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Their self-designations are Mordva, Erzya and Moksha. They live in the Republic of Mordovia (283.9 thousand people), in Samara (86 thousand), Penza (70.7 thousand), Orenburg (52.5 thousand), Ulyanovsk (50.2 thousand) regions and on other territories of the Russian Federation.
The Erzya and Moksha Mordvinic languages belong to the Baltic-Volga group of the Finno-Ugric languages. The Erzya language includes five dialects, and the Mokshan language, three dialects; on the basis of these dialects the Moksha and Erzya standard languages were created. For a significant part of the Mordva, the Russian language is native.
Up to the early 20th century, almost one third of the Mordva population lived in large patriarchal families of 30-40 people. Before the spread of Christianity, polygamy existed.
An important role in the life of a Mordvin village was played by the territorial community which regulated many aspects of life on the basis of the common law. A kinship group-based organization kept existing for a long time. A kinship group consisted of patriarchal families and was headed by a pokshtyan (poksh means “large”). Every kinship group had a cemetery of its own and a sacred grove where prayer rituals were conducted.
The Mordvin dwellings were log constructions. In the south, the roof was covered with straw, and in northern regions with batten. The dwelling consisted either of two sections – the residential part and the seni antechamber, – or of three sections, with the gornitsa clean chamber. It was heated by a Russian oven, in the espacement between the oven and the back wall a wide plank deck was installed. Along the walls, broad benches were fixed on.
In the traditional diet, agricultural products prevailed: sour bread, thin gruels from millet, lentils, peas with hemp oil, thick millet pancakes, pies with various fillings. Mushrooms, berries and other foraged products were also used for food. Out of the dairy products, curd is the most widespread.
The key role in the Mordvin economy was played by plough agriculture; the major field crops were barley, millet, rye, peas, hemp, linen. Garden crops were also produced. From the second half of the 19th century, potatoes were becoming widespread. Running second in significance was animal husbandry: breeding cattle and small ruminants, horses, pigs, poultry. Hunting (squirrel skins were used as an exchange unit), fishing and honey-hunting also played an important role. Smithing was of particular significance; spinning and weaving, pottery, woodworks, etc. were important.
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