is to identify the main functions and meanings characteristic of such a typological unit in the architecture of the Near East as the stela (stele). The relevance of the research is determined by the development of interdisciplinary discourse in this issue among domestic (N. Ya. Merpet, E. V. Antonova, A. B. Zubov, T. V. Kornienko, V. V. Emelianov) and foreign (J. Mellaart, K. Schmidt) scientists. The scientific research of the article is based on the architectural-ontological research method: analysis of architectural objects (Göbekli Tepe, Nevali Çori) with the identification of typological and compositional features, analysis of literary sources in the form of sacred texts (the Epic of Gilgamesh, the Bible) with the identification of the semantic field of meanings. The novelty of the study is determined by the identification of the architectural and ontological role of stelae in the ancient architecture of the region. As a result of the study, a number of basic semantic meanings and functions characteristic of such a typological unit in the architectural tradition of the Near East as the stela (stele) are given. These conclusions can be applied in such areas of the humanities as history, philosophy, cultural studies, religious studies, art history, architecture, archeology and other sciences.

Keywords: Neolithic, Gobekli Tepe (Göbekli Tepe), Nevali Cori (Nevali Çori), Epic of Gilgamesh, category ME, Bible, Tower of Babel, Fertile Crescent, architecture of the Near East (Middle East), stelae (steles, pillars)

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2020.8.33608

Abstract: The subject of this research is the origins of Russian Opera and its evolution. The grounds of Russian Opera can be observed in folk and Church rites of the Ancient Rus’. The origins of Russian Opera stem from the Middle Ages, when the cantatory tradition formed under the impact of Byzantine and Russian folk traditions. The folk-Church events of the XVI – XVII centuries contained the theatrical elements, which later on were incorporated by the professional musical theater. Until the XVIII century, theatrical performances were open only to royalty and upper class society. The first theatre in Russia was built in 1672 for the Tsar and received a name “The Comedy Mansion”. It staged operas on the Biblical themes. The first secular operas appeared in the second half of the XVIII century. In 1756, the Empress Elizabeth of Russia turned the theater into a state and public institution. Russian operas of that time mirrored the Western models to a large extent. The emergence of truly national operas is related to the name of M. I. Glinka (1804-1857). The conclusion is made that modern Opera borrowed the principles of nationalism and humanism from its precursors. The author draws parallels between the first operas, classical Russian Opera on the one hand, and modern Russian Opera on the other. Analysis is carried out on the origin of the plots and libretto of the operas. P. I. Tchaikovsky, M. P. Mussorgsky, A. P. Borodin, N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov, S. V. S. V. Rachmaninoff, S. S. Prokofiev, D. D. Shostakovich and others, same as the inventors of the opera, wrote their operas based on literary and historical storylines.

Keywords: theatre, humanism, national roots, art, Russia, opera, roots, music, story, autor

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2014.1.11926

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2014.1.64239

Abstract: The article is devoted to the phenomenon of composition of television programs which is usually called ‘the line of television programs’. The author describes the prehistory of the process of composing television content in the theater culture, studies the principles of composition of the ancient and medieval performances, Renaissance civic and court theatre and entertainment in the Western Europe and Russia of the early modern period. The author studies the phenomenon of co-existence of theatre acts and plays of different genres and styles within the framework of one performance in the old Russian forms of entertainment, for example, in Skomorokh performances, puppet theatre, bear-baiting and school theatre. The author also compares entertainment performances of different national cultures where actors were not involved such as the Russian raree show and English Eidophusikon. In her research the author combines methods of cultural research and art history and extensively uses typological analysis of the phenomena that are related to different national cultures. The modern stage of the development of screen culture is perceived as the latest modification of the entertainment art closely connected with the pre-screen forms of art. The author describes the two patterns of organization of the conditional ‘play’ reality. The first pattern involves the presence of a solid form-containing statement that can and should be perceived only as an integral and successively developing phenomenon. The second pattern is a sequence of different form-containing statements that do not have to be related in their narrative. These ‘play’ statements do not have to be of the same genre or style. The line of television programs relates to the second pattern of the conditional entertainment reality that has been quite popular in the history of culture. The author concludes that the composition of television programs has a traditional pattern as well as the demonstrative nature of creative impersonal processes while there is the continuous sequence of television forms and frustration of responsive creative needs of the audience. This contradiction of the television art is solved within the framework of the computer culture, the latter being a more complicated and interactive screen form of art.

