Hygiene culture of nomads in the Eurasian steppes during the 13th–15th centuries

L.F. Abzalov

Kazan Federal University, Kazan, 420008 Russia

E-mail: len_afzal@mail.ru

Received September 18, 2020

Full text PDF

DOI: 10.26907/2541-7738.2020.6.22-34

For citation: Abzalov L.F. Hygiene culture of nomads in the Eurasian steppes during the 13th–15th centuries. Uchenye Zapiski Kazanskogo Universiteta. Seriya Gumanitarnye Nauki, 2020, vol. 162, no. 6, pp. 22–34. doi: 10.26907/2541-7738.2020.6.22-34. (In Russian)

Abstract

Based on a comprehensive study of various written sources and ethnographic materials, this paper considers some aspects of personal hygiene of nomads, who lived in the Eurasian steppes during the 13th–15th centuries, i.e., primarily in the states of Genghis Khan and his descendants. Regarding both similar living conditions and ethnocultural situation, as well as the important role of traditions in the nomadic society of Central Asia, the data of the ethnographic sources about the everyday life of nomads during the subsequent eras (in the 16th–20th centuries) were extrapolated to the nomadic society of Genghis Khan’s states. The body hygiene procedures (associated with face, hands, and head hair) were analyzed. The main personal hygiene products (combs, scissors, mirrors, cosmetics (white paint), soap, etc.) were described. It was revealed that the hygiene culture of nomads in the Eurasian steppes developed under the influence of the following objective factors: nature and climate, economic and living conditions. In this process, the faith-related factors and the worldview were also critical, mostly in Ulus and Jochi. The hygiene knowledge and practices of all nomads were generally similar, but there were some specific features associated with their ethnocultural background.

Keywords: personal hygiene, hygiene procedures, nomads, Great Steppe, states of Genghis Khan’s descendants

