The Concept of “Stone” in the Ladder of John Climacus

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Category: Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature: Issue 25
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The study was completed with the support of the Russian Science Foundation (project No. 22-18-00005, “Iconography and Hagiography of the Ladder of St. John Climacus”).
Abstract:

The article examines the study of the concept of “stone” in the text of the Ladder of St. John Climacus based on the original and translated texts of the monument; the main source is the oldest Russian manuscript of the Ladder (Moscow, Russian State Library, collection of N.P. Rumyantsev, no. 198). The main method of analysis is the method of linguistic hermeneutics. The contexts in which the lexemes камы, камыкъ, камение, каменный function are analyzed. It is proven that the symbolism of the stone in the Ladder is based on the biblical tradition. The conceptually significant features of stone have been identified: durability and the possibility of using it as a building material; lifelessness (insensibility); the ability to be an obstacle, an unexpected danger on the way; the ability to change shape; the ability to be used as a weapon in the fight against enemies (with passions, with sins); beauty and the ability to decorate. The most frequent features of the concept were revealed: there are durability and insensibility. As a result of the analysis, a conceptual feature of the stone was revealed, an indication of which is absent in the Dictionary of Biblical Imagery, in the dictionaries of the Old Church Slavonic language and the dictionaries of the Old Russian language, namely: the ability to change shape as a result of interaction with other stones. Parallels have been found between the text of the Ladder and the text of the inscription to the image of the cycle “Monastic Feats” from the frescoes of the Annunciation Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin.
Keywords: Old Russian translated literature, Ladder of John Climacus, concept “stone,” Old Russian language, Old Russian art
Author: Tatiana G. Popova
Information about the author:

Tatiana G. Popova, DSc in Philology, Leading Research Fellow, Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (IKBFU), Nevskogo St., 14, 236041 Kaliningrad, Russia.

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8431-2962

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
For citation:

Popova, T.G. “The Concept of ‘Stone’ in the ‘Ladder’ of John Climacus.” Germenevtika drevnerusskoi literatury [Hermeneutics of Old Russian Literature]. Issue 25. Ed.-in-chief O.A. Tufanova, sci. ed. M.V. Kaplun. Moscow, IWL RAS Publ., 2026, pp. 411–429. https://doi.org/10.22455/HORL.1607-6192-2026-25-411-429 (In Russian)
EDN:

https://elibrary.ru/QWWUHV
UDC: 821.161.1.0
Publication Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.22455/HORL.1607-6192-2026-25-411-429

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