The Evenki accounts of the 1908 Tunguska event collected in 1920s-1930s

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the 1920s-1930s Evenki indigenous accounts of the 1908 Tunguska event, emphasizing their proximity to the epicenter and their reliability due to cultural context, comparing them with other reports and considering weather conditions.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of the Evenki accounts collected in the early 20th century, highlighting their significance and comparing them with other eyewitness reports.

Findings

Evenki accounts are highly reliable due to cultural norms against lying.

Accounts from near the epicenter offer valuable insights into the event.

Weather conditions played a role in the event's manifestations.

Abstract

This paper is a continuation of a series of works, devoted to various aspects of the 1908 Tunguska event. It is devoted to the Evenki accounts of the 1908 Tunguska event collected in 1920s - 1930s. It is important to research accounts of Evenki who were rather close to the epicenter. The Evenki accounts are important also, because Evenki are natural hunters and pathfinders - their lives depend on their memory and vision. Most of the reviewed in this work accounts were collected at the Evenki conference, when telling a lie was considered to be a serious misconduct. These Evenki accounts are compared with other Tunguska accounts. Also weather conditions associated with the Tunguska event are considered. Some manifestations of the Tunguska event are discussed.