Besov nose Karelia. Devils nose and Murom monastery

PETROGLYPHS OF CAPE BESIOV NOS

Besov Nos - cape on east coast Lake Onega, 1.5 km north of the confluence of the Black River with Onega Lake. The cape is famous for its petroglyphs, among which stands out an anthropomorphic image called a “bes”, about 2.30 m long, which is about 5 thousand years old. The name "demon" was given to the image by Christian pioneer monks in the 16th century. Petroglyphs are classified as archaeological Neolithic monuments. The collection of petroglyphs at Cape Besov Nos is considered the richest in Fennoscandia (Scandinavia and Finland).

Actually in this place east coast Lake Onega has several capes and an island, which contain petroglyphs on their rocks - Besov Nos, Peri Nos and Kladovets Nos. Why Besov Nos? Probably because of the legendary drawing of the "demon", to which the restless monks of the Murom Monastery in the 15th - 16th centuries added a cross in order to reduce its "demonicity" and neutralize the devil's power.

Ph.D. A.P. Zhuravlev, Petrozavodsk, "ON THE NEW INTERPRETATION OF THE 'DEMON' ON THE ONEGA PETROGLYPHS":

Cape Besov Nos is a unique natural and archaeological monument of the European North, where numerous rock carvings of the Eneolithic era were found. Among these images, a special place is occupied by the central image of Bes - a colorful figure, dissected by a deep crack into two proportional parts. The demon has a square head with a nose, mouth and two eyes. One eye is shown as a round spot, the other as a circle with a spot in the center. Bes has a thin neck and arms bent at the elbows. The legs are also expanded downwards and bent at the knees (in the form of a "dancing man"). The figure's right hand is covered by a Christian cross with the monograms of Christ on both sides. It is believed that the monks of the Murom Monastery, which is located 25 km south of the cape, knocked out the cross.

There are various interpretations of this image, and in particular, the deepening in the oral cavity is explained by the fact that Bes was fed and watered, making sacrifices. A crack in the rock is associated with an earlier time than the appearance of Bes here.

In connection with the discovery of a catastrophic earthquake in Pegrem (4200 plus or minus 50 years ago), a new interpretation of Bes and exact time his creation. In particular, the residents who left Pegrema in connection with the disaster drew attention to changes in the landscape: huge cracks appeared in the rocks. The appearance of these cracks in front of their eyes was accompanied by the roar of collapsed rocks, thunder sounds, lighting effects, etc. All this created the idea that the evil spirits of the lower world, having destroyed the earthly firmament, broke through the cracks into the middle world and did their dark deeds.

Leaving God cursed place"- Pegrem in the Unitskaya Bay of Lake Onega, people came to the eastern coast of the lake, where a crack was found in the rocks of Besov Nos, which in miniature repeated the cracks in the rocks of the Unitskaya Bay that arose after a catastrophic earthquake that claimed the lives of fellow tribesmen. Impressed by the tragedy, they reflected on rock their ideas about this event.

The demon, in their opinion, is the master of the lower world and the evil forces that he owned. The asymmetric location of his body relative to the cracks indicated a place in the earth's surface where evil spirits break out from the lower world into the middle one. Sacrifices to Bes could appease him and save people.

There are three largest drawings on the Besovy Nos. In addition to the demon itself, it is also an otter and a catfish.

Such places, with their fame and accessibility, naturally, are gradually destroyed and destroyed not only by the wildness of "tourists", but even by the specialists themselves. For example, in order to preserve the petroglyphs, part of the rock on Peri Nos was separated by an explosion and transported to the Hermitage. At the same time, part of the petroglyphs was lost irretrievably.

But, initially, these places were removed from the settlements, which emphasizes their ritual nature. Those. these places were apparently used for religious rites and they were specially visited for this purpose. But, for some reason, they did not settle in the immediate vicinity. That abandoned village and cemetery, which are now located near these capes, are in no way connected with the settlements of a thousand years ago.

The mystery of the place, the ambiguity of the meaning of many drawings - all this has an exciting effect and awakens an endless series of questions: starting with "where", ending with "why". Indeed, why are petroglyphs not scattered evenly over all the rocks of Karelia, but concentrated in two places (Belomorsk and Capes Onega)? Why, despite the relatively small distance between these places, do petroglyphs differ in character? Why do petroglyphs cluster in such dense groups?

