Obiceiuri și practici ritualico-magice la constituirea și desfacerea turmelor
Ritualic and Magical Customs and Practices at the Getting Together of the Herds and the Giving of the Herds to the Owners

Summary/Abstract: Based on field research, our study is dedicated to the ritual and magical habits and practices related to two stages rich in traditions of the shepherding in Maramures: setting up and giving of the herds to the owners. Treating the magical practices and habits, we focused on the ancient ones,which associate the magical nudity rite, chastity, but also the ones relying on widespread magical tools: sheep passing over the chain, over the axe, lighting the living fire, etc. The approach of the magical practices and the pastoral traditions was analysed in every subdivision of the stages above mentioned of the shepherding in Maramures: sheep gathering, herding sheep to the mountains, first milking, celebration of sâmbra, return of the herds from the mountains and giving of the herds to the owners. In our study we highlighted both the rite functions and the mytho-symbolism of their constitutive elements and of the magical tools used.

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