116 FEATURE In the vocabulary of the Nanai people (formerly referred to as the Gol’d), who occupy the Amur River basin and the Maritime Region (Primorye) in Eastern Siberia, the word seve means “soul.” The sculptural image in which the seve is housed is called a seven, which is the term for an idol. Nanai tradition prohibited the production of sculptural representations of humans or animals, but the production of ritual seven sculptures of protective spirits was an integral part of their culture. These were made of various materials, including wood, straw, fabric, and metal, in accordance with their status in the hierarchy of the protective deities of the world. Their form was thus determined by their place in the three-part division of the sacral world (or mythical universe) into the upper, middle, and lower worlds. Intermediate spheres also existed between the upper and middle and the middle and lower worlds (Derevianko, 2005). Most seven were made of wood and occupied the middle world and the intermediate spheres. The protective spirits of the upper (celestial or heavenly) world of the mythical universe were often made in the form of metal amulets (fi gs. Ritual Bronzes FIG. 1 (above left): Protector fi gure, edehe. Nanai, Amur region, eastern Siberia. Probably 18th or 19th century. Copper alloy. H: 5.8 cm. Private collection, Scandinavia. FIG. 2 (above): Protector fi gure, edehe. Nanai, Amur region, eastern Siberia. Probably 18th or 19th century. Copper alloy. H: 4.6 cm. Private collection. FIG. 3 (right): Large female seven known as “Ambanso Ayami” (“Dyuli”). Nanai, Amur region, eastern Siberia. Late 19th century. Wood. H: 86 cm. Khabarovsk Museum, acquired before 1914. From Titoreva, 2012, cat. no. 282. of the Amur Region of Eastern Siberia By Richard Margolis
T81E
To see the actual publication please follow the link above