Lovers of the otherworldly, mysterious and mystical attribute this place anomalous forces, which pathogenically affect a person: at first they attract like a magnet, then they force them to return and even lead to various misfortunes. Yes, and scientists who are far from mysticism ask more riddles than find answers. This is especially true of the so-called lunar drawings in the form of circles and crescents with outgoing rays. Some believe that this is an image of traps, others that this is an image of the sun and moon. Some believe it is related to religious rituals, others - with the cosmic nature of the drawings, others suggest astronomical knowledge among the ancients, the fourth calculate the directions of the rays and reach the idea of ​​\u200b\u200ban ancient observatory. In a word, there are more questions than answers - and this only fuels the process of reproduction of conjectures and legends.

Finding and discovering new drawings requires knowledge, skills and experience. The most distinct drawings, which are usually viewed by tourists, are quite large and clearly visible. But this is just the tip of the iceberg! It is clear that on a flat surface of a stone it will not be possible to see “scratches” just like that. Therefore, it is always recommended to view petroglyphs on a sunny day, when the stones are dry. To see the fine relief of "weak drawings", it is best to do this at sunrise or sunset, when the sun's rays illuminate them along and the shadows allow you to see what is almost impossible to see with "vertical" lighting. When there is no time to wait for favors from nature, experts use various tricks: they cover themselves with a dense cloth, passing light onto the stones along the surface.

Be that as it may, this place really makes an indelible impression. You really feel the breath of millennia. Indeed, something mystical envelops you. Really attracts and makes you want to go back there again.

As part of the Pickup Club trip to Besov Nos, our team, due to their active participation in the life of this wonderful club, decided to once again visit this center of pilgrimage for jeepers.

Departure photo:

In anticipation of the departure, it turned out that one of our comrades needed to call on the road to the city of Babaevo, to the local department of the traffic police, for a certificate on a recent case of rights. In this regard, it was decided to break through the Babaevo-Vytegra route, along forest country roads and clearings, which was done. We hung around for a long time, poked into dead ends, but nevertheless we drove to Vytegra, and, moreover, with practically no losses, except for a flying table that was not fixed in my body, which landed the glass of the kung at the next peak. Fasten the shmurdyak stronger!

We arrived at the place of the Pickapclub camp, near the village of Karshevo, which is the last point of civilized country roads before Besov.

We ate, drank, slept, woke up, lowered the tires and drove to Karshevo-Besov Nos SS:

The road was, as usual, interesting, moderately dry:

and moderately wet:

What is interesting about the Devils Nose, 17 kilometers of the road to it offer the jeep a lot of various obstacles, here and maneuvering between stumps and trees, and deep ruts with high-quality mud, and geometric ambushes with overhanging wheels, and there is even a little stone trial.

We got to the bank of the Onega, and there, as always, it was beautiful:

We camped at our favorite place - between Besov and Peri Nosami, put up an awning

Well, they laid the table:

If anyone is interested, then this is a tourist table that is standard in any car, its name is a radiator, it's a pity the photo has not been preserved

I won’t post a lot of photos of Besov Nos himself, those who were already know what is there, and those who haven’t been - let them see everything live better:

We bought ourselves, drank vodka, evacuated the broken car back to Karshevo, walked for glory, it's time to move back. But, instead of the usual rubilov Besov-Karshevo, we wanted to drive the previously untrodden route Besov-Shalsky (the one that is residential).

In the abandoned Shalsky we went strictly to the north, in a swampy forest we stumbled upon an uazovod, this man deserves a separate paragraph:

He travels alone, on a stock UAZ patriot, without a winch, without a zip, without tracks and without a clear understanding of all the risks arising from such preparedness. We saw him in the forest near a Patrick raised by Jack, noticing a column of 10 Japanese pickups, he asked us without batting an eye if we had a spare tie rod for the UAZ ... because he bent his own. Disappointed that we didn’t have a zip for the UAZ with us, he complained that it had been broken for 2 days already, and asked for a passenger to Shalsky, deciding to find traction there and !!! mechanic, ready to go back with him 15 km through the wilderness without a single path in order to install it on the UAZ. Of course, we were surprised, but we took the boy with us. On the way, they asked, what if in Shalsky there is no tie rod for the Patriot and crazy mechanics? Well, he replied, then I'll hit the road to Moscow for traction and installation instructions. 7 km before Shalsky, in complete wilderness, he decided to get off and walk straight through the forest. Unusual person...

PS. Later, we figured him out through a blog on the drive and found out that all his adventures ended happily.

