Why did they eat the land in Russia, and for whom is it a kind of delicacy

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

In ancient Russia, the land was considered one of the foundations of the universe and endowed with sacred properties. The earth personified rebirth, because it provided people with food, and, therefore, life. Fertile, cultivated and protected, the land has always been honored. However, it was used not only to grow bread, vegetables or fruits and to feed their families. It turns out that they swore with the earth, used it as a test of honesty, and even ate it.

Strongest oath and earth as a lie detector

In the old days, if a person wanted to take an oath, he could strengthen it in a certain way - kiss the ground and eat it. In this case, the promise was considered confirmed and became an unshakable vow. Eating a handful of earth, a person, in fact, swore by his mother. Mother-Cheese-Earth, Mother Earth, so they said in ancient times. Such vows are described in Russian folk tales.

Today there are lie detectors to check if a person is telling the truth. Previously, if someone was suspected of theft, arson or other crime, then one could whitewash oneself and prove innocence in the following way: give the necessary evidence and swallow a handful of earth after that. Moreover, the Mir court considered such an action to be a legal act. With an oath to the earth, rarely did anyone dare to lie, since in this case one should expect immediate revenge from higher powers and various, very large, troubles.

A peculiar delicacy of the Evenks and a dessert for the Chukchi

It turns out that the Evenki ate white clay with pleasure. About fifty years ago, during a mineralogical expedition to northeastern Russia, academician Laksma discovered white smectite clay in the Marekan River valley, which served as food for the natives.

Outwardly, it resembled jelly and contained admixtures of kaolinite, zeolites, and diatoms. In the Far East, such clay is called "earthen sour cream". Evenki eat it for a specific purpose - to enrich their diet, which is not too rich in biologically active substances. Nutrient clay is used both in pure form and as a cocktail with reindeer milk. It is also used to make a medicine for problems with the gastrointestinal tract, for which it is mixed with water.

The land is also used as a delicacy by other northern peoples, the Chukchi and Koryaks. According to the descriptions of the researchers, earthen jelly has a peculiar musty smell and sweetish taste. Food clay is mined strictly in certain places. The peoples of the North call it "earth fat" and use it as an additive for broth. The base for sweets is also made from "oily" clay.

So that cohabitation is not a sin: how the young were treated to earth

Sometimes peasants found an alternative to Christian weddings. This was due to various reasons. For example, in the 19th century in the Pskov province, the following rule was in force: the allotment that belonged to the bride's father became the property of the community in the event of the death of the father and the marriage of the girl. There are unjustified economic losses. To prevent this, official marriage was substituted for condemned cohabitation. But it was unacceptable to allow the young to live in sin, because relatives necessarily performed special rituals, which were based on superstition. Thus, the sinful relationship became permissible, legal, and the allotment remained at the disposal of the girl's father.

One of them was this: the newlyweds had to sit in front of the icon, relatives lit candles and presented the young a handful of earth. The guy and the girl were obliged to eat it, thereby vowing eternal fidelity and love to the grave. The marriage in this case was sealed by Mother-Raw-Earth and was considered legal.

Clay during the famine in the Volga region

In the early 20s of the last century, the Volga region groaned with hunger. It was a terrible time, and people were looking for any opportunity to survive. According to the geologist Dravert, the locals ate clay containing sapropels, that is, ancient deposits that form at the bottom in fresh water bodies, as food. They included plankton, soil humus, the remains of living organisms, and dead plants.

Thus, such a clay can be considered a natural dietary supplement due to the large amount of organic matter. In the most difficult times, it gave the starving people an opportunity to get a source of energy, albeit a minimal one.

Magic clay balls for many diseases

For many peoples, clay was not only a delicacy, but also a medicine. For example, in the Ciscaucasia it was believed that it allows you to establish the necessary energy exchange between man and nature, as well as quickly and efficiently cleanse the body of accumulated dirt and fill it with clean energy. The inhabitants of Altai ate yellow clay, which was found on the banks of the Katun River. Studies have shown that in its composition this breed contains substances that can reduce pain in the abdomen and kidneys, cure ulcers, strengthen the body, namely magnesium, nitrogen, iron, calcium, selenium. A real vitamin complex of natural origin.

In the Rostov province, pills were prepared for stomach diseases during the heat. They were salty balls of white clay. They were prepared according to a specific recipe: the clay was dried in the sun and ground in a mortar. The resulting powder was to be mixed with water and made into a ball. The pills were rolled up just before taking. They were said to cure disease and cleanse the body of accumulated dirt.

Well, so as not to eat, but to be for beauty - Gzhel patterns: from ancient motives to modern Internet memes.