Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences: Inventing the Sacred Place: the Case in Western Siberia

Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences / Inventing the Sacred Place: the Case in Western Siberia

Issue: Journal of Siberian Federal University. Humanities & Social Sciences. 2015 8 (6)
Authors: Golovneva, Elena V.
Contact information: Golovneva, Elena V.:Ural Federal University named after the B.N. Yeltsin 19 Mira Str., Ekaterinburg 620002, Russia; E-mail:
Keywords: sacred place; sacralization; non-traditional religiosity; religious myth; Western Siberia
Abstract: This article reflects on the experience of theorizing sacred place through case-study of Okunevo village in Western Siberia. On particular, it focuses on the analysis of non-traditional religious movements in context of this Siberian village. The article opens with brief review of the meaning and content of concept “sacred place.” It then reflects understudied in scientific researches interpretation of sacred place by representatives of neo-orientalism and neopaganism in Siberian region. It concludes with some comments regarding suggestions about possible social functions of sacred places in contemporary reality. Sacred place is considered as a symbolic identity-performance of different religious movements and an idea of “religious revival”. The inventing of sacred space in contemporary context is connected with dissemination of local myths regarding “Chosen people”, “particular energy and spiritual character of the place” and “holy Temple.”
Pages: 1086-1093
Paper at repository of SibFU: https://elib.sfu-kras.ru/handle/2311/16870