"Beauty of Siberia" travel agency. Shaman stone on Baikal: stories and legends
The most common minerals on Baikal
Let's get acquainted with the minerals that are most often found in the rocks that make up the coast of Lake Baikal and its mountainous surroundings.
Quartz- one of the most common minerals on Earth. It forms a rock - quartzite. In its pure form, without impurities, colorless and transparent quartz crystals are called rock crystal. Impurities of iron and other elements give quartz a variety of colors and shades. Depending on the color and quality of quartz crystals, its name also changes: amethyst (purple), citrine (yellow), aventurine (sparkling brown, green, blue mineral), rose quartz, chalcedony (translucent, from white to honey yellow colors), morion, rauchtopaz (smoky, light gray quartz), sapphire quartz (bluish color), cat's eye (white, pinkish, gray), tiger's eye (opaque yellow-brown mineral). Quartz is found everywhere on the shores of Lake Baikal.
Rose quartz and chalcedony
feldspars- a group of the most common minerals that form rocks. Like quartz, feldspars are widespread in Baikal. Depending on the chemical composition, feldspars form minerals such as moonstone, amazonite, and many others.
Amazonite(microcline) - a bluish-green variety of feldspar. Amazonite is used as an inexpensive ornamental stone for making jewelry, art crafts (vases, caskets).
Mica is a widely distributed mineral. Has many varieties. On Baikal, the mica deposit is represented by phlogopite and is located in the Slyudyansk region. A feature of mica is layering. The mineral is easily split into the thinnest plates. Before the invention of glass, people inserted mica plates into windows. Mica is a good insulator, therefore it is widely used in the production of electrical equipment and fire-resistant materials, as well as a filler in the production of rubber, paper, cement, and plastics.
Moonstone and Amazonite
Apatite- large crystals of bluish-green, sometimes brown color. Previously, beautiful apatite crystals were considered precious stones. But jewelry processing of apatite is rather complicated. The mineral found other uses. It began to be used for the manufacture of phosphate fertilizers for soil enrichment when growing plants. Therefore, apatite can rightfully be called a fertility stone. It is also found in the Slyudyansky district.
Mica and apatite
Diopside- a mineral that forms large crystals. Depending on the impurities of various metals, the color of diopside can be yellow, green, red-brown, purple, blue, and even black. Diopside of dark green and bluish-green color from the area of the Slyudyanka River was called "Baikalite". Baicalite crystals sometimes reach more than 10 cm. Bright green diopsides are called laurovites.
wollastonite- white, with a grayish or brownish tint mineral, it is chemically pure, practically does not contain impurities. It is widely used as a substitute for the unhealthy asbestos. It is used as a filler additive in plastics, in non-ferrous metallurgy, in the tire, cement and paint industries, in the production of ceramics, and was used to make the heat-insulating skin of the Russian Buran spacecraft. In Baikal, wollastonite was first discovered by Siberian researchers in the Slyudyansk deposits of the southern Baikal region.
Lavrovite and wollastonite ore
Pomegranate- a mineral of red or green color (depending on the composition). Garnet crystals usually have a good natural cut.
Spinel- small beautiful crystals, often single, ingrown or grown on the rock. As a rule, crystals are painted in saturated colors: brown, black, pink, red, blue. Among the wide variety of spinels, noble spinel is distinguished. These are transparent crystals, painted in bright shades of red, from ruby to pink. Noble spinel is classified as a precious stone. Spinel is often found in the rocks of the Baikal region.
Garnet crystals and noble spinel crystals
Lapis lazuli- a beautiful opaque mineral of bright blue color. Lapis lazuli is used to make jewelry, various vases, bowls, boxes. In ancient times, people mined lapis lazuli to obtain a very durable ultramarine paint, which was used to paint paintings and church images. Lapis lazuli stones were burned at the stake, ground and mixed with wax, resin or oils. In ancient Egypt, lapis lazuli was valued more than gold.
Deposits of lapis lazuli on Baikal are located in the Slyudyansky district.
