Sárközi A., Sazykin A.G. Calling the Soul of the Dead. Texts of Mongol Folk-Religion in the St.Petersburg Institute of Oriental Studies, I. In collaboration with Tibor Szabó. Brepols 2005 (Silk Road Studies, IX).
Research of Mongolian folk-religion has been the subject of special attention in recent years. Publication of extant texts and the translation, edition and analysis of these texts have appeared. We have got detailed descriptions of certain rituals, whole books have been dedicated to till now neglected areas.
The present study examines a very special and less known ritual of folk-religion, the ceremony of calling back the soul of the dead or of the sick person. Among the Mongols and at the surrounding areas it was commonly believed that illness and death were caused by the absence of the soul, so a special ritual was required to call back the wandering soul.
Our research has been based on special texts preserved in the Collection in the St.Petersburg Branch of the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences. By way of background we give an outline of the observations of researchers who carried out fieldwork and travelers who have visited the relevant areas. We also include the material from personal communication of Mongols from different areas where Mongol peoples live…
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