Axes in the Funerary Ceremonies of the Northern Pontic Scythians
Axes were rare among the Scythians but are occasionally found in Scythian kurgans. Like other weapons, axes had practical as well as social and religious roles. The Scythians not only placed axes in burials as burial gifts, but also used them at various stages of the funeral ritual. This article con...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-06-01
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| Series: | Arts |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/12/3/124 |
| _version_ | 1797596149575581696 |
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| author | Marina Daragan Sergei Polin |
| author_facet | Marina Daragan Sergei Polin |
| author_sort | Marina Daragan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Axes were rare among the Scythians but are occasionally found in Scythian kurgans. Like other weapons, axes had practical as well as social and religious roles. The Scythians not only placed axes in burials as burial gifts, but also used them at various stages of the funeral ritual. This article considers several hitherto unknown, highly unusual archaeological contexts featuring axes. These contexts show that axes were used in the ritual preceding the excavation of the grave; they completed the ritual before the filling of the grave; and they were included in the final sealing of the burial. In addition to the ritual implications of Scythian axes found in kurgan burials, this article considers the meaning of the representations of related artifacts on Scythian metalwork, as well as on the coins of Kerkinitis and Olbia. A bronze votive axe similar to the one from L’vovo Kurgan 18, Burial 2 is shown on Olbian Borysthenes coins, indicating a permanent relationship between the city and the Scythians, perhaps in the form of paying tribute (“gifts”) to the Scythians. The dating of Olbian Borysthenes coinage is also discussed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:47:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1cc9d37056024867b1afcc9fc39fb431 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-0752 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T02:47:28Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Arts |
| spelling | doaj.art-1cc9d37056024867b1afcc9fc39fb4312023-11-18T09:13:24ZengMDPI AGArts2076-07522023-06-0112312410.3390/arts12030124Axes in the Funerary Ceremonies of the Northern Pontic ScythiansMarina Daragan0Sergei Polin1Department of the Early Iron Age Archaeology, Institute Archaeology National Academy of Science of Ukraine, 12 Heroyiv Stalinhrada Ave., 04210 Kyiv, UkraineDepartment of the Early Iron Age Archaeology, Institute Archaeology National Academy of Science of Ukraine, 12 Heroyiv Stalinhrada Ave., 04210 Kyiv, UkraineAxes were rare among the Scythians but are occasionally found in Scythian kurgans. Like other weapons, axes had practical as well as social and religious roles. The Scythians not only placed axes in burials as burial gifts, but also used them at various stages of the funeral ritual. This article considers several hitherto unknown, highly unusual archaeological contexts featuring axