Funeral ritual complex Mukharramlik in Derbent: main development trends in the XX and early XXI centuries
https://doi.org/10.31143/2542-212X-2025-3-221-239
EDN: JETCSZ
Abstract
The article is devoted to the study of the mourning ritual complex Muharramlik in Derbent, which is a central event for the local Shiite community. The author analyzes its transformation in the Soviet and post-Soviet periods, highlighting the key factors of change. Two main trends are highlighted: the preservation of local traditions (for example, the "bash chapan" ritual) and the borrowing of practices from Iran and Iraq, and the change in the balance between them in recent decades is determined, as well as the role of religious revival in the region and the influence of the global Shiite world in these processes. Particular emphasis is placed on the role of young people who received religious education abroad and new public institutions that shape the modern appearance of the rite. Particular attention is paid to visual and institutional changes, such as the emergence of new rituals, charitable foundations and the involvement of women in the organization of rituals. The article also considers the community's interaction with the outside world, including the Sunni majority, representatives of other faiths in the city, local authorities and tourists. The article is based on the author’s field materials (interviews, observations, photos and videos) collected in Derbent in 2007-2008 and in 2022.
About the Author
Ekaterina L. Kapustina
Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography named after Peter the Great Russian Academy of Sciences (Kunstkamera)
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Candidate of Historical Sciences, Leading Researcher at the Department of Caucasian Ethnography
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For citations:
Kapustina E.L. Funeral ritual complex Mukharramlik in Derbent: main development trends in the XX and early XXI centuries. Kavkazologiya. 2025;(3):221-239. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.31143/2542-212X-2025-3-221-239. EDN: JETCSZ
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