Transformation of Traditional Mordovian Men's Underwear Clothing

DOI: 10.33876/2311-0546/2022-2/154-161

Abstract

The article aims to study the changes in the male underwear clothing as an essential element of the material culture of the Mordovian people. Mordva was the first large ethnic group to join Russia in the middle of the XVI century. The Christianization of the Mordva started from that moment on and played a significant role in its rapprochement with the Russian people. As a result of close intercultural contacts with different ethnic groups, especially with Russians, the Mordovian men's costume reflected influences of other cultures, beliefs, rites, and traditions. The most notable changes in the traditional Mordovian costume were observed in the late XIX – first quarter of the XX century and are associated with the use of factory-made fabric and borrowing individual costume elements from neighboring peoples living in Volga-Urals. The study of the literature on the topic showed that ethnographic sources and Mordovian folklore provide the most detailed descriptions of the manufacture of shirts, color selection, material, and clothing choice according to the season.