References

1. Sidorenko G.I. Hygiene. In: Malaya meditsinskaya entsiklopediya [Small Medical Encyclopedia]. Vol. 1. Moscow, Sov. Entsikl., Bol’shaya Entsikl., Meditsina, 1991. 440 p. (In Russian)
2. Gabovich R.D., Poznanskii S.S., Shakhbazyan G.Kh. Gigiena [Hygiene]. Kiev, Vishcha Shk., 1981. 320 p. (In Russian)
3. Arkhangel’skii V.I. Gigiena s osnovami ekologii cheloveka [Hygiene with the Basics of Human Ecology]. Mel’nichenko P.I. (Ed.). Moscow, GEOTLR-Media, 2011. 752 p. (In Russian)
4. Georgi I.G. Opisanie vsekh obitayushchikh v Rossiiskom gosudarstve narodov: ikh zhiteiskikh obryadov, obyknovenii, odezhd, zhilishch, uprazhnenii, zabav, veroispovedanii i drugikh dostopamyatnostei [Description of All Peoples Living in the Russian State: Their Everyday Rituals, Customs, Clothes, Houses, Activities, Games, Faith, and Other Memorable Characters]. Vol. 4: About the Mongols, Armenians, Georgians, Indians, Germans, Poles, and the ruling Russians, with all the names of the Cossacks, and the story of Little Russia, as well as Courland and Lithuania. St. Petersburg, 1799. 385 p. (In Russian)
5. Przheval’skii N.M. Mongoliya i strana tangutov. Trekhletnee puteshestvie v Vostochnoi Nagornoi Azii N. Przheval’skogo [Mongolia and the Tangut Country. Three Years of N. Przheval’skii’s Travel in the Eastern Highland Asia]. Vol. 1: With route survey. St. Petersburg, Tip. V.S. Balasheva, 1875. 383 p. (In Russian)
6. Zeland N. Kyrghyzs: An ethnological essay. Zapiski Zapadno-Sibirskogo Otdela IRGO, 1885, vol. 7, no. 2, pp. 1–84. (In Russian)
7. Gomboev G. On ancient Mongolian customs and superstitions as described by Giovanni da Pian del Carpine. Trudy Vostochnogo Otdeleniya IRAO, 1859, pt. IV, pp. 236–256. (In Russian)
8. Maiskii I.M. Sovremennaya Mongoliya: otchet Mongol’skoi ekspeditsii, snaryazhennoi Irkutskoi Kontoroi Vserossiiskogo Tsentral’nogo Soyuza Potrebitel’nykh Obshchestv “Tsentrosoyuz” [Contemporary Mongolia: A Report of the Mongolian Expedition Organized by the Irkutsk Branch of the All-Russian Central Union of Consumer Societies, “Tsentrosoyuz”]. Irkutsk, B.I., 1921. 333 p. (In Russian)
9. Zilivinskaya E.D. Baths of the Golden Horde. In: Praktika i teoriya arkheologicheskikh issledovanii [Practice and Theory of Archaeological Studies]. Moscow, Pandora-1, 2001, pp. 174–226. (In Russian)
10. Sharifullin R.F. Bulgarian baths and their study. In: Gorod Bolgar: Monumental’noe stroitel’stvo, arkhitektura, blagoustroistvo [Bolgar: Building of Monuments, Architecture, and Landscaping]. Moscow, Nauka, 2001, pp. 217–260. (In Russian)
11. Abzalov L.F. “Hot spring for cure of diseases”: On the practice of hydropathy in the Golden Horde. Zolotoordynskoe Obozrenie, 2017, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 756–769. (In Russian)
12. Bichurin N.Ya. Zapiski o Mongolii [Notes about Mongolia]. Vol. 1. St. Petersburg, Tip. Karla Kraiya, 1828. 231 p. (In Russian)
13. Krasnov A.N. Ocherk byta semirechenskih Kirgiz [Essay on the Everyday Life of the Kyrghyzs in the Semirechye Region]. St. Petersburg, Tip. A.S. Suvorina, 1887. 46 p. (In Russian)
14. Weinstein S.I. Mir kochevnikov tsentra Azii [Nomadic World of Central Asia]. Moscow, Nauka, 1991. 296 p. (In Russian)
15. Yurchenko A.G. Mongolian men’s hairstyle of the 13th century. In: Mongolica-VI. St. Petersburg, Peterb. Vostokoved., 2003, pp. 63–68. (In Russian)
16. Fedorov-Davydov G.A. Kochevniki Vostochnoi Evropy pod vlast’yu zolotoordynskikh khanov. Arkheologicheskie pamyatniki [Nomads of Eastern Europe under the Rule of the Golden Horde Khans: Archaeological Records]. Moscow, Izd. MGU, 1966. 274 p. (In Russian)
17. Hedin S. V serdtse Azii: Pamir. Tibet. Vostochnyi Turkestan: Puteshestvie Svena Gedina v 1893–1897 gg. [In the Heart of Asia: Pamir. Tibet. Eastern Turkestan. Sven Hedin’s Journey in 1893–1897]. Vol. 2. St. Petersburg, Izd. A.F. Devriena, 1899. 457 p. (In Russian)
18. Tuallagov A.A. Combs from the ancient and medieval burials of nomads in the North Caucasus and the northern Black Sea region. Adygi.ru. Available at: https://www.adygi.ru/index.php?newsid=1100. (In Russian)
19. Sdykov M.N. Taksai сomb. Qazaqstan tarihy. Available at: https://e-history.kz/ru/publications/view/735. (In Russian)
20. Nedashkovsky L.F. The Golden Horde craft. Problemy Istorii, Filologii, Kul’tury, 2013, no. 3, pp. 136–154. (In Russian)
21. Salangana S.V. Ear picks as a historical source. Extended Abstract of Cand. Hist. Diss. Izhevsk, 2004. 24 p. (In Russian)
22. Karimova R.R. Elementy ubranstva i aksessuary kostyuma kochevnikov Zolotoi Ordy (tipologiya i sotsiokul’turnaya interpretatsiya) [Elements of Decoration and Accessories of Nomadic Costume in the Golden Horde]. Kazan: Inst. Ist. im. Sh. Mardzhani AN RT, 2013. 212 p. (In Russian)
23. Andreev I.G. Description of the Middle Horde of the Kyrghyz-Kaisaks. Available at: http://www.vostlit.info/Texts/Dokumenty/M.Asien/XVIII/1780-1800/Andreev/text2.htm. (In Russian)

The content is available under the license Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.