Charms and guarding talismans in magical views of Western Siberia Aboriginal peoples

The tough living conditions in Western Siberia requiredhelp from otherworldly creatures. Spirits could give this help. Their main task was to protect houses and property from adverse forces,theft and the like. These magic helpers mainly carried out the total protecting function. In representations of the Aboriginal peoples, thespirits inhabiting a variety of objects, endowed them with sacred properties to help the human. The spirits' help was not enough forsuccessful hunting, fishing and healing, as well as work in the household. In this case, other highly specialized guarding talismans andcharms were required. There are differences in the use of the charm and the guarding talisman. Often "finishing one job" the person useda different guardian talisman to be assisted with another task. In contrast, the charm was never changed and was applied in manysituations. It brought luck, protection, and well-being during a lifetime. Guarding talismans and charms helped in childbirth, protectedwhen hunting, helped better fishing. The charm could be almost any subject. A human could find it in a finished form, or do it himself.Nenets men had a bear fang (tibyako) on the back of the belt to protect them from evil spirits (apparently, the spirits of the dead), andbring luck in hunting. The Nenets believed that the bear fang prevents back pain. The Nenets had a special attitude to the ermine. It wasbelieved that it could scare away evil spirits. In many houses of the Nenets in cities one could see ermine skins hanging on the door, onthe horns of deer, on the bedside rugs. The Selkups had a custom to close the eyes of the dead with copper coins or circles. Coinsprotected people from the dead. The Kets used sable's limb bones with claws as a charm. In addition, the Kets kept the stones of unusualshape (primarily anthropomorphic), old or rare items (e.g., bronze mirrors). The houses of the Yugan Khanty had a variety of items,which were charms: a sable skull in front of the door, a beak of a loon or a merganser, a bear fang on the roof of the tree stand..Aleksandrovo Khanty beaded a frog image on a kerchief, which protected during the labour. To protect the child a guarding talisman inthe form of a bronze figure of a black grouse was hung. To protect oneself and the house from snakes, lizards, pangolins, worms, theKhanty made guarding talismans with images of these "monsters". The Mansi in the Northern Urals believed that it is good luck to carrythe muzzle of the fox, the sable or the ermine. A guarding talisman for a small child was matches and knife. Besides, young children puton 'good luck' bracelets made from beads. A bronze pendant in the form of a bear was used when someone was ill, needed protection orluck in hunting. The problem of charms and guarding talismans of the Aborigines of Western Siberia is not unique. Guarding talismansare actively used by other peoples. The attitude to these subjects is unique in the culture of peoples of Western Siberia, their huge role inculture, religion and world outlook. Charms and guarding talismans originated in ancient times, and since then have not lost theirsignificance.

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