The North-Eastern Text of Russian Geohistoriosophy, Geopoetics and Sacred Geography

Abstract

This article presents the results of the author’s research in the field of sacred geography, geosophy and mythopoetics, as well as semiotics of the cultural space of the North and the Arctic, which can be used in the process of elaborating the value-semantic and symbolic aspects of modern regional programmes and projects for the spatial development of the northern territories. The methodological basis for the study is the semiotic approach and hermeneutics of the texts of the traditional Pomor culture and works included in the mythopoetic space of the Northern text of Russian geophilosophy as well as written and oral literature. Primary attention in the study is paid to the analysis of the geohistoriosophical discourse of “Russian northerness”, interpretation of the symbolism of the “north-eastern orientation” and geocultural identity of Rus’ (Russia) as the “East in the North” in sacred-geographical, geophilosophical and mythopoetic texts. The paper defines the semiotic status of the Pomor wind rose as an axial, pilot symbol, which marked the directions of the “God’s way” for wandering sailors in the Arctic Ocean and in the depths of the “sea of life”. It has been established that in the sacred meteorological sailing directions of the Pomors, set out in the “nautical books”, a special fateful, providential significance was attached to the northeast “midnight” wind, which erupted from the frightening numinous depths of the “high-latitude” Pomor “otherness”. An important part of the article is the presentation of the religious (providential, eschatological) foundations of the traditional Russian image (paradigm) of the exploration of the North and Siberia. Further, the mechanisms of cultural-semiotic transfer (transmission) of the Russian exploratory tradition, rooted in the patristic depths of the zemstvo (sobor) system of “ancient piety”, are described. In addition, the significant role of the creators of the Silver Age of Russian culture in the actualization and expansion of the North-Eastern text of Russian geosophy and geopoetics is noted. The research conducted allows us to draw a conclusion about the dominant, key role of the north-eastern sacred orientation in predetermining and foreshadowing the geocultural and geohistorical destinies of Russia.