Koryak fire-making apparatus

This article analyzes the Koryak fire apparatus based on the use of fire steel. Their study is one of the areas of comprehensive understanding of the relationship of «man-fire» in the archaeological and ethnographic cultures of the peoples of Siberia. The largest collection of fire equipment was assembled in the early twentieth century members of the Jesup North Pacific Expedition W. G. Bogoras and W. I. Jochelson the Koryak from North Kamchatka. At the end of the same century, similar in composition fire appliances arrived in the museum section Evensk Magadan region. In contrast to the ritual of wooden fire-sticks instruments are used in everyday life and the economic life of the Koryak. Based on review of materials, method of storage and the composition of fire appliances were not changed during the twentieth century. It also discusses issues related to the emergence of a new instrument for the Koryak fire, the inclusion of native sulfur. It is suggested that the reason was the rapid introduction of fire steel and flint in the Koryak culture was smoking tobacco. As constant smoking of a tube requires availability of some special adaptations among which the most important are fire steel and flint.