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The Ethnology Notebooks. 2023. № 6 (174). P. 1331-1532 DOI... read »

« 2025. # 2 (182)

The Ethnology Notebooks. 2024. № 2 (182), 375—387

UDK [398.3/.4:2-853]:643:692.4:591.521](=1:100)

DOI https://doi.org/10.15407/

ANIMALS ON THE ROOF OF A BUILDING AS PROGNOSTICS IN THE BELIEFS OF THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD

RAKHNO Kostyantyn

  • ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0973-3919
  • Doctor of History, Associate Professor, Leading Researcher 
  • of the National Museum of 
  • Ukrainian Pottery in Opishne, 
  • 102, Partyzanska Str., 38164, Opishne, Ukraine, 
  • Contacts: e-mail: krakhno@ukr.net

Abstract. Traditional folk culture has such an important function as a prognostic action, which is usually based on intentional knowledge, and in some cases on the interpretation of signs or phenomena received from the outside that require interpretation. Such signs can be «good» or «evil», their interpretation depend on the person and traditional culture. The purpose of the article is to explore the idea of the appearance of animals on the roof of a house as a prediction of the future among different peoples of the world. The object of the research is ethnographically recorded signs, the prognostic nature of which is associated with animals, reptiles, insects and consists in their stay on the roof and behavior there. Traditional folk culture has the necessary set of tools for interpreting these positive or negative signals and signs that have been accumulated and developed by the ethnos over many millennia. The study of signs and beliefs of the peoples of the world regarding animals on the roof is on the periphery of scientific research and is limited to a small number of articles. These beliefs are obviously echoes of ancient archaic ideas about the structure of the world, which must be interpreted and interpreted in accordance with the ideas and previous experience. The methodological basis of the study is a comparative-historical methodological toolkit.

The basis of the work are ethnographic materials related to the perception of the roof in traditional culture. The results of the research are that beliefs regarding the appearance of a particular animal on the roof are characterized by prognostic ambiguity. Since being on the roof was atypical for them, the vast majority of prophecies were ominous. The interpretation of signs regarding animals on the roof of a house in the tradition of the peoples of the world was based on the nature of the behavior of mammals, birds and insects, which were considered carriers of certain information and had signs that were interpreted as warnings, advice, in some cases – prohibitions or permissions, allowing a person to develop a further line or model of behavior. Such signs usually required an observer who could help in their interpretation, and this observer did not necessarily have to be an active participant in the observation, like the ancient haruspices priests. All of them were remnants of ancient beliefs and magical practices. In addition, some living creatures that appeared on the roof were attributed the ability to directly influence certain events.

Keywords: customs, beliefs, rituals, folk religiosity, roof, mythology, traditional culture.

Received 11.03.2025

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