During the initial part of the 20th century, scholars studying Buryat shamanism held the belief that deceased shamans were predominantly subjected to cremation. M.N. Khangalov, a well-known Buryat ethnologist, provided a detailed account of the cremation process, which was subsequently analyzed by B.E. Petri, a Professor at Irkutsk State University. Both descriptions were derived from ethnological sources and exhibit apparent similarities.
Researchers have found that shamans are interred in designated shamanic groves that are exclusive to a certain clan or ulus. These groves are situated in the steppe and are easily noticeable from a distance. There was a strict prohibition on cutting down trees in that area, punishable by severe penalties, including death.
This prohibition aligns with a Polynesian taboo. This likely elucidates the lack of archaeological evidence for the death rituals of shamans in literature from the first half of the 20th century and earlier. Comprehensive archeological investigations carried out at Lake Baikal during the latter half of the 20th century unveiled both locations where bodies were burned and places where bodies were buried. The latter were interred in a manner that deviated from the norm of most burials, including those in the Medieval period: the deceased were placed in the grave in a prone position.
It appears that those interred in such a manner warranted distinctive consideration for specific justifications. Researchers classify them as religious specialists, specifically shamans. Hence, it is imperative to use archaeological and ethnographic evidence to demonstrate the diverse forms of ritual associated with shaman funerals.
The uppermost part of a “horse cane” was fashioned to resemble the head of a horse, while the middle section showed a horse’s knee. At the lower end of the cane, a hoof was intricately carved. Khangalov states that wooden and iron canes had a similar shape, with the only difference being the design of the heads. The head of the cane, when made of wood, functioned as the upper part and had a knob-like shape. In the case of iron canes, the head was connected to the rod at a 90-degree angle. Shamans typically acquire an iron cane and a crown headgear only after completing their fifth initiation.
“Horse canes” were adorned with bells, conical pendants, and miniature stirrups in order to enhance their resemblance to horses. The crown caps were adorned with conical pendants and horns crafted from twisted iron, which were affixed at the place where the plates intersected, creating a hemisphere. The Yakuts, who are the closest neighbors of the Buryats, exhibit comparable semantic characteristics in their “horse canes”.
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In his description of Yakut shamans, N.A. Alekseyev mentions a cane with a horse’s head-shaped tip, which is considered a customary trait. Shamans employed drums and canes of this nature as a means of transportation to traverse between different realms. Another distinctive feature is that the “horse cane” could serve as a drum when one of the hanging bells was of significant size. The large bell itself might fulfill the same purpose. The term “haesae” (drum) is employed in anthropological literature. Khangalov stated that Kudin shamans opted for large bells known as haesae instead of drums due to their greater convenience. With the exception of one instance, where a newly-inducted and uninformed shaman utilized a drum, the researcher did not come across any drums among the Olkhon shamans. If our understanding of the bells and small stirrups is accurate, then the individual who was incinerated at the location discovered in 1974 was a shaman who had undergone initiation. Additionally, this individual possessed a “horse cane” which had its wooden portion burned off.
At the alternate cremation site, a collection of copper smoking pipes, bracelets, and rings in a molten state were discovered. Additionally, it produced a slender iron-bladed dagger, arrowheads, and pendants consisting of a stirrup and a ring of equal dimensions, adorned with three conical rattling pendants linked by a figure-of-eight carbine. Furthermore, a total of 21 distinct conical rattle pendants were discovered, bearing a striking resemblance to those seen on shamanic robes preserved in the museums of Khakassia, Tuva, and Yakutia. The amulets were affixed to the shaman’s garments, specifically on the chest and shoulder blades.
It is likely that the shamans of Olkhon utilized comparable items for adorning their garments. In the early 20th century, M.N. Khangalov stated that contemporary shaman outfits, whether used for everyday or ritual purposes, closely resemble typical Buryat attire. Only esteemed and senior shamans use more elaborate attire, but the majority of shamans are impoverished. Khangalov observed that shamans adorned themselves with a fur coat, known as orgoi, which had metal figurines of humans, horses, birds, and other creatures.
Given the circumstances, it is quite likely that Buryat shamans utilized conical metal pendants. Ethological data can provide insights on the purpose of the small stirrups and bells discovered at the cremation sites of Buryat shamans. The drum served as a crucial tool in shamanic practices. According to Khangalov, it is possible that Cis-Baikal shamans substituted it with a pair of “horse canes,” which were either made of wood or iron. Wooden canes were crafted specifically for each shaman before to their initial initiation.
Precisely carved wooden bars were extracted from a maturing birch tree with utmost care to avoid any harm to the heartwood, as the demise of the tree was considered an unfavorable sign for the shaman. The birch tree was selected from the grove as the burial site for the shaman.
The upper part of the “horse cane” was designed to resemble the head of a horse, while the middle section resembled a horse’s knee. At the lower end of the cane, a hoof was intricately carved. Khangalov states that wooden and iron canes had a similar shape, with the only difference being the design of the heads. The head of the cane, when made of wood, functioned as the upper part and had a knob-like shape. In the case of iron canes, the head was connected to the rod at a 90-degree angle.
Shamans typically obtain an iron cane and a crown headgear as part of their fifth initiation. “Horse canes” were embellished with bells, conical pendants, and miniature stirrups to enhance their resemblance to horses.The crown caps were adorned with conical pendants and horns crafted from twisted iron, which were affixed at the place where the plates intersected, creating a hemisphere.
The Yakuts, who are the closest neighbors of the Buryats, exhibit comparable semantic characteristics in their “horse canes”. N.A. Alekseyev, in his description of the customary characteristics of Yakut shamans, mentions a cane with a horse-shaped head at its top. Shamans employed drums and canes of this nature as a means of transportation to traverse between different realms. Another distinctive feature is that the “horse cane” might serve as a drum in the event that one of the hanging bells was of considerable size. The large bell itself may fulfill the identical purpose.
The name “haesae” refers to a type of drum that is commonly mentioned in ethnographic literature. Khangalov stated that Kudin shamans opted for large bells known as haesae instead of drums due to their greater practicality. With the exception of one instance, where an unskilled and uninformed shaman utilized a drum, the researcher did not come across any drums among the Olkhon shamans. If our understanding of the bells and small stirrups is accurate, then the individual who was incinerated at the location discovered in 1974 was a shaman who had undergone initiation. Additionally, this person possessed a “horse cane,” albeit the wooden portion of it had been completely burned.
