In 1978, during a geological flyby of the Sayan taiga, in the foothills of Altai, pilots noticed a strange site in the wild and dense forest near the mountain river Erinat. It resembled cultivated land with beds. Are people really living here so far from civilization? Later, a group of geologists who explored this part of Sayan discovered Lykovs.
In the press, the first reports of the discovery of a family of hermits appeared in 1980. This was reported by the newspaper "Socialist Industry", later - "Krasnoyarsk Worker". And in 1982, a series of articles describing life in the taiga appeared in Komsomolskaya Pravda. The entire Soviet Union learned about the existence of the Lykov family.
Family history
For 40 years, the holy hermits, as the press christened them, spent in strict solitude. Initially, the Lykovs lived in one of the Old Believer settlements, which were not uncommon in remote places near the Abakan River. In the 1920s, Soviet power began to penetrate into remote corners of Siberia, and the head of the family, Karl Osipovich, decided to go even further into the forest. The Lykov family at that time consisted of 4 people. The husband was followed by Akulin's wife and two children - 11-year-old Savin and 4-year-old Natalia.
A simple belongings was loaded onto a boat, which the family was dragging along the tributary of Abakan, Erinatu, with the help of ropes, like barge haulers. The fugitives were so eager to get away from the hostile world that they did not stop their journey for 8 weeks. Two younger children - Dmitry and Agafya - were born already in isolation.
At first, they did not hide from people; they lived without hiding. But in 1945 a patrol chased the deserters out onto the hatch. This made the family go even further into the forest.
Reasons for fleeing
What made Lykovs flee and live like hermits in the taiga? In the 17th century, as a result of church reform, a split occurred in the Russian Orthodox Church. Patriarch Nikon, a tough and ambitious man, decided to unify church rites and bring them into line with the Byzantine. However, Byzantium at that time did not exist for a long time, and the patriarch's gaze was turned to the Greeks, as to direct heirs of ancient culture. The Greek church at that time underwent numerous changes under Turkish influence.
As a result of the reform, significant changes were made in the rites. The traditional double-sign, the hallelujah and the eight-pointed crucifixion were declared divine, and those who refused new rituals were anathematized. The widespread persecution of the Old Believers began. As a result of these persecutions, many fled away from the authorities and organized their own settlements, where it was possible to maintain their beliefs and rituals. The new Soviet power again began to oppress the Old Believers, and many went even further from the people.
Family composition
The Lykov family consisted of six people: Karp Osipovich with his wife Akulina Karpovna and their children - Savin, Natalia, Dmitry, Agafya. To date, only the youngest daughter has survived.
Hermits in the forest were engaged in farming, fishing and hunting. Salted meat and fish, prepared for the winter. The family retained its customs, avoided contact with the outside world. Akulina taught children to read and write, Karp Osipovich kept a calendar. The holy hermits performed home worship. Each family member had his own place in a small community, his own character. We will tell a little more about each.
Karp Osipovich
A born leader. In the world, he would be the chairman of a collective farm or the head of a factory. Strict, original, confident. To be the first, to be the head is its very essence. He led his small community and guided all its members with a firm hand.
In the hectic 30s, he made a difficult decision - to get away from people. The deaf taiga did not scare him. The spouse and children resignedly followed the man. For them, Karp Osipovich was an indisputable authority in everything. It was he who said how to pray properly, what and when to eat, how to work and relate to each other. The children called him "chubby" and obediently obeyed.
Karp Osipovich supported his position. He wore a tall cap made of kamus, while his sons had headdresses similar to a monastic hood made of canvas. The father of the family did not perform some types of work, completely relying on other family members.
Even in old age, the old man was awake. He actively communicated with visitors, was not afraid of the new. Without fear I went into a helicopter, explored the radio and other things brought by geologists. He was interested in what “people made up.” Seeing airplanes and moving stars (satellites), he had no doubt that these were inventions of the big world. In February 1988, Karp Osipovich died.
Akulina Karpovna
The Lykovs in the taiga lived their whole lives, and the mother of the family was the first to leave this world. According to some reports, the woman was born in the Altai village of Bey. As a child, she learned to read and write. She transferred this knowledge to her children. The students wrote on birch bark, using honeysuckle juice instead of ink, and a pointed stick instead of a pen.
What was this woman, with children in her arms, leaving behind people following her husband? She had to go through many trials in order to maintain her faith. Shoulder to shoulder with Karp Osipovich, she pulled a boat with all her belongings in order to live like the hermits of Siberia. She chopped wood, helped build a house, uproot stumps, dig a cellar, fish and planted potatoes, watched the garden, the house. She made clothes for the whole family, drowned the stove and cooked food. On it lay the upbringing of four children.
Akulina Karpovna died in 1961 from exhaustion and overwork. On her deathbed, all her thoughts were about the fate of her children.
Dmitry
The youngest of sons. He was not fanatically religious, but prayed like everyone else. His real love and home was taiga. Secrets of nature from childhood fascinated him, he knew all the animals, their habits, trails. Having matured, he began to catch animals. Before that, life in the taiga passed without warm skins and nutritious meat.
The hunter was amazingly hardy. He could dig hunting pits all day or chase maral, walked barefoot in the snow, spent the night in the taiga in winter. The character of the guy was kind, peaceful. He did not conflict with his family, he willingly undertook any work. He worked with a tree, birch bark, weaved from brushwood.
At the geological camp, Dmitry was a frequent and welcome guest. His sawmill was especially impressive - the work on which it was necessary to sit more than one day was done on the machine in minutes.
