NEW IMAGES OF THE OB-UGRIC CULTURE: THE TRACES OF ISLAM IN THE RELIGIOUS ORNAMENT

The article considers the process of transformation of the Ob Ugrian culture on the basis of the analysis of the unique collection of objects of decorative and applied art of the XVII-XXI centuries. This process reflects the formation of a group with a syncretic culture (Ob-Ugric Istiaks). The action of the frontier through contacts with the Siberian Tatars led to the enrichment of culture through external borrowing. The author draws attention to the fact that the Ob Ugrians were ready for cultural transformation within the framework of adoption of other, but necessary norms for survival. The article emphasizes that the Orthodox missionaries were “late” in relation to this part of the Ob Ugrians, since by the 18th century Islam (in the regional version) had already become a part of their spiritual and daily life. Evolutionary processes have led to new phenomena in the Ugric culture. The author analyzes the decorative ornaments of the felon on wooden sculptures of Nikolay Mozhaisky of the 17th century, comparing them with ornaments of the indigenous population of the North, objects related to Christian and Muslim culture. The author’s attention was drawn to the chess ornament. In the process of the analysis several hypotheses of its origin are put forward - from the connection with the Greek Orthodox culture to the reflection of the Northern traditions and the Muslim ornament-girih in its Siberian version: the article focuses on the latter option. Ob-Ugric culture is syncretic in its content, covers a variety of forms of customs, faith, language, life. In the present article the author makes a certain contribution to the study of this problem, highlighting one of the sides of the original Ob-Ugric culture.