Legal status of immovable cultural heritages of Finno-Ugric peoples (on the example of the Mordvinian people)

This article analyzes the features of the legal status of immovable historical and cultural heritages which have a particular value for the Finno-Ugric peoples of Russia (on the example of the Mordvinian people), defines them, their types and means of its legal protection in the Russian Federation. The author explains that the expression “cultural heritage of peoples of Russia” which came to juridical terminology should not be taken literally (as title to movable and immovable monuments of history and culture of peoples of Russia). Private, state, municipal and other forms of ownership are acceptable in Russian Federation, but the law does not stipulate for definition of “people’s property” (including the property of any ethnic group or a nation - for example, Finno-Ugric people). For this reason author proposes regarding the category of “cultural heritage of the Finno-Ugric people” as a totality of historical and cultural heritages of the Finno-Ugric language group (since its peoples are the real source of information about the origin and development of their culture) and not as ownership of these heritages. Some archeological, historical, architectural and monumental heritages have exceptional value for history and culture of Finno-Ugric ethnic group, but not for other peoples of Russia. These are ancient settlements, burial mounds, which testify to the life of Mordovia tribes has its own special decorations, clothing, weapons, features of the device housing, cooking, religious beliefs, rituals and traditions. Such monuments of history and culture are important especially for the Mordovian people and, accordingly, such objects can be considered as cultural heritage of Finno-Ugric peoples.