Black spinel with gem-quality apatite and lapis lazuli
To accurately describe minerals, geologists determine their physical properties, such as hardness, mineral color, powder color, taste, smell, and other properties. So, for example, everyone is well aware of the taste of rock salt and therefore does not use it in cooking. And the softness of the graphite mineral allows it to be used for drawing and sketching.
The most common rocks on Baikal
The rocks and minerals of the Baikal mountain environment are formed together with the geological development of the Earth. Rocks are divided into 3 groups: igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic.
Igneous rocks
Igneous rocks are formed from magma - the molten substance of the earth's crust. The main igneous rocks that make up the earth's crust are granites and basalts.
Granite and basalt
Granite- deep rock of light gray, pinkish gray, reddish gray color. The main minerals that make up granite are feldspar (about 60%), quartz (about 30%), and mica. This is an excellent building material. It is used for the manufacture of sculptures, obelisks, columns, as a decorative cladding for buildings.
Basalt- lava poured onto the surface from the bowels of the Earth and frozen like a rock. The color of basalt is from dark gray to black. Inclusions of various minerals can also be found in basalts. Basalt is used in construction as a filler for concrete, for paving streets, for laying foundations and steles of buildings, and for erecting dams.
Sedimentary rocks
Sedimentary rocks are formed on the surface of the Earth as a result of the destruction and further sedimentation and compaction of fragments of various rocks, plant and animal remains. Accumulating in depressions, usually in reservoirs, compacting, dehydrating, changing as a result of various chemical processes, sediments turn into rocks such as sandstones. , coal, natural salts, limestones.
Sandstone- sedimentary rock of gray, reddish, yellow, green and brown shades. It has a homogeneous or layered structure. Consists of densely compressed grains of quartz or feldspar. Sandstone is widely used as a decorative stone for paving paths, facing fences, buildings, and in the construction of roads.
Limestone- sedimentary rock. The most common limestones are white and gray shades. This is a soft breed, it is easily scratched by a knife blade. There are many varieties of limestone. So, limestone, which was formed from shells of mollusks, is called shell rock or shell rock. If the shells are microscopic in size, a soft rock is formed - chalk.
Limestones are used in the form of facing stone and slabs, mineral chips, sand, limestone flour. The main consumers of limestone are the cement industry, construction, and agriculture.
Sandstone figurines shaped by wind and precipitation. Limestone
metamorphic rocks
Metamorphic rocks are formed in the thickness of the earth's crust as a result of a change in the internal structure of igneous or sedimentary rocks under the influence of high temperatures and pressure of heated water vapor and carbon dioxide. As a result of these processes, the rocks acquire a new structure. The metamorphic rocks are marble, schist, gneiss, quartzite.
Marble- granular metamorphic rock, consisting of large crystals of the minerals calcite or dolomite. Marble is used to make various sculptures for interiors, parks and gardens. It is used for finishing facades, walls and floors of buildings, metro stations. Depending on the impurities of other minerals, the color of marble is white, pink, gray, blue.
crystalline shales- metamorphic rocks that are formed at relatively low pressure and low temperatures and usually have a layered structure. They are distinguished by the ability to split into even thin plates, have sufficient hardness and water resistance. The most common are mica schists. It is composed of the minerals mica and quartz. Crystal schists are used as a building material, refractory raw material.
Marble and schist
Quartzites- dense granular rocks, consisting mainly of the mineral quartz.
gneisses- a widespread group of metamorphic rocks. The main minerals of gneisses are feldspars and quartz. Minerals such as mica, amphibole, and garnet may be present in a small amount of gneiss. The chemical composition of gneisses is similar to that of granites. A characteristic feature of gneisses is the alternation of light and dark bands.
Blue calcite and gneiss
Glossary
Minerals- These are natural bodies formed as a result of geological processes. Minerals are made up of a single element, such as gold, or a combination of several elements, such as water (a combination of hydrogen and oxygen), salt (a combination of sodium and chlorine), methane gas (a combination of hydrogen and carbon).
Mountain breed- one mineral or a combination of several minerals, formed as a result of geological processes and composing mountain ranges.
The shaman-stone is located at the source of the Angara River and is a reserved rock symbolizing Baikal. It is separated from Irkutsk by 70 kilometers, in the immediate vicinity is the village of Listvyanka.
