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Абхазский эпический образ золотостопой праматери Сатаней-Гуаши в общекультурной семиотической системе

Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Introduction. The study examines the semantics of the little-studied epithet ‘golden-footed’ (Abkhaz. aḥyš’argwəc’a), which designates Sataney-Guasha, the central female character of the Abkhazian version of the Nart epic. Goals. The study aims to analyze the semantic structure of the epithet within a general cultural-semiotic system to thereby elucidate her image and symbolic significance and, more broadly, trace the ways in which Abkhaz religious concepts are encoded in language. Particular attention is given to the role and significance of the ‘golden foot’ as a mythological image within a broader cultural context, as well as to the semantic field of the epithet. The study is motivated by the need for a detailed semantic description of the compound aḥyš’argwəc’a from the perspective of the Abkhaz cultural and linguistic worldviews. The use of the epithet ‘golden-footed’ in reference to Sataney-Guasha not only emphasizes her distinctive symbolic status but may also preserve elements of an archaic religious and mythological worldview. Methods. Methodologically, the study employs comparative, semiotic, and linguocultural approaches. Conclusions. The semantic analysis of aḥyš’argwəc’a suggests that the epithet belongs to an archaic religious-cultural layer of the Abkhaz lexicon and functions as a significant element of the collective mythological imagination. The study identifies several characteristic features of the female figure that may point to the enduring presence of the Great Mother motif in Abkhaz cultural consciousness. The epithet ‘golden-footed’ contributes to the monumentalization and sacralization of Sataney-Guasha in the Abkhazian Nart tradition. Studies of this kind contribute to a better understanding of the dynamic interplay between language, culture, and collective identity within mythoepic tradition.
DOI: 10.22162/2587-6503-2026-2-38-78-91
Language: English
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7225813199
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