A HERO’S HORSE IN THE STRUCTURE OF THE CONCEPT “ALTAI-KIZHI” (ALTAIAN): BASED ON MYTHOLOGY, FOLKLORE, EPIC AND LITERATURE

Abstract

The objective of the research is to determine the contents of a mental unit of “a horse” in the culture of people of the Altai Mountains, as a component of the structure of the concept “Altai-Kizhi”, which translates features of national character and national identity. The material of the research includes texts of Altaic mythology, epic, folklore and literature. In mythology, folklore, and epics, the main component of the concept is “a batyr”. The image of this hero in the Altai traditional consciousness is not conceivable without his horse. The contents of this cultural universal are formed throughout the historical and cultural process among the people of the Altai Mountains. The meaning of the image of a horse, fixed in mythology, epic, and folklore, has found its development in texts of modern Altai literature.