Ritual highlight “serge” in the texts of the Olonkho еpic: semantics, symbolics

This article examines the semantics and symbolism of the ritual hitching post, or serge, in the texts of the Yakut heroic epic, olonkho. The relevance of this study stems from the insufficient study of folklore, particularly epic texts, as a source of ethnocultural information about Yakut hitching posts, as well as their semantic and symbolic features. This constitutes the novelty of this work. The goal of the study is to identify and systematize the specific features of serge symbolism, represented in ritual actions described in olonkho. The methodological framework utilizes continuous sampling, structural-semantic, semiotic, and functional analysis.

The analysis shows that the ritual serge functions as a multi-layered sacred marker. It marks the center of the estate and clan, and in a ritual context, it serves as a transition point between worlds and the center of ritual action. The hitching post serves as a channel of communication with the Aiyy deities (requesting the soul of a child, blessing, and patronage) and symbolizes the founding of a new clan, a new family. In military rites, it serves as an indicator of a warrior’s fate: the state of the arrow pierced through it (“the outer soul”) informs his family of his participation. The symbolism of the serge is encoded through a system of binary oppositions and sacred numbers. The duality of the epic universe is expressed through a metallic code: the gold/silver hitching post (the world of aiyy) is contrasted with the copper/iron one (the world of abaasy). The sacredness of numbers is manifested in the triple circumambulation and the installation of 3, 7, or 9 serge during the wedding ceremony. The author concludes that the serge in olonkho texts represents not just an element of material culture, but a multifunctional sacred symbol, permeating key ritual complexes of the Yakut tradition and serving as a crucial tool for preserving ethnically identifying information. The author notes that the olonkho texts do not contain a complex of funerary rites associated with the hitching post. Future plans include a systematic analysis of the symbolic nature of the hitching post within the context of local Yakut olonkho traditions, as well as a study of the representation of the hitching post in Turkic-Mongolian epics.

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