Dolgan churchyards as a space of religious syncretism: the interaction of shamanism and Christianity
V.I. Diachenko
Vestnik arheologii, antropologii i ètnografii June 15, 2026 DOI: 10.20874/2071-0437-2026-73-2-13 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Dolgan churchyards and burial monuments in Central and Eastern Taimyr, Krasnoyarsk Territory, Russia |
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Key findings | The author argues that Dolgan churchyards reveal a close correlation between cemetery architectural features and ancestral ethnic traditions, and that grave design shows interaction between shamanic traditions and Christian practices. The work contends that these sites are important for understanding religious syncretism among the Dolgan and the history and spread of Russian wooden architecture in the Arctic. |
Abstract
This study presents a comprehensive analysis of Dolgan churchyards as a unique cultural space. It enables us to identify key features of material culture, to examine the mechanisms of religious syncretism and their connection with ethnic traditions, and to assess the significance of these sites for understanding the history of wooden architecture in the Arctic region. The research is based on a comparative analysis of photographic materials collected by the author, supplemented by data from museum collections. This approach enabled the identification of stable elements and local variations in material culture. Special attention was given to the constructive features of burial monuments, contributing to the understanding of the processes of religious syncretism. Analysis of the interaction between shamanic traditions and Christian practices in the design of graves has significantly deepened the understanding of religious syncretism among the Dolgan people. A close correlation has been established between the architectural features of Dolgan cemeteries and the ethnic traditions of their ancestors. The study also reveals the importance of Dolgan churchyards as a source for investigating the history and spread of Russian wooden architecture. The work demonstrates the unique aspects of cultural and religious interaction in the Arctic region, emphasizing the value of these monuments for a comprehensive understanding of the historical process. The geographical scope of the study encompasses Central and Eastern Taimyr, located within the Dol-gano-Nenetsky district of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. The area extends from the Ust-Avam River in the west to the eastern administrative border of the Khatanga District, which serves as a boundary with the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). The chronological framework spans the end of the 20th century to the first quarter of the 21st century. This period corresponds to the average preservation period of wooden grave structures in the Arctic tundra and forest tundra zones.
Comparable studies
Other qualitative studies on shamanism, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| "Plantas con madre": plants that teach and guide in the shamanic initiation process in the East-Central Peruvian Amazon. Curanderos, apprentices, and herbalists in East-Central Peru, including Mestizo,... | 2011 | Qualitative study | n = 36 |
| Purging and the body in the therapeutic use of ayahuasca Healers and participants in shamanic tourism contexts of the Peruvian Amazon and... | 2019 | Ethnography with literature review | n = 227 |
| The Globalization of Ayahuasca Shamanism and the Erasure of Indigenous Shamanism Western tourists and indigenous peoples in Iquitos, Peru | 2016 | Ethnography | |
| Shamanism and Rock Art in Far Western North America Historic hunter-gatherer cultures of California and the Great Basin | 1992 | Ethnographic review and analysis | |
| Working with “La Medicina”: Elements of Healing in Contemporary Ayahuasca Rituals Ayahuasqueros and Western participants in shamanic tourism in Iquitos, Peru | 2012 | Ethnography |