Paper short abstract:

In this paper, a typology of the inhabited and non-inhabited places significant for the Cossack and peasant versions of winter ritual processions will be presented; I will also trace the changes of the participants’ ritual behaviour, symbolism and the places of the performing activity in time.

Paper long abstract:

Up to now, the winter calendric processions are among the most preserved elements of the ritual year in the South of Russia.

The specificity of the local variants of the traditional culture in this area depends not only on the ethnic origin of the inhabitants but also on their social status (two main social groups there were Cossacks (predominantly warriors) and peasants (predominantly farmers and artisans)). The elements of the value systems of these groups are reflected in their calendric rituals.

In this paper, a typology of the inhabited and non-inhabited places significant for the Cossack and peasant versions of winter ritual processions will be presented; I will also trace the changes of the participants' ritual behaviour, symbolism and the places of the performing activity in time.

I will provide the profound analysis of the following points:

- Military symbolism of the Cossack ritual calendric processions;

- The role of the places of commemoration in the topography of the Cossack ritual processions;

- Nature, vegetation, and providing of a good harvest in the symbolism of the peasant ritual processions;

- Transformation of these rituals in the 20th century, with narrowing of the territory included in the ritual, reducing the amount and diversity of participants, the oblivion of the military symbolic elements and actions, and preserving of the fertility symbolism.