By virtue of consonance, the rock is often confused with Mount Shamanka Cape Burkhan, no less famous landmark of Baikal.
Shaman-stone has long been fanned with fleur secrets: shamans performed rituals on it, and the natives were sure that the owner of the Angara, Ama Sagan Noyon, lives here, about which there are many legends.
One of these stories tells about the times when the Earth was inhabited by warriors, and the personified Baikal was the richest and greatest creation of the planet. His child, Angara, was considered the first beauty whose charm brought her to her knees. Baikal spoiled her daughter, while Angara became proud and wayward. The time has come to marry the girl, summer has come and the celebration of Surkharban is approaching. Baikal called the heroes to a tournament for the heart and hand of his daughter, sympathizing with the young man named Irkut. The more Irkut's father praised, the less Angara liked him. The girl was conquered by the Yenisei, the offspring of the mighty Sayan, who defeated everyone during the duel. Baikal did not give a blessing to this marriage, continuing persuasion in favor of Irkut. The obstinate daughter, who refused time after time, Baikal, angry, imprisoned him, and he himself answered Irkut with consent. Upon learning of this, Angara decided to run away and, with the help of the brook brothers, broke free. Baikal went berserk and started a grandiose storm that terrified the animal world. Irkut rushed after the runaway bride, and Baikal grabbed a broken piece of rock, damaged by lightning, and blocked his daughter's path ... but he was too late. Angara was in the arms of the Yenisei. Since then, the lovers have been together. Forever.
And the bitter tears of Irkut and Baikal, coupled with the tears of happiness of the Yenisei and the Angara, turned into water. The rock fragment thrown by Baikal, which did not save the situation, is the Shaman-stone. According to the legend, if Baikal becomes completely angry, it will sweep away the shaman's stone and wash the whole world away with itself. And to prevent this from happening, the locals cajoled the lake with offerings, leaving them near the stone.
They also say that long-term peering into a rock mass makes it possible to distinguish senile faces of shamans who performed rites and rituals here in ancient times. Over the past few years, the rock has been slowly crumbling, people believe it is not good.
At the rock, not only rituals were performed and prayers were read - here also tested for innocence convicts. The alleged criminal was left overnight on the Shaman-stone, and if the Baikal waters did not wash him off overnight, the person was acquitted.
Opposite the stone is Observation deck, near which open in the summer shopping kiosks with souvenirs and food products. Active boat rental.
At the source of the Angara River there is a rock protruding in the middle of the river. In ancient times, local residents of the Angara region endowed the Shaman stone with miraculous powers. According to ancient beliefs, this was the dwelling place of the owner of the Angara - Ama Sagaan noyon. Particularly important shamanic rites were held on the Shaman stone, oaths were taken and prayed here in order to withdraw a false accusation or defend one's honor, a criminal was brought here at night and left alone over a cold, freezing stream, so that by morning he would confess to his deed.If by morning the water did not take him away, if he did not die from fear and the icy breath of Baikal, he was forgiven. Evidence of the veneration of the sacred stone is the bottom strewn with coins around the Shaman stone.
CAPE RYTY
Cape Ryty is located on the western shore of Lake Baikal, opposite the widest part of the lake. For the local population, this place is sacred and forbidden to visit. Under no pretext, none of the natives agrees to land here on the shore.
Some believe that this place was once an ancient city, as evidenced by an artificial stone wall. Others talk about an increased radioactive background. Until now, ancient prohibitions are observed on Rytom: you can’t cut a tree, shoot an animal, otherwise the local spirit will be disturbed.
