The thesis deals with the oral, or folk epic of the non-Slavonic peoples inhabiting Siberia, excluding the so-called Palaeosiberians. It is divided into four main parts, as follows: I. Essay on the historicity of epics, in general terms, but with special reference to those of Siberia. II. Discussion of the epics of the two main groups, Mongolian (Burjat) and Turkic, which latter includes the Yakut of the north. Form and construction of the epics, with remarks on their versification, mode of presentation, and content, in general. III. Details of the content, shown in summaries of the stories of selected epics. IV. A short account of the Soviet attitudes towards folk literature, and conclusion. The appended bibliography lists the major works in the field, both primary and secondary, and the Glossarial Index gives excursi upon several topics and motifs regularly met with. / Arts, Faculty of / Central Eastern Northern European Studies, Department of / Graduate