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MORDVIN

name of a people speaking one of the Finno-Ugric languages and living in the Mordovian (or Mordvinian) Republic, located S and W of the middle Volga R., in the W central Russian Federation. In the early 2000s, about 300,000 Mordvins remained in the Republic of Mordovia. Saransk is the republic's capital and main urban center.

Erzya in the N and Moksha in the S are the two main linguistic branches of the Mordvin language. Agriculture is the chief occupation, but carpentry, the manufacture of wooden vessels, and beekeeping are also important. The women wear a distinctive traditional costume of profusely embroidered jackets and skirts, elaborate coiffures, large earrings, and necklaces. Mordvins are Orthodox Christians; ancient forms of nature worship included the worship of Shkay, a sun god.

Mordvins were first mentioned in the 6th century ad. They were ruled in the mid-13th century by the Golden Horde and subsequently by the Kazan Khanate. Russia acquired their territory in 1552. A part of the USSR as the Mordvinian ASSR (1934), Mordovia became (1992) a republic in the Russian Federation.

An article from Funk & Wagnalls® New Encyclopedia. © 2006 World Almanac Education Group. A WRC Media Company. All rights reserved. Except as otherwise permitted by written agreement, uses of the work inconsistent with U.S. and applicable foreign copyright and related laws are prohibited.

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ENCYCLOPEDIA:

MORDVIN,

MORDVIN,. name of a people speaking one of the Finno-Ugric languages and living in the Mordovian (or Mordvinian) Republic, located S and W of the middle Volga R., in the W central Russian Federation. In the early 2000s, about 300,000 Mordvins remained in the Republic of Mordovia. . . .

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ENCYCLOPEDIA: RUSSIAN FEDERATION,

ENCYCLOPEDIA: UNION OF SOVIET SOCIALIST REPUBLICS

ENCYCLOPEDIA: FINNO-UGRIC LANGUAGES,

ENCYCLOPEDIA: URALIC LANGUAGES,