But let's get back to our column, having passed the woods, we went ashore behind Peri Nos and went along the wild coast:

Our path led along the coast, with periodic visits to the forest, going around cape after cape, we really liked the coastal hills, which there was no way to pass: And one of the most impressive hills:

Along the route, we encountered upland bogs a couple of times and a lot of stone trials on wet, moss-covered rocky tongues. After the trial, we again went to the sandy spit and drove the last 4 km without any problems. On the way, they dropped the fat on a tree, hushed up the l200 door, tore a couple of winches. Having left for Shalsky, they pumped up and decided to go without parking to Pudozh, to the hotel, in order to taste the delights of civilization, which they had been deprived of for almost a week.

As a result of the trip - reconnoitered new road from / to Besov Nos, it is very interesting and diverse, and most importantly, not rolled up by jeeps to holes, unlike the Karshevo-Besov path.

Many thanks to Taiga and the Surveyor from the Pickup Club, who rode with us and actively photographed the whole process.

Sincerely,

In the middle of the 19th century, a professor at the University of Tartu, geologist Konstantin Grevingk, discovered many drawings carved on stones on the rocks on the eastern shore of Lake Onega. Since that time, people have become aware of the existence of the Onega petroglyphs - one of the main attractions of Karelia.

Rock paintings in Karelia can be found in several places, but the most famous are the White Sea and Onega petroglyphs. The first are located near Belomorsk near the sea coast, others are located on east side Lake Onega in the Pudozh region of Karelia. Onega petroglyphs were carved about 5-6 thousand years ago, when the territory of modern Karelia was only inhabited by primitive tribes. These petroglyphs are so unique that they are included in the list of objects along with the famous Kizhi world heritage UNESCO.

Unknown artists used stone chisels to carve images on coastal rocks for many years and even centuries. To knock out such drawings on a granite rock, which only a diamond drill will take, is difficult even for a modern person, not to mention our ancestors from the Stone Age. Scientists have established that the authors of the petroglyphs used a piece of quartz as a chisel, using the second piece of stone as a hammer. To date, more than a thousand images are known, ranging in size from a few centimeters to four meters. They are concentrated on a rocky section of the coast 20 km long.

Almost half of all known images were carved on the capes Besov Nos and Peri Nos. These places are removed from travel roads and popular tourist routes, therefore, not all tourists who come to Karelia on vacation can look at petroglyphs.

Primitive artists on the shores of Lake Onega most often depicted birds and a little less often animals. There are also images of people or supernatural beings. Some of the Onega petroglyphs have not yet been deciphered, and scientists can only assume that ancient people painted on the stones.

The most famous Onega petroglyph is the image of the "Demon" on the Besovy Nos. A huge (more than 2 meters in height) disproportionate figure of a humanoid creature is carved on a rock, and in the middle of the image lies deep crack. Next to the "Demon" images of a catfish or burbot and a lizard or otter are carved. For several millennia, this petroglyph remained unchanged, and only in the 19th century the monks of the local monastery decided to "neutralize" it and knocked out an image of an Orthodox cross over its left hand. In this form, this petroglyph now appears before researchers and tourists coming to Karelia.

Why ancient people carved these images on stone, scientists can only speculate. Perhaps they were used in rituals. Some even believe that sacrifices could be held on the Demon Nose. Other researchers consider our ancestors less bloodthirsty, and petroglyphs, according to their version, could serve as a kind of observatory, with the help of which the movement of celestial bodies was calculated. By the way, it is worth admiring the petroglyphs just before the appearance of the stars. The images are best seen in the last rays of the setting sun. In this light, the relief of the rock appears along with the slightest crevices.

How to get to the Onega petroglyphs:

Petroglyphs on Lake Onega, unlike the White Sea ones, are located away from popular tourist routes. Therefore, few tourists can see the unique stone writings with their own eyes. You can get to Cape Besov Nos both by water and by land. In the first case, the most in a simple way will rent a boat in the village of Shalsky. The village is located just 10 kilometers from Besov Nos.

In order to get to the petroglyphs by land, you will need a prepared off-road vehicle. First you need to get to Pudozh - this is the regional center, then tourists will have a 35-kilometer section, first to the village of Karashevo, and then along a forest dirt road to the very cape. The journey will turn out to be quite exciting, because there are abandoned villages along the way, and the road itself can add adrenaline to the blood, so you need to go on a prepared jeep with a winch, several jacks and, preferably, experience in trophy raids. In general, there are many such impassable roads in this region and jeep tours in Karelia are very popular. Such a vacation will allow you to get to know Karelia from a completely different side and look at such hidden places that, sometimes, they themselves do not know about. locals.

If the path to the Onega petroglyphs seems too long, you can simply visit National Museum located in the very center of Petrozavodsk. Its funds contain a piece of rock with real petroglyphs, brought from the eastern shore of Lake Onega.