Keywords: cultural research, ‘archeology’ of mass media, television, theatre, miracle-play, raree show, cinema at the fair, line of television programs, interactivity, entertainment.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2013.2.62491

Abstract: The main topic of the article is the road going from Moscow to the East of Russia, in particular, the part of the road passing through Moscow region. The author of the article describes the role of this road in history for different spheres of social life and Bogorodskaya land (Bogorodskaya county of Moscow province). The road is shown as the road for traveling, trade, post service, the road of war and the road of transportation of exiles as well as the road for traveling of private travelers. The author describes the most important events and facts associated with different functions of the road and tells us how the road has been changing and shown in art work. Therefore, the author proves that this road has a great potential as an object of cultural and historical heritage. The author also suggests that this road should be viewed as the resource for territory development and describes how forgotten phenomena, events and places can be turned into the basis of tourism development and help to create new profitable objects of road-side tourism.

Keywords: cultural studies, history, image, outlook, culture, economics, heritage, revival, Moscow, Moscow Region.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2013.4.7898

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2013.4.63013

Abstract: the article discusses the semiotic approach to studying such a historical phenomenon as artillery of XVI–XVIII centuries. The article is based on the supposition that a historical cannon creates heterogeneous text with certain meanings that help to reconstruct the system of signs and recode the text itself. Local cannon text has its inner structure and is being viewed from the point of modern cultural approaches. The author makes an attempt to analyze the structure of cultural text of such historical cannon and evaluates the degree of information richness of such text. The author also views the ability of the cannon text to acquire new meanings and to bring into focus old forgotten meanings when interacting with new cultural contexts. The author also raises a question about historical value of cannon’s text. The author offers a classification of ‘readers’ of canon’s text depending on their interest, manner of text research and the nature of searched information. The results are shown in a table.

Keywords: cultural studies, semiotics, text, context, structure, function, artillery, cannon, information, primary source.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2015.4.13822

Abstract: The subject of the present research is the nature and functions of publicity as a cultural phenomenon. However, the concept of publicity as it is viewed by the author of the article has a very distinct chronological framework. In particular, the author views the process of creation of a new form of publicity in the cities of the Modern and Contemporary Periods. If we apply the sociological approach to the matter, we can see that the creation and development of a new form of publicity relates to the transfer from the pre-industrial society to the industrial society. Generations of the second half of the XXth century have already faced another kind of transfer, i.e. the transfer from the industrial soiety to the post-industrial society. As far as publicity in the cities of the Modern Period are concerned, it retains most of its traditional forms. However, as public communications develop based on new technologies, publicity loses its traditional forms and becomes an expression of space virtualization. The author tries to define anthopological features of publicity both in traditional and virtual forms. The main methological approach to the analysis of publicity is the sociological approach. In addition, the author has used the historico-genetic approach. Khrenov has also appealed to observations made by experts in social and culural studies who study early forms of the society. The author of the article believes that archetypical dual formulas that appeared at the early stages of history can become active at the later stages of the social development. As an example, the author analyzes the playful opposition between Great Russians and Lesser Russians described in ancient Russian chronicles. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that as a research object the author views different forms of publicity starting from archaic funny rituals, behavior of merchants at fairs, noble and merchant clubs and ending with publicity forms realized in virtuality. The author tries to define and specify such features of publicity as theatricism, spectacularity, playful and festive nature. Special attention is paid to the relation between the society and theatre.

