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Breast plate - part of shaman's costume. Evenki

Title:

Breast plate - part of shaman's costume

Ethnic groups:

Evenki

Territory:

East Siberia, Yenisei province, Yenisei district

Date:

1914

Collectors-person:
Material:

Leather: natural leather: suede: skin suede (reindeer); fur: natural: leg skin (reindeer); fibers: animal: wool: reindeer hair under neck; fur: natural; fur: natural (domestic dog – Canis lupus familiaris); metal: iron; glass (glass beads); cloth; paint

Dimensions:

length 85.0; width max 27.0; width min 13.0

Number:

РЭМ 5589-37

Annotation:

Drawings in black ink, with trimming of white hair from under deer neck, symbolize three worlds of the Universe. Chains of lozenges on the plastron and on the coat “protected” the shaman’s voice and breath. A metal figurine of diver bird is the shaman’s strong helper ghost. The plastron is the first component of sacred clothing received by the shaman at the initiation. Abstract by V.V. Gorbacheva