Izh, Yam, Ig, Aya: how the settlements with the shortest names live

The ancient village of Izh is a real Vyatka outback, where people live according to their leisurely laws. The village is located on the right high bank of the river Pizhma, at the confluence of the river Izh (translated from Udmurt - "Kamenka", that is, the river flowing between mountains and stones). The village also received the same name.

The population of Izh is very small (about 36 people), and it continues to decline. Part of able-bodied residents work on a rotational basis, some are employed in the budgetary sphere and in agriculture.

The village of Yam is a fairly large settlement in the urban district of Domodedovo, Moscow region, which, despite its rural status, actually became part of the near Moscow region.

The name “Yam” is of Turkic origin and is directly related to the postal system in Russia. In the XIII-XIX centuries, a “pit” was called a village on the postal tract, whose residents – tamers – were engaged in the transportation of mail, cargo and travelers.

The village of Yam arose on the Great Kashir road, at the intersection with the Pakhra River. There were inns and stables. The inhabitants of the village are called “Yamchans”.

If the village of Izh in the Kirov region is struggling to preserve the population, then Yam in the Moscow region, on the contrary, attracts new residents, is actively built up.

The village of Aya is perhaps one of the most famous and beautiful settlements of the Altai Territory, a real "tourist mecca" of the region. Despite the status of the village, in terms of scale and infrastructure it is comparable to a small city.

The village lies on the left bank of the Katun River, in a picturesque place, next to the unique Aya Lake.

The first settlers were Old Believers (schismatics), exiled from the Perm and Orenburg provinces.

The name Aya has several versions, but all of them are somehow related to the Altai culture and language. One of the popular legends says that the inhabitants could not choose a name for the village. When it got dark, someone in the dark tripped and shouted “Ai!”, and from behind the clouds the moon looked out, lighting the road. In gratitude for the light, people named the village after the moon - "Ai", which means "moon" or "month" in Altai. Over time, for ease of pronunciation, the name was transformed into "Aya".

There is also a version that the name was made up of the first and last letters of the alphabet - "A" and "I". So the exiled Old Believers, whose names began with different letters, symbolically united themselves in a new settlement.

The villagers call themselves Aychans. Ai's economy is heavily focused on tourism, which is a key industry here. In the vicinity of the village there are many campgrounds and rest houses. The village of Aya is considered the “gateway” to the Altai Mountains.

The village of Ig is a tiny, but ancient in spirit settlement in the north of the Arkhangelsk region. Its fate is the story of a typical Russian northern village that once lived in a river and forest, but today struggles for existence.

The village stands on the left bank of the Onega River, at the confluence of a small river Lower Ig. The name IG is directly related to the river. The exact etymology of the word "ig" is not established. Like many names of the Arkhangelsk region, it is most likely of Finno-Ugric origin. In some sources, "Ig" is associated with the Evenki word "uki" - "fishing fence", which is quite logical for the northern river, rich in fish.

IG is one of the most sparsely populated villages in the region, with only 11 people living here. Residents of Iga are engaged in logging, and also work on a rotational basis. The village is actually on the verge of extinction.