What to see nearby

Onega petroglyphs are located in the Pudozh region of Karelia. For a long time it was considered a remote territory, located on the edge of the republic, and even getting a court was quite difficult. Now the federal highway connecting Karelia, the Arkhangelsk and Vologda regions passes through the territory of the district. Every year it will get better and better, so the flow of tourists here in the coming years will only increase.

This area is special. Traditionally settled here mainly Russian population whose life acquired its own special features. All this can be told in the local history museum of the district in Pudozh. Due to its position, the area has managed to preserve the unique nature untouched by civilization. Here is the largest park in Europe wildlife"Vedlozersky", and pilgrims will be interested in visiting the Murom Monastery, founded in the 14th century.

H and the next day we went to the petroglyphs.
We decided to spend the whole day on them, there is something to see on Lake Onega ...

Onega petroglyphs are located on the entire eastern coast of Lake Onega. This miracle was discovered by a geologist from St. Petersburg, K. Greving, in 1848. Scientists date them to about the 4th - 5th millennium BC.
It's not that far from St. Petersburg, especially if you only go there, and don't visit the monasteries)))

Petroglyphs are located in the Pudozh region, on the rocks of the Besov Nos peninsula, capes Peri Nos, Kladovets, Gagazhiy, Kochkovnavolok, on Gury Island, and also on Karetsky Nose. Ancient drawings occupy a 20 km coastal area and have about 1200 figures and signs. Among them are images of forest animals, people, birds (swans), boats. The sizes of drawings and symbols reach 4 m.

Many drawings open only in certain time days, with "their lighting". Some in the evening, at sunset, others at sunrise ... probably it was intended so))

They are still being found. Everyone can participate in this. It is enough to get up from the computer and go in search of them. Moreover, after last year's hurricane, many trees were uprooted and under them there may well be new masterpieces.

On the left is a view of Lake Onega (NASA image)
Numbers indicate: 1. Svir Bay. 2. Petrozavodsk Bay and the city of Petrozavodsk. 3. Big Onego Bay. 4. Kondopoga Bay. 5. Maloe Onego bay. 6. Zaonezhsky Bay. 7. Povenets Bay. 8. Kizhi Island. 9. Lake Vodlozero and Vodlozersky national park. 10. Ivinsky Razliv. 11. Cape Besov Nos 12. Bolshoi Klimenetsky Island.

From the city of Pudozh, we drove to the village. Karshevo. It stands on the Black River, which flows out of the swamps and flows into the Onega. The river is treacherous. there is a lot of driftwood (flooded logs) on which you can roll over, but all the locals dangerous places know.

Some thrill-seekers in cool off-road vehicles risk continuing their journey along the road and further, to the very Cape Besov Nos. But when we were there, the police arranged for such a hunt))) we found a check, entry there is prohibited and such a trip threatens with a good fine.

We arrived quickly. About an hour drive from the city. The road is not ice in some places. In one place wooden bridge with the floor sprinkled with rotten boards))) I was afraid to puncture the wheel, but we arrived. In the village, many earn money in the summer by transporting tourists. here in almost every house there is a boat, a motor, a "tablet" and a home-made boat trailer. Every day they take the boat to the river and then return it to the yard.

We agreed to get to Besov Nos not immediately. All boats were on Onega. We had to wait about an hour when we were taken there, but it does not matter. But we talked with the hostess, learned all the local news. She complained that there were fewer and fewer children at school, they could close it, that Muscovites bought the land on which their cow used to grazed, built large guest houses, but during the crisis, the business did not go as expected. In addition, the competition for transportation is high for people and it is easier to stay in the city, and not with them. As a result, they go out of their way to the best of their ability, and war games are played with shooting games and all sorts of fireworks, which makes cows lose milk ... Herods, in short ... I think they will soon be burned for nothing.

This gazebo near the house is especially for those waiting to be sent to the petroglyphs ... service, however! You can buy tea or real milk.

We didn't have to wait long, the captain came and took us to the boat.

The water in the river is brown, peaty.

Somewhere they went slowly, somewhere quickly. There was a strong hurricane here last year, knocked down a lot of trees. and the driftwood that had been lying at the bottom for decades stirred up, so it was necessary to be more careful.

Then they sped up..

We passed the rook ... Black pearl)))))

Here is the demons cape.

Water is just amazing. By the way, they drank it without boiling and nothing. I thought it was like a mineral...

People swam with might and main)))) but not on this coast)))

The banks are steep, sometimes only stones, sometimes sand.

This is a paradise for tourists. This is a local trail.

The captain has left us... he will sail in the evening...

Aftermath of the hurricane...

Someone must have stumbled here...