Аристей: путешествие к исседонам

Abstract

The article is devoted to the mysterious image of Aristeas Proconnesus. Discussed the questions of Aristeas’ dates of life, shaman features of his image, description and the route of his traveling. Here is marked the parallels between classical tradition, coming up to Aristeas, and Chinese Taosian tradition. The route of Aristeas’ traveling is known as following: Proconnesus— Cyzicus—South and East coasts of the Black Sea—Colchis—passes of Caucasus—Kuban and the steppes of South-Eastern Europe—the partially-wooded steppe of Ural and Irtysh. Also discussed the problems concerning the history of the Alazones and the Chalybes, the Colchi, the Cimmerians, the Scythians in the times of Aristeas. Taking into account the fact of disparity between “Scythian” archaeological culture and ethnic culture of the Scythians, and also personal interpretation of Aristeas’ information about the Amazons, the author gives the new version of explanation of changes, happening in the steppes during the “transitional” epoch (VIII-VII B.C.). According to the author’s view, the Issedonians lived in the Ural steppes. Issedonian’s “geography”, taking from Aristeas’ words, is orientated along the main river of the Issedonians—Irtysh-Ob: at the foot—Arctic ocean, upward—Altai (Rhipaean mountains). Possibly in the view of Aristeas, Hyperboreans are the Chineses. In Aristeas’ tradition there is also information about the places and peoples who were on the way to Hyperboreans-Chineses.