Keywords: publicity, public space, duality, theatricism, emotional deficiency, emotional contact, festivity, identity, society, public

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2015.4.66546

Keywords: publicity, public space, duality, theatricism, emotional deficiency, emotional contact, festivity, identity, society, public

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2016.4.19577

Abstract: The subject of the research is the scientific grounds for the interdisciplinary research of ethnocultural symbolics of Kabardians and Balkarians as the basis of perception as well as issues of ethnogenesis, artistic creativity, rituals and other phenomena in the region. The author of the article examines such aspects of the topic as the philosophical, aesthetical and cultural analysis and research of literary sources in order to describe artistic and aesthetic grounds of syncretism in the spiritual culture of Kabarians and Balkarians based on their folklore. The research is based on the enthonational concept of folklore as a carrier of spiritual ethnic values and traditions and certain view of life as one of the elements that ensure the continuity of culture and preservation of the basic fundamental national values. The methodological basis of the research includes the elements of the systems and dialectical approaches to studying ethnocultural symbolics of the Kabardino-Balkar Region. Such approach to the analysis of contradictory and perceptible nature of symbol has made the research integral. The main conclusions of the research is that ethnocultural symbolics either preserves the substantial unity of Idea and Item or implicates the image that predetermines the presence of a certain semantic meaning that, in their turn, collectively create insaparable elements of a symbol. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the author develops a systems approach that may be useful for further research of ethnocultural symbolics and genesis of the graphic symbol - family signs (tamgas) as an aspect of spiritual and material culture of Kabardians and Balkarians.

Keywords: ethno-cultural symbolism, folklore, ethnography, ornament, spiritual culture of the Kabardino-Balkar Region, tamga, graphic symbol, tradition, solar signs, musical symbols

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2016.4.68080

Keywords: ethno-cultural symbolism, folklore, ethnography, ornament, spiritual culture of the Kabardino-Balkar Region, tamga, graphic symbol, tradition, solar signs, musical symbols

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2015.5.13870

Abstract: The subject of the present research is the nature and functions of publicity as a cultural phenomenon. Among numerous forms of historical research, the most famous ones are history of society, history of state, history of culture, history of communication and history of art. However, the development of history of art goes in parallel with history of public, i.e. the environment where art functions. The environment either contributes to the development of an intensive art life or, on the contrary, puts brakes on the development of art. Moreover, history of public is also the history of a more general phemonenon - publicity that is manifested not only in art but also in rituals, fairies, festive, sport, entertaining and theatrical forms. What is publicity considering that it is an intermediate element between history of art and history of society? What forms of publicity have been known throughout history? What functions has publicity performed in history? These are the questions the author covers in his article and chooses as the subject of his research. Taking into account that history of publicity is a form of history of society, the author has used the sociological approach to studying features of publicity because the sociological approach completes the historical approach. Sociology dictates a differentiated approach to society and, therefore, to publicity. In his article Khrenov describes the features of publicity attributed to pre-industrial, industrial and post-industrial societies. The author also focuses on the transfer of publicity forms that are typical for the industrial society to the publicity forms that are representative for post-industrial societies that create virtual forms of publicity based on developed technologies. Khrenov also pays attention to the contribution of so-called 'the third class' to the development of new forms of publicity. The novelty of the research is caused by the fact that the processes ongoing in the cities of the Modern and Contemporary Periods, in particular, those that are typical for new forms of publicity, have consequences for not only the society but also culture in general. Publicity is also a sphere of creative culture, thus the author has also applied the cultural approach to studying publicity as the subject of the present research. Publicity is the phenomenon that is related to both culture and society. To prove it, the author appeals to the theatrical life of the XVIIIth century when future virtual forms of publicity associated with television and Internet started to appear.

