The old belivers’ manuscript «Puteshestvennik» from the museum of Soloneshnoe village (Altai)

Abstract

The author of the article analyzes a photocopy of the Old Believers' manuscript No. 423 from the regional ethnographic museum of Soloneshnoe village. The manuscript was created in the environment of the Altai Old Believers — "beglopopovtsy" in the second half of the XIX century. During the process of analyzing the manuscript, two lists were found in composition of it. Both lists show routes to places where the Old Believer priesthood is preserved.

The first list in the manuscript is entitled "Puteshestvennik" — a popular guide among the Old Believers to the legendary country Belovodye, located in the Sea of Japan. The "Puteshestvennik" is a new, 17th identified list among those found earlier. The analysis and classification of the text "Puteshestvennik" have been done.

The second list included in the manuscript has no name. Through a comparative analysis, it was possible to establish that it is an incomplete copy of the text "Road abroad". The text refers to the existence of the Old Believer priesthood outside the borders of the Russian Empire in the middle of the XIX century. In addition, it has been established that this list refers to the Belokrinitsky hierarchy. When comparing the two lists in the composition of the "Puteshestvennik", their common aspects were revealed. The author of the article concluded that such manuscripts circulated among Old Believers belonging to Chasovennoe soglasie, who accepted the priesthood.