There are no trees and no settlements on the cape, single boats, without sticking to the shore, pass by, a car road does not reach this place, and there is not even a path along the coast. For unknown reasons, visiting the cape by the local population was tabooed, and this ban is still in effect today. Residents diligently avoid visits, calling it a cursed place, but when they talk, they can tell many mysterious stories related to this sacred area. It is worth adding that this cape is included in the territory, and in order to land here, you need special permission from the administration. The protected regime, combined with local shamanic prohibitions on visiting the sacred cape, have done their job: only rare singles dare to go deep into the gorge, and their stories about the riddles of Ryty have turned it into the main anomalous place on Baikal. In recent years, many legends have been built around this area. Branching fault of the gorge of the river. Rita has anomalous features, and since ancient times, visiting it has been taboo by local residents. There are no big reasons to break these prohibitions even now, it makes no sense just for the sake of curiosity to go into the “terrible and sacred place” where angry gods live, the sons of the deity Uher, who send strong winds and cause damage to visitors to their homes. Shamanic spells still work in our time, it is easy to be convinced of this by tracing the fate of people who violated the age-old ban and penetrated the gorge. Many of them died prematurely and suddenly. According to local customs, one cannot pass by this place without honoring the spirits of Rytoy.
CAPE KHOBOI
Cape Khoboy (in Buryat khoboy - “fang, molar”) is the northernmost cape on. The spectacular columnar rock, resembling a sharp fang from the sea, has a pronounced resemblance to the profile of a female head with a bust, as on the ancient Greek galleys from the east and west.
The local name for the rock is Deva. There is a Buryat legend, according to which this is a petrified Buryat woman who, out of envy for her husband, asked the Tengris for the same palace as the one granted to her husband. Tengrii with the words: “As long as there is evil and envy on earth, you will be a stone” - they turned it into a rock.
Cape Khoboy is now chosen by various spiritual schools as a place of meditation. On its northern side, these "representatives" did not hesitate to leave behind the Roerich sign in the most prominent place - a red circle with three dots inside. But the true, hidden sign of the island is not at all this. As a symbol of shamanic tales, on the northern edge of a monolithic rock, not visible from land and plunging into the water, at a height inaccessible to humans, two huge eagle nests are built in the crevices of the cape. According to Buryat legends, the first who received the shamanic gift was the son of the formidable master-spirit of the island of Olkhon, who lived in the form of a bald eagle. The veneration of this bird as the spirit of the island has survived to this day.
Cape Khoboy is associated with a legend about a dragon that, flying over the sacred lake, dropped its fang. Having fallen on Khoboy, the fang of the mythological animal went deep into the ground, leaving a characteristic trace in the outlines of the island. Some scholars suggest that this legend is connected with memories of the fall of some cosmic body (possibly a small meteorite) that happened many thousands of years ago. It is this local catastrophe that could cause strong geomagnetic activity in this part of Olkhon. Parapsychologists who often visit Khoboy note a constant powerful release of astral energy in the cape area, which is associated with numerous cases of ghostly substances appearing here. Locals claim that sometimes on the cape you can meet the spirits of your dead ancestors or even see your own former incarnations. The spirit of the White shaman emerging from the waters of Lake Baikal received special fame. It is believed that seeing a spirit is a great success.
The place is remarkable for its many-voiced echo, which is reflected from the monolithic rock. There are rare and relic herbs here. In winter, you can see the grottoes, fabulously decorated with splashing ice and transparent icicles. They are located at the level of the water's edge, their entrances are oriented to the north. In the rocks, at the water level, on the cape, there are grottoes up to 22 meters long, they can be viewed only in winter from the ice.
ROCK SHAMANKA
One of the most mysterious Baikal places is the Shamanka rock on Cape Burkhan, which consists of white marble, granite and quartz.The shaman was previously called the "stone-temple". The first researchers of Baikal - in particular, the famous Russian explorer Vladimir Obruchev - noted that this place causes superstitious horror of the Baikal Buryats. No one except the shaman had the right to approach the reserved place. If the need compelled, then the hooves of the horses were wrapped in felt and leather, so as not to disturb the peace of the owner of Baikal with a clatter. Women were supposed to bypass the rock for two miles.
A cave passes through the rock Shamanka. By the standards of speleologists, it is not so big: length - about 12 meters, width - up to 4.5 meters, height - in some places 6.5 meters. However, it was this cave that became the center of cult worship.
The Buryats were sure that Ezhin, the owner of Lake Baikal, lives in the cave of the Shaman Rock. Ancient legends tell about 13 northern noyons - the sons of the divine tengris, who descended from heaven to judge people and chose different places of residence. The eldest and most powerful of them, Khan Khute-baabai, settled in the cave of the Shamanka Rock.
