Myths of Eastern Siberia: From the Angara and Yenisei to the Heavenly Blacksmith Bozhintoy and the Sun Maiden Nyoltek

Why do they call the Moon a damned sun? Why did an eight-legged deer come down from the sky? Who determines whether the fire will ignite in the hearth?

From generation to generation, the peoples living in Siberia passed down legends about the origin of the universe and of humans, about sacred places and ritual holidays, about the creation of lakes and rivers. The supreme sky god Tengri, the guardian of children’s souls Umay, the ruler of the underworld Erlik Khan, and other deities played an important role in the lives of ancient people— protecting them from dangers and granting well-being.

“Myths of Eastern Siberia” will tell the reader who inhabited the land according to Evenki beliefs, about the wanderings of the soul in the way the Yukaghirs imagined it, and about who, according to Buryat tales, gave rise to the art of shamans. The book contains around one hundred plots of myths and legends of the peoples of Siberia.

Who is this book for:

For lovers of history and mythology.

For those interested in Russian culture and the rites of the peoples of Russia.

For those who want to immerse themselves in the past and find parallels with the present.