In October 1981, the Lykov family reported in the camp that Dmitry was ill. According to the description, the physician present among the geologists understood that it was pneumonia, and offered help. However, the hermits refused. When the family returned home, Dmitry was no longer breathing. He died alone on the floor of a tiny shanty.
Savin
The eldest son was religious and strict. He was a tough man who could not stand indulgence. Short in stature, with a small beard, Savin was restrained and even arrogant.
He independently mastered the dressing of elk and deer skins and was able to sew light boots for the whole family. Prior to this, hermits of the Siberian taiga wore birch bark galoshes. Savin became proud and began to neglect small works, referring to the disease. This created tension in the family.
But the main conflict was different. Savin was religious to fanaticism; he demanded that the household carefully observe rituals, fasts, and holidays. He raised his family to pray at night, read liturgical books, and knew the Bible by heart.
As he grew older, Savin began to claim leadership in the family, began to teach and correct his aged father. This Karp Osipovich could not allow and opposed his son. The old man understood that because of the strictness of his son, everyone would have a hard time.
In the village of geologists, the eldest son strictly watched the household. He considered such a communion with the world sinful, constantly jerking: "We can’t do this!" He especially blamed for his interest in the new against his younger brother, Dmitry.
After the death of Dmitry Savin lay down. The disease of the abdomen worsened. He needed to be treated, drink herbs and lie down, but he stubbornly went out with his household to dig potatoes. Then the early snow fell. Sister Natalia sat near the patient, tried to help, looked after. When Savin died, the woman said that she, too, would die of grief.
Natalia
Natalia and her younger sister were very similar. Natalia was the godfather of Agafia. After the death of the mother, all women's responsibilities fell on the eldest daughter, who struggled to replace the deceased with her brothers and sisters. She learned to weave and sew clothes. Her destiny began to feed, sheathe, heal the family, maintain peace among households. But they obeyed her poorly, did not take them seriously, which really upset the woman.
At the funeral of Savin, Natalya fell down exhausted and left this world 10 days after her brother’s death. Her last words were addressed to her younger sister: “I feel sorry for you. You stay alone … ".
Agafya
Barefoot, grimy, restless, with a strange long speech, she at first resembles a madwoman. But, getting used to the manner of communication, you understand that the woman is adequate and has not lost her social skills. Her whole world consisted of a small section of taiga.
A woman can fully serve herself, she knows how to cook, sew, work with an ax. She loves taiga and her small garden.
Together with Dmitry Agafya, she went to the forest, caught deer, butchered carcasses and dried meat. She knows the habits of animals, edible and medicinal herbs.
As the youngest, with keen memory, she helped Savin in counting the days. This business was very important for believers, because thanks to the exact calendar fasting was observed, holidays were celebrated. When confusion once occurred, all members of the family were very worried; restoring the timekeeping was the most important thing. The sharp memory of young Agafia helped to restore the course of events, and the calendar amazed the visiting geologists with its accuracy. The chronology was carried out according to the old custom, from Adam (from the creation of the world).
Life
The life of hermits in the taiga took place in a hut on the banks of a mountain tributary of the Erinat River, in a remote, inaccessible place.
Hunting pits were dug on animal trails, and then dried meat for the winter. Fish caught in the river were eaten raw, baked on a fire and dried. Harvested berries, mushrooms and nuts.
Potatoes, barley, wheat, turnips, onions, and peas were grown in the garden. Cannabis was woven to provide clothing.
Hermits in the taiga set up a well-designed farm. The garden was located on a slope of the mountain under a slope and was divided into three sections. Cultures were planted in accordance with their biological needs. Potatoes were not grown in one place for more than three years, so that the yield did not deteriorate. Alternation was established for the remaining plants. Diseases did not threaten landings.
Seed preparation was carefully monitored. They were propagated on a special plot, the sowing dates were strictly observed. Before planting, the potato tubers warmed up.
The success of farming can be confirmed by the fact that the potato variety that the family has been growing for 50 years has not only not degenerated, but also improved. Lykovsky potatoes are high in starch and dry matter.
Knowing nothing about chemistry and biology, fertilizing the land according to the traditions of the last century, the Lykovs achieved success in gardening. Leaves, cones, herbs were used to fertilize spring and hemp, and ash was stored for vegetables. Diligence and knowledge helped the hermits survive.
Hermits in the taiga dispensed with salt; they used flint and a chair to make fire.
Fame
In 1982, several articles were written about the Lykovs in the newspaper Komsomolskaya Pravda. The author of these materials, journalist Vasily Peskov, often visited the collection and set forth his observations in the book “The Taiga Dead End”.
From the medical side, the family was observed by the doctor Nazarov Igor Pavlovich. He suggested that the cause of death of the young Lykovs was the lack of immunity to many modern viruses due to the lack of contact with the outside world. This led to pneumonia. He described his impressions of visiting the family in the book “Taiga Hermits”.
Agafya today
Despite the ban of his father, Agafya embarks on a trip to civilization, but still returns to the taiga. In 1988, the youngest of the Lykov family was left alone. With her own strength, she is building herself a new home. In 1990, she tried to join the convent, but after some time she returned to her former life.
Today, a woman still lives 300 kilometers from the nearest housing. Authorities helped her get a farm. Goats, chickens, a dog and 9 cats now live on the lodge. Sometimes geologists visit it and bring necessary things. The old believer also has a neighbor - geologist Erofei Sedoy, one of the first people who provided the family with contact with civilization. Distant relatives repeatedly offered the woman to move to people, but she refused.
