Communicative functioning of rhythmic structures in the memorial landscape of Arkaim
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47475/2070-0695-2025-57-3-169-175Keywords:
memorative landscape, literariness of the text, rhythm, archeology, Arkaim, materialization of identity, symbolic capitalAbstract
This article examines the communicative functioning of rhythmic structures within the memorial landscape of the Arkaim archaeological site. The purpose of the research is to identify, substantiate, and describe the nature, formation factors, and functional characteristics of rhythmic constructions in this space as a means of activating its symbolic capital. The study is based on 33 "thick descriptions" gathered during ten expeditions to Arkaim between May 2023 and August 2025. The methodology combines Clifford Geertz’s concept of thick description with multimodal discourse analysis to identify recurring elements in visitors’ behavior and the surrounding environment.
The study demonstrates that rhythmic structures at Arkaim emerge from the interaction of natural, cultural, behavioral, and sensory factors: landscape rhythms (river meanders, lines of the steppe and sky), repetitive architectural and memorial elements (dolmens, stone spirals), and visitors’ ritual and spiritual practices. Particular attention is paid to the synthesis of visual, auditory, and tactile rhythms, which create a sense of wholeness and foster a "system of expectations" among visitors. The phenomenon of arrhythmia – disruptions in stable rhythms – is analyzed as a dramatic device that enriches the perception of space.
The findings show that rhythm performs not only an aesthetic but also a communicative and identificational function: it ensures sustained interaction with cultural memory, allows for a free choice of engagement forms with the space, and facilitates the creation of meaningful "rhymes" between past and present. Rhythmic constructions, combined with a system of images, transform the memorial landscape of Arkaim into a text-like structure capable of multi-level interpretation and spiritual exploration.
Acknowledgments: The study was Supported by the Russian Science Foundation and Chelyabinsk region, № 23-18-20098, https://rscf.ru/en/project/23-18-20098
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