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“The Neva Is St. Petersburg’s Main Avenue”: Contemporary Mythological Ideas of the City Dwellers (Part 1). P. 104–111

Версия для печати

Section: Philosophy

UDC

[165.9+130.2]:164.02

DOI

10.17238/issn2227-6564.2019.6.104

Authors

Nataliya e. Mazalova
Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, Russian Academy of Sciences; Universitetskaya nab. 3, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russian Federation;
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7586-4506 e-mail: mazalova.nataliya@mail.ru

Abstract

This article analyses the Neva River mythologeme, its role and place in St. Petersburg mythology. As a method of field research, the author used the experimental method of social anthropology and ethnology aimed to test the hypothesis made. In addition, the systematic method was used in order to reveal the connections within the complex system of St. Petersburg mythology. Further, the author dwells on the importance of the Neva River as a symbol of St. Petersburg. According to the principles of anthropocentrism, the Neva represents the feminine; moreover, it is considered as an artery, the main element of a living organism, which is the city. Thus, the Neva has a mythological meaning of the centre. The author concludes that the Neva River mythologeme correlates with such important concepts of culture as water and river and has many of their characteristics. The Neva is also endowed with the meaning of the border. Further, the role of the Neva River in the initiation rites of modern St. Petersburg youth is analysed. The Neva is the main scene of events during the “Scarlet Sails” celebrations, which can be seen as a certain initiation rite for St. Petersburg school-leavers, for whom this river symbolizes their path in life. Therefore, the Neva can be considered as one of the symbols forming St. Petersburg identity. Interestingly, nonresident students see this river as something of great value obtained in St. Petersburg. In conclusion, the author proves that contemporary St. Petersburg mythology, including stories associated with the Neva, originates in the mythological ideas from literature.

Keywords

Neva River, contemporary urban mythology, mythologeme, initiation rites, creation myth, eschatological myth
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References

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