According to the testimony of the inhabitants of the village of Khunzhir, located near Cape Burkhan, for centuries the cave was visited by shamans of many peoples who inhabited ancient Siberia. Priests of pagan religions performed rituals in the cave associated with the purification of tribal karma and the removal of curses; falling into a trance, they got the opportunity to contemplate the pictures of the past and the future.
CAPE BOGATYR ON OLKHON ISLAND
From time immemorial, Bogatyr, the largest cape, has been of great attraction for the servants of shamanic cults. The ancient name of the cape - Fiery - is due to the fact that the first Russian travelers who sailed to the island at the end of the 16th century suddenly saw a huge pillar of fire that shot up in front of them from the Baikal waters to the sky. The fiery wall seemed to prevent foreigners from entering the sacred land of the island. A similar phenomenon on the cape was noted from time to time later.
According to the Buryat shaman Wirbek, it is known that at Cape Bogatyr it is customary to perform rituals associated with the spell of the elements of power: fire, wind and water. Until the first quarter of the 20th century, among the leaders and elders of local tribes and villages, it was customary to bring newborn male babies to the cape. It was believed that once in this place, the future leader or warrior acquires special physical and spiritual strength and longevity.
LAKE SHARA-NUR
Not far from Lake Baikal, on the way to the Tashkinei Pad, surrounded by dense forest and hills, there is a small lake Shara-Nur, which means “Yellow Lake” in Buryat. It received a similar name for the cloudy color of the water, extremely saturated with hydrogen sulfide. For this reason, today the reservoir attracts people suffering from joint diseases. They say that the disease passes without a trace after several baths of the patient in the waters of Shara-Nur. In former times, the local population was afraid to dive into the lake, as they believed that a giant yellow snake, Shara-Kaaya, lives in it.
Local legends say: once upon a time a brave hero lived in these parts, who angered the evil spirit Erkin by not giving him his beautiful sister as his wife. As punishment, the evil spirit turned the hero into a huge snake, commanding him to live forever in the waters of the lake and eat carrion from the lake and human flesh. It is believed that this is why the bodies of drowned people are never found in Shara-Nur - they are eaten by Shara-Kaaya. True, according to scientists, Shara-Nur, located more than 100 meters above sea level, is connected to Baikal by a network of underground tunnels, through which the bodies of drowned people leave along with the flowing water. However, even today, local hunters and fishermen claim that they sometimes hear sounds coming from muddy waters, similar to the growl of an unknown giant creature.
MOUNTAIN ALKHANAY
The highest mountain on the territory of the Aginsky Buryat National District - Alkhanai (1665 m) - is associated with the history of Buddhism and the name of Genghis Khan.This is one of the Buddhist shrines of the Buryats. At its base is the temple of the Great Good. One of the interesting things here is a natural grotto, in the arch of which there is a crack that goes into the depths of the rock, and water oozes from it, which is considered healing. Believers drink water and make offerings - grain or coins.
Astrological calculations of Buddhist monks showed that this peak is the place of visiting the middle world, where people live, the world of the Almighty, where the gods live. And the main patron of the highest point of Alkhanai is the deity Demchog - one of the five main Buddhas, whose name in translation from the Tibetan language means Eternal Good.
Since ancient times, the tribes of the Buryats and Mongols have spiritualized these places. There are 12 shrines on Alkhanai. The most revered of them is Uuden Sume (Temple Gate). This natural arch in the rock, according to the lamas, forms a channel that connects our world with Shambhala.
A meter-high stone parapet surrounds the path along which pilgrims go to the temple. Pilgrims pick up stones from the path and thus make the path easier for those following them. Under the arch is a suburgan, a small Buddhist stupa built in 1864.
GENGHIS KHAN'S DESK
The legendary place associated with the name of the great warrior is the Table of Genghis Khan (“Chinggis khaanai sheree”) in the interfluve of Ugutere and Barun-Khandagay. It is a huge boulder, on which, according to legend, ancient writings were applied. Located in the foothills of the Tunkinsky Goltsy, 4 km west of the former Khandagatai datsan. Its dimensions are 8x6x1.5 m, the shape is ovoid from below, and flat from above.
