WATER IN VEPSIAN MYTHOLOGICAL IDEAS OF LIFE AND DEATH
The paper deals with the set of Vepsian ideas about such a crucial component of the universe as water. We used structural semantic analysis of the main types of Vepsian rites (life cycle-, calendar-related, medical) and works of folklore in the attempt to decipher the numerous answers the people gave in ancient times to the question of what is water. Analysis of Vepsian ritual and folklore texts associated with water shows they most vividly represent ideas about life and death. Water in a rite could bear either unequivocal (either positive or negative) or dual symbolism.