Keywords: virtual publicity, festivity, emotional contact, emotional deficiency, theatricism, duality, communication, publicity, industrial society, public

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2015.5.66912

Keywords: virtual publicity, festivity, emotional contact, emotional deficiency, theatricism, duality, communication, publicity, industrial society, public

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2013.5.9682

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2013.5.63368

Abstract: Golem is one of the most known mythological images. The present article is devoted to the history of that image from Ancient times to the middle of the XIX century, before the appearance of the first literary sources mentioned it. During the medieval period the book by Sefer Yetsira was considered as a key to creation and revival of the golem. It was assumed that the golem could be woken by using various letters of the Jewish alphabet. Process of revival of the golem was associated with mystical experience. According to ashkenazi tradition golems were the creation of righteous persons who, because they were close to God, possessed some part of his wisdom and force. One of manifestations of Divine force is the ability to create living beings. However, even the righteous person could create only a weak reminder of Divine creations. One of shortcomings of the golem was his inability to speak. The earliest known written mentioning of creation of the Golem by the historical person refers to Rabbi Eliyahu from the Hill (1550–1583), and the most known history is the history about the Prague golem. His founder was Judah Loew ben Bezalel (the MaHaRal). Based on the dominating among historians and philologists opinion, the history of the Prague golem was first mentioned in German-speaking Jewish literature of the XIX century. In the 1830-1840’s there was a number of writing where that story was described. Origin of such stories was due to the folklore movement which was famous in Jewish literary communities back in those times. The earliest known source for the story thus far is the 1834 book Der Jüdische Gil Blas by Josef Seligman Kohn. Cathy Gelbin finds an earlier source in Gustav Filippson’s story «The Golem and the Adulteress» published in the Jewish magazine Shulamit» in 1834, however this dating is doubtful. The legend was transferred before orally; probably it goes back to times the MaHaRal.

Keywords: cultural research, golem, artificial creatures, Zizkov, Prague, Moshe Idel, Gustav Meyrink, Sefer Yetzirah, Rabbi Loew, Vilna Gaon, Kabala.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2014.5.12400

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0625.2014.5.65551

Abstract: The article touches upon one of the most topical issues in the methodology of art history. The absolute priority given in the history research to the linear principle which genesis goes back to the age of Enlightenment has made art historians to pay more attention to certain periods while leaving other periods without adequate interpretations. In the latter case art is perceived as declining and not demonstrating complete or definite artwork as it seemed. This is the reason why those periods in art history were rarely studied. The example is the perception of the Western or Byzantine medieval art. As the science that was formed in the age of Enlightenment, esthetics took the exclusive Renaissance art as the starting point in the art development. Based on that approach, all artistic values were interpreted disregarding the type of culture they represented. In his first article the author described how Pitirim Sorokin destroyed stereotypes of the academic community and applied the cyclic principle to all historical periods as an alternative to the linear principle. In the second article the author shows how the absolute priority given to the linear principle in art history created an abundance of insoluble questions and how the cyclic principle applied by Pitirim Sorokin to art history help to solve these questions. The present article focuses on the constructability of the cyclic principle used by Pitirim Sorokin. It is also very important that Pitirim Sorokin talked not only about methodology but also about application of that methodology to all periods of art history. Pitirim Sorokin shows how the three types of culture have been constantly taking turns thought the history: sensate culture, ideational culture and integrated or synthesized culture. Development of each artistic style is shown within the framework of a particular cultural environment. Therefore, art history appears to be closely connected with cultural history. Thus, Pitirim Sorokin’s concept of social dynamics offers a very useful methodological approach to researchers. Despite the fact that Pitirim Sorokin introduced his ideas in the middle of the last century, nevertheless, his ideas were left unnoticed by both Russian and Western scientists and sociologists for quite a long time. It was partly due to the fact that social studies and history have always had quite uneasy elations. Sociologists very rarely referred to history but Pitirim Sorokin eliminated that prejudice. The intensive development of cultural research in modern Russian makes researchers be more interested in Pitirim Sorokin’s theory of social dynamics because his theory combined both the historical and cultural approaches. Pitirim Sorokin’s theory is one of the brightest examples of the interaction between different branches of modern science. The author of the present article very well shows how useful such inter-disciplinary interaction may be for art history researches.