THE RITUAL OF SACRIFICE AND THE ECONOMY OF VIOLENCE

(Through examples of Macedonian folk legends and the work of Marko Cepenkov)

Abstract

Mythic and historical memory are two sides of the same reality. Popular legends remind us that there are great tragedies behind great epic heroes and mythic feats. Hidden behind the great works of culture lie shocking human and national stories. The collective memory of the Macedonians is sensitive and, apart from the ability to idealize, it can also demystify historical figures and accounts. Macedonian pop-ular tradition keeps numerous legends, stories and poems which evoke the motif of sacrifice, both in its archaic ritual form (burying a live woman in the foundations of bridges) and in its feudal forms of social and cultural politics. The focus of this paper  will  be  on  the  legends  of  King  Marko  (1335-1395)  and  Marko’s  Towers written by Marko Cepenkov (1829-1920). This text will make a basic classification of violence (necessary versus unnecessary violence).