The Merjans
The Merja people (Russian: also Mera) were an ancient Finno-Ugric people who lived in the regions of the modern Russian cities Rostov, Kostroma, Jaroslavl and Vladimir. Their important cultural marks are unearthed in the numerous archaeological finds in the areas.
The Merjans were assimilated by the Slavs and, later, into Russian culture. However, their culture survived in the regions they initially inhabited. Sacred woods and stones, worshiped by the Merjans, were part of local traditional feasts and holy festivals for much longer than the Slavic sacred places in the western regions of modern Russia.