On the north side is a “stone-chair” measuring 3x1.5 m. A place of Buddhist and shamanic rituals revered by local residents.
The word “sheree” is very important: it is not just a table, but a throne.
WHITE MOUNTAIN
Sacred Evenki place. It is located in the central part of the Vitim Plateau, on the eastern outskirts of the Malo-Amalat depression, on the left bank of the Bagdarinka River. At the foot of the White Mountain is the center of the Bauntovsky Evenk region - with. Bagdarin. The village is named after the mountain - its Evenki name is Bagda-ure (white mountain).
The height of the mountain is 170 m. It is composed of light gray dolomites, and therefore it seems white from afar. The steep southwestern slope is completely devoid of soil and vegetation. The upper part is decorated with a number of sheer bizarre rock remnants in the form of towers, pyramids, pillars.
White Mountain has the status of a sacred place. Since ancient times, prayer rituals have been performed here with sacrifices intended for the majestic and omnipotent spirit of the mountain.
MOUNTAIN JIM
Zhima - the highest point of Olkhon, is a mountain 1276 meters high above sea level. It is located in the east of the island, on Cape Izhimey."Izhimei" is rooted in the word "ezhin", meaning "owner of the area". In the shamanic mythology of the ancients, it is said about the god of thunder, the offspring of the Divine Sky itself, who wished to live near the famous Olkhon shaman Nagre-bo. Later, the palace of Mount Zhima passed to a couple of shamans, Ugete-noyon moved closer to the water's edge.
Aborigines honor the mountain, treat it as a shrine. According to the legends, gods and spirits lived on Zhima. The top of the mountain used to be crowned with a hut made of wood; there was also a pine hut created by the hands of Olkhon shamans. The embodiment of the spirit of the mountain is a gray-haired and bearded old man. Local residents often told stories about lost travelers, who were helped to get out to people by a certain ancient elder.
Climbing the mountain, coupled with the descent, will take all day, and the trail as such simply does not exist. You will have to go, cleaning up through the dense thickets of the forest and there will be no water sources on the way. Therefore, life-giving moisture should be taken with you.
MOUNTAIN BULL (BUHA-NOYONOY-HEBETSHE - SACRED MOUNTAIN)
A mountain near the village of Tory in Buryatia, north of the Irkut River. It is associated with the cult of the sacred ancestor of the representatives of the Buryat tribal union of the Bulagats Bukh Noyon - an earthly deity, the patron of the elements of the earth and pastures, and cattle breeding. The cult of Bukh Noyon was later borrowed by the Khongodors. At present, all Tunkinsky Buryats conduct shamanic and Buddhist rites at this place.
MOUNTAIN EXE-YORD
On the right bank of the Anga River, just two kilometers from Lake Baikal, eight kilometers from the village of Elantsy, a mound 42 meters high rises above the valley in the form of a dome. The outlines of the mound, composed of gneisses, granite pegmatites, quartz veins, seem to be man-made, although so far geologists have not found signs indicating that these plates were brought here by people. Neither on Mount Erd or a number of characteristic ob-cult pyramidal piles of stones that would testify that in ancient times stones were brought or brought to Mount Erd during any holiday.Mount Yekhe-Yord is located on the same straight line from Malaya Erdinskaya Sopka to the sacred mountain on the shore of Lake Baikal, opposite these two hills, rock paintings depicting animals are well preserved on the rocks of the left side of the Anga River valley. The fact that the lower ones are covered with sedimentary rocks also testifies to the antiquity of the drawings. Ancient drawings include a large number of images of running deer and drawings of horned people.
The reserved rock with the mystical name Shaman-stone rises at the source of the Angara. This unique natural monument is one of the pearls of the Pribaikalsky National Park. The shaman-stone is considered to be the symbol of Baikal. Above the water, sometimes only the top of the rock is visible. The underwater slopes of the massif go deep into hundreds of meters. The shaman-stone plays an important ecological role. Thanks to him, the beautiful Angara does not freeze in the cold. Up to 15,000 waterfowl hibernate in its 5-15 km polynya. This wintering is the only non-freezing one in the whole of northern Asia.
