Yakut volosts in the 1630-1640s

Purpose : The paper deals with the administrative division of Yakutia in the 17th century and lists the volosts which existed in the 1630-1640s. We discuss the arrangement of these regions and compare them with the territories where Yakut clans used to live. In the 17th century, all Yakut land consisted of volosts, but in the 18th century they were replaced by uluses. The article also discusses an appropriate term to determine this kind of area, the tribes and the clans. Results : Six central Yakut uluses which appeared in the 18th century included Borogonskii, Kangalasskii, Meginskii, Namskii, Baturuskii and Bayagantayskii uluses. They were considered to be separate and were inhabited by particular clans. Along with them, in terms of population and significance, existed Betungian and Batulintsy uluses. Some volosts, such as Zharkhan and Bordon, were considered part of the Kangalas and moved to Vilyui. Representatives of many central volosts were later found in Vilyui and other northern regions (uluses). The «pedestrian» Yakuts of the Middle Vilyui of the 17th century had a separate origin. As part of the Kangalas, the Naharans, the Neruktans, the Malzhegarts, the Bordongists, and the Jharkhans were considered to be large clans. In the vicinity of the Kangalas there lived Batulintsy or Zheksogontsy and Chorintsy. Baturus ulus, which was formed later, consisted of a number of large volosts such as Khatylinskaya, Baturusskaya, Batulinskaya, Betyungskaya, Sylanskaya, Alagaranskaya and Taattinskaya. According to the Yakut genealogy, the descendants of the progenitor Ellaeus included the Kangalists, the Baturus, the Borogonians, the Meginians and the Dupinsians. Descendants of Omogoya are the Pamyagans and the Bayagantais, as well as the Betungians and Batulinites. Descendants of the third progenitor of Uluu Khor can be considered representatives of Genera Horo. Conclusion : The definition of a volost is more in line with the concept of a clan. The largest of the Yakut families included the Kangalas, the Bethengians, the Meginians, the Batulintsy, the Borogonians, the Namians, the Bayaghantais and the Dupinsians, and it would be more correct to call them tribes. There was a division of large clans into new anthroponymic or clan forms. These new families were known by the name of the leader who headed the clan. They were the Spies, the Legeus and the Bordongians. According to legends, the Nams, the Zharkhans, the Naharans and the Bologars were of the same anthroponymic origin. According to genealogical legends, all the Yakut clans including the Kangalas, the Borogonians and the Meghints had a common ancestor leading his origin from the progenitor Ellaeus and Omogoi. However, these genealogical legends are formed on the principle of the Türkic shezhere, according to which the ancestor of the founder of the tribe gives his name to the tribe. In this case, distant lines of ancestors make repeated ethnonyms. Therefore, Yakut volosts are not clan formations. They are wider than the blood family.