The evolution of the funeral rites of the Kyrgyz people

It has become a widespread problem for most residents of the country to buy a spot at local cemeteries for the burial of the dead relatives, which is mainly due to the high price for the piece of land. Additionally, these lands are decreasing in size, as the new lands are not being ascribed for this purpose. As this becomes one of the popular topics to be discussed by the people in Kyrgyzstan, some are considering the possibility and expediency of reviving the old tradition of Yenisei Kyrgyz - cremation. Some experts are voicing positive opinions regarding the cremating practices as a more environmentally friendly funeral ritual. Considering the above mentioned, authors of this article decided to research this social phenomenon from historical and ethnographic perspectives with the involvement of written sources as well as archaeological and ethnographic materials. The article examines the issue of the evolution of funeral rites of the Kyrgyz people from ancient times to the beginning of the XX century. Authors are trying to address the problematics of how certain rituals became widespread among the Kyrgyz people and track changes that happened to the most consistent and conservative rituals in the life cycle of a human. Such factors as migration, religious beliefs, ethnic relations with other groups have prompted mutual and multilateral borrowing of the many cultural elements and lifestyles. The gradual transition from the ritual of cremating of the deceased towards burial of the body of the Yenisei Kyrgyz is analyzed in the context of ethnogenetic processes. During the first millennium A.D. the Yenisei Kyrgyz continued cremating traditions of the ancient population of that region (Andronovo epoch). As a result of long-term ethnocultural connections with Turkic steppe tribes of Altai and of Irtysh river in the second half of IX - mid XI century Kyrgyz people gradually transitioned to inhumation of the deceased. The analysis of the data gathered by travelers in XVI century uncovers questions related to other forms of burials: ‘aerial’ and temporarily keeping of the body of the dead during the period when Altai Kyrgyz were moving to the territories of Tian-Shan. A certain attention is given to burial rituals with the use of a horse. The article brings example of how widowed wives self-harmed themselves after the death of their husbands. The practice of cleaning bones from the flesh most likely goes far back to ancient times, rooting in Zoroastrian burial traditions. The article also addresses the issue of how these traditional rituals were combined with Islamic norms.

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