Shaman-stone - the sacred symbol of Baikal
The rock is not just a natural formation. The history of its appearance is covered with legends. They have been passed from mouth to mouth for many centuries by residents of the surrounding towns and villages. The legend of the Shaman Stone is a beautiful tale about the confrontation of natural forces. It is believed that those who do not know the history of the rock will not be allowed to approach it. The legend, which is told to tourists on Baikal, will be memorized like this.
It was a long time ago. In distant times, heroes, heroes, sons of nature lived on Earth. Great and full of untold riches was the huge Baikal. He was respected and revered. They bowed before him, and no one dared to disobey the king of nature. Baikal had a beautiful daughter. The full-flowing river Angara grew proud, wayward. She was the joy of a great father.
It was the turn of the beautiful Angara to choose a husband. It was in the summer, on the eve of the great holiday of Surkharban. Baikal called on the heroes to measure their strength, show their courage, win the heart of the princess. Among the stately handsome men there was a strong man, especially any old man. Remote Irkut is good for everyone: full of waters, and fast running, and heroic strength. But no matter how much Baikal praised its favorite, the heart of Angara adamantly remained.
On the day of Surkharban, the heroes met in a fight to measure their strength. The young Yenisei, the son of the formidable Sayan, surpassed all. His courage and valor won the heart of the princess of Angara. Baikal got angry, got angry, did not give a parental blessing. The young had to leave. For many days and nights majestic Baikal persuaded his daughter to give her wayward heart to Irkut. The beautiful river was relentless. Baikal found justice for his daughter, imprisoned her. Angara yearned, but soon decided to escape. She called on her younger brothers, the brooks, to help. The fellows hurried to rescue the sister, the dungeon was washed away in an instant, Angara broke free.
Father Baikal was furiously angry, he raised foamy crests in a terrible storm. For several days the earth and sky shook. Animals and birds left their homes in fear. But the Angara did not stop the storm on Baikal. She ran away from her father without looking back. The strongman Irkut set off in pursuit of the beauty, but did not catch up. The Angara almost ran to the Yenisei, but then lightning flashed in the sky, fell to the ground with a terrible roar, split the coastal rock. The angry Baikal grabbed a block of stone and threw his daughter after him. But the Yenisei Angara managed to embrace it, save it from the elements. Since then, the rivers have been inseparable. A piece of rock, thrown by Baikal after Angara, still lies where it fell. The water around it never freezes. The legend says that these are traces of the Angara, Baikal, Irkut and Yenisei.
In the old days, people called the rock the Shaman-stone. It is sacred, located in a sacred place. For many centuries, offerings have been brought here to the gloomy, dangerous Baikal. It was believed that the rock is able to punish criminals and liars. From time immemorial, people were tested on the Shaman-stone, who, according to legend, did the right thing, survived.
The old people say that the nature of the lake deteriorated after the flight of his beloved daughter. Once Baikal was bright and affectionate. Today, his character is quarrelsome, his behavior is unpredictable. If the old Baikal becomes angry again, the Shaman-stone will be washed away in an instant, and the whole world will follow it.
Scientific history of the Shaman stone
Scientists have confirmed the movement of the rock, which is unnatural from a natural point of view. This indicates that certain tectonic events took place in the Baikal region in ancient times. Witnesses of natural disasters were the then inhabitants of these places. They laid down the legend about the angry old man, his beautiful daughter, the struggle of the powerful rivers for the heart of the Angara.
In ancient times, during natural disasters, new drains of the lake were formed, old ones were blocked. All this was accompanied by a riot of elements, earthquakes, and strongest storms on Baikal. It is not surprising that the lakes were afraid, they revered him, they reckoned with him. Until now, Buryat shamans perform various rituals on the shores of the lake. Not available today for offerings Shaman Stone. It was almost completely flooded after the construction of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station. In clear weather, the rock rises only 1-1.5 meters above the waters of the Angara source. But the Shaman-Stone has not lost its sacred meaning.
You can see the legendary rock today during an excursion to the village of Listvyanka. Here is an observation deck, which offers a magnificent view of the one and a half meter cap of the Shaman stone, almost completely hidden under water, but majestic, mysterious. This rock is unique. The shaman is called a stone that makes you shudder. This unique natural monument is recommended for every visitor to Baikal.
Vacationers recreation center "Circum-Baikal" excursions to the legendary Shaman-stone are offered. Traveling is like traveling through time. Just one look at the sacred symbol of Baikal will take you back many centuries. It seems that from the observation deck in Listvyanka only the cap of the rock is visible ... But in a minute, the events of bygone years will unfold before your eyes. You will see the Angara running away, the angry father of Baikal, you will hear the sound of waves and wind, the roar of falling stones. Here, in one of the most interesting places on our planet, the feeling of reality is lost. So majestic, a little gloomy, wayward, demanding unquestioning obedience, Baikal meets those who open their hearts to it.
In good weather, only the top of the Shaman-stone is visible above the water, protruding by 1-1.5 meters, but under the water there is a rock mass, thanks to which the Angara River does not freeze in winter. Up to 15,000 water birds live in a non-freezing polynya 5 to 15 km long. This is the only non-freezing wintering place in all of northern Asia.
Unique geological object (passport)
Category: Unique Geological Object (UGO)
Geological profile: Geomorphological
Total area: 0.05 ha
Year of creation: 1981
Status: regional significance
Regulatory framework for functioning: Approved, Decision of the regional executive committee of 19.05.81 N 264
List of main objects of protection: an island in the headwaters of the Angara, composed of Lower Archean gneisses, quartzites, amphibolites
Brief description of the geological object: There is perhaps no more popular and legendary place than a tiny island at the source of the Angara, called the Shaman's Stone. This is all that remains here from the Primorsky Range after it was washed away in time immemorial by the waters of the Angara. The stone has a rather extensive rocky base, which forms a kind of threshold in front of the Baikal depths.
Geographical position: the source of the river Angara, 0.5 km from the nominal alignment
Latitude: 51.87 Longitude: 104.8 (degrees)
Additional information: The shaman's stone is surrounded by waters, and so far the only failed attempt on its integrity can be considered a proposal for an explosion to quickly fill the reservoir of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power station.
Stone that makes you shudder
Many people know the wonderful legend about the appearance of this stone, with which old Baikal tried to block the way of his wayward and beautiful daughter, who secretly ran away to the handsome Yenisei.
Under the strictest guardianship of her father, Angara felt like an involuntary recluse, and in every possible way prayed to the heavenly powers for her release.
"Oh you Tengarin gods,
Have pity on the captive soul
Don't be harsh and strict
To me, surrounded by a rock.
Understand that youth is pushing Baikal into the grave with a ban...
Oh give me courage and strength
Reveal these walls of rocks ... "
Many people know the legend, but few people are aware that the stone is famous not only and not so much for this legendary past, but also for the fact that it served as a cult haven for the prayer rites of the Buryat shamans. No less interesting is the fact that it was a kind of "sworn" place, to which people were sent who were suspected of lying or treason, especially unfaithful wives were "lucky" in this regard. It was believed that a person who speaks a lie will definitely be punished for his sin on this stone. Important evidence of these facts can be found in G.F. Miller, a German historian who described Siberia in the 18th century. On the basis of Buryat beliefs, he wrote about the presence of Aiesha-tscholo “making rocks tremble” at the source of the Angara and noted that this and similar places “are so revered that persons accused of a crime and wishing to prove their innocence resort to such a rock and clasp it with both hands, being firmly convinced that if they swear falsely, they will certainly die.
As some researchers suggest, the legend of the unnatural movement of the shaman stone is a confirmation that in not so long ago ancient people were real witnesses of geological cataclysms on the coast. In particular, this applies to disasters in the course of which new flows from the lake appeared and old ones were blocked, for example, in the areas of Kultuk or Buguldeyka (see the material on these areas).
In 1972, another memorable place for Irkutsk people, and not only them, appeared near the Shaman monument - a stone obelisk on the banks of the Angara source, near which the famous Russian playwright, thirty-five-year-old Alexander, died. He - half Russian, half Buryat - drowned here, unable to cope with the icy water. Anticipating his fate, he once wrote in his diary: "I will never be old."
