STEEL.) (E. E. T.) TUNGUSES, a widespread north Asiatic people. They are the Tung-hu of the Chinese, probably a corrupt form of tonki or donki, that is, "men" or "people." The Russian form Tungus, wrongly supposed to mean "lake people," appears to occur first in the Dutch writer Massa (1612) ; but the race has been known to the Russians ever since they reached the Yenisei. The Tungus domain stretches from long. 6o° E. to the Pacific ocean and from the Arctic to the Chinese frontier. The Tunguses are known to the Samoyedes by the name of Aiya or "younger brothers." The Oroches, Chapogir, Golds, Lamut, Manjour, Manegre and Oroke are partly in Manchuria and are Tungusic. The Tungus type is essentially Mongolic, with broad flat features, small nose, wide mouth, thin lips, small black and somewhat oblique eyes, black lank hair, dark olive or bronze complexion, low stature, averaging not more than 5 ft. 4 in. The square shape of the skull and the slim, wiry, well-proportioned figure are features especially of the typical Tunguses. They are classed according to their various pur suits, as Reindeer, Horse, Dog, or Sedentary, Nomadic and Wan dering Tunguses. A few have become settled agriculturists; but
the great bulk of the race are still essentially forest hunters, using the reindeer both as mounts and as pack animals. Nearly all lead nomad lives in pursuit of fur-bearing animals, whose skins they barter in exchange for provisions, clothing and other necessaries of life. The national costume shows in its ornamentation and general style Japanese influence, due to intercourse at some period previous to the spread of the race to Siberia. Many of the Tungus tribes are reckoned as "Greek Christians"; but most of them are still Shamanists and nature-worshippers, secretly keeping the teeth and claws of wild animals as idols or amulets, and observing Christian rites only under compulsion. Family and exogamic clan organization is relatively strong. Intercourse begins before mar riage as soon as a portion of the bride price has been paid. Some practise polygamy. Exchange marriages occur. The levirate is common. A man may take his son's widow. Cousin marriage occurs and tree-burial (q.v.) is found among them.
See M. Czaplicka, Aboriginal Siberia (1914).