Why can’t you walk between crossed poles?

On the streets of Russian cities and villages, one can often find a structure made up of two crossed poles. Electrical or telephone wires are attached to one of them. The second pole acts as a support for the first. Such structures are often installed above sidewalks and footpaths. Paths often form around them, trodden by people who do not want to pass between the crossed poles. Thus, the space enclosed inside such poles seems to form a kind of symbolic boundary that people are afraid to cross for some reason. In this case, bypass of the crossed poles turns into a ritualized practice aimed at compliance with this prohibition. The article discusses this ritualized practice. The article is based on data obtained during a survey the author conducted about crossed poles as well as on information gained from various Internet sources. The paper analyses how well-known and widespread the practice of bypassing the crossed poles is in modern Russian culture, examines the names of the crossed poles, the reasons why this object is considered dangerous, as well as the negative consequences that may arise as a result of the passage between them. The paper also examines ways to protect against negative consequences during the passage between crossed poles or immediately after it.

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