Hydronyms of the Volga-Don Interfluve

Abstract

Hydronyms of the southern part of the Volga-Don interfluve reflect the cultural, historical, ethnographic, and natural features of the region. The names of the rivers contain information about nature and characteristics of a water body, about the features of the relief and coastal sediments, about plant and animal species inhabiting the banks, about the quality and color of river water, or about the occupations and culture of the local population. Almost all the considered hydronyms come from the Old Slavic language, and only a small part belongs to the Sarmatian-Alan toponymic layer. This indicates the originality and diversity of peoples who once lived on the territory of the modern Volgograd region.