Jewish branch of cultural text of the Crimean ethnic ornament
The subject of this research is the continuum of ethnic symbols of the ornament of the Crimean Jews. The object is the traditional decorative and applied art of the peoples of Crimea following Judaism: Ashkenazi Jews, Karaite and Krymchaks. The symbolism of ethnic art is viewed based on the analysis of traditional decor. The article employs the methods of comparative analysis, analysis of previous research, method of synthesis in conclusions pertinent to connotations of symbols. The author explores the morphology and semantics of visual symbols in decorative and applied art of the aforementioned people, as well as connotations of symbols. Special attention is given to aspects that characterize polyethnic cultural landscape of Crimea in the context of phylogenesis. The main conclusions are as follows: 1. Crimea is a polyethnic region with various cultural processes – from reception to inculturation and integration of ethnoses, which ultimately formed the Crimean cultural landscape. Its peculiarities are represented by ethnic ornament, such as decorated household items and ritual attributes 2. Symbolism of the elements of traditional art of Ashkenazi Crimean Jews, Karaite and Krymchaks has common connotations due to the Torah that underlies the religious confession of all three ethnoses, as well as similar morphology. The art of Karaite and Krymchaks are more identical to each other than to Jewish. The author’s special contribution lies in systematization of the morphology of visual symbols in the art of the three ethnoses. The scientific novelty consists in carrying out a comparative analysis of the art of three Crimean ethnoses, revealing foundations of the genesis and continuum of its elements, their similarities and differences.