Temporal Decoration of the Female Head Gear of Upper Volga Region of 13th-15th Centuries

The author examines temporal decoration of the female head gear, revealed in the burial sites and on the settlements of the Upper Volga region of the 13th – 15th centuries. Throughout the 13th century the cast "imitation" jewelry was used, imitating pre-Mongolian precious attire with colts and temporal rings with grain and filigree beads. The most common decorations were the temporal rings with smooth beads, preserved in the attire until the end of the 14th century, and simple temporal rings of small and medium-diameter with entering ends and bent ends. The cast lunar false-woven rings were also revealed. In the 13th century the new forms of jewelry appeared. These are the temporal rings with a shaped blade, modifications of which used during the 13th –1th centuries. Probably the temporal rings were used in a combination with a rigid headgear and earrings, which became a part of the costume in the 14th century.

Ecological Parameters of Water Bodies in the Northern Part of the Upper Volga Region with River Flow Regulations

The regulation of river flow in the Volga basin has caused irreversible changes to aquatic ecosystems. The transformation of the Volga into a cascade of hydraulic structures with a non-flow regime has resulted in a decrease in depth and flow, and an increase in the temperature and concentration of chemical elements, which has induced the process of eutrophication. The change in the species diversity of aquatic organisms under conditions of intense eutrophication was studied on models of water bodies from the Volga basin; the Kostroma section of the Gorky reservoir (Kostroma spill and the middle river section), and lakes Galichskoe and Chukhlomskoe were studied. Rheophilic biocenosis was replaced by a limnophilic one, the migration paths of fish were disrupted, and population characteristics were changed. In accordance with environmental conditions, the level of primary production and the calculated Carlson trophic index (TSI) and Broth-proposed index (ITS) (1987), the water bodies of the northern part of the upper Volga region are classified as follows: the middle river section of the Gorky reservoir is mesotrophic-eutrophic (TSI = 55.2, ITS = 16.2); the Kostroma spill is eutrophic with a tendency to hypertrophy (TSI = 67.4, ITS = 6.8); Lake Galichskoe is eutrophic with a tendency to dystrophy (TSI = 63.2, ITS = 8.4), and Lake Chukhlomskoe is hypertrophic with a tendency to dystrophy (TSI = 77.4, ITS = 8.0). In addition, frequent fluctuations in water level, reaching 1 m, have had an adverse effect on inhabitants of the littoral zone including the spawning fish, which may lead to disappearance of some of the region’s most sensitive species.

Revising the Chronology of Stanovoye 4 in the Upper Volga Region (Western Russia)

This paper examines the Stanovoye 4 site-chronology, which was developed through several radiocarbon dating efforts throughout the last two decades. Today, the dates indicate longterm cultural traditions at the site, lasting over 3000 years. The goal of this paper is to understand the site chronology holistically, which is done through a critical review of all available dates and sample characteristics. Additionally, the choice of sample materials, dating methods and preservation practices will be discussed. Furthermore, the dating of PVA-consolidated samples is discussed from an archaeological standpoint.

Vocabulary for Lower Back and Lumbar Pain in Russian Dialects: an Overview

The semantic-motivational and etymological analysis of the Russian dialectal designations of lumbar and lumbar pain is presented. The material was extracted from dictionaries of Russian dialects, from unpublished card files of the Ural University toponymic expedition to the territories of the Russian North and the Upper Volga region, as well as folklore and ethnographic sources related to folk medicine. The main semantic-motivational models underlying the designation of the lower back, which can reflect the idea of the “topography” of this part of the body, correlation with adjacent bodily areas, the functions of the lower back, and pain symptoms are considered. It is noted that in the “lumbar” vocabulary the main place belongs to the names of lumbar pain, the abundance of which is determined by the nature of agricultural labor. It has been shown that several names contain an indication of the localization of pain, but in most cases the nature of the pain is conveyed — cutting, stabbing, aching, etc. The authors analyze linguistic material in combination with folklore and ethnographic: texts of conspiracies, ritual dialogues, descriptions of magical healing practices. Sign complexes are identified, within which the designations of pain symptoms are projected onto methods, means and tools of treatment. In such complexes, the principle of etymological magic can be realized, consistent with the concept of the “witchcraft” origin of pain symptoms. Motivational and etymological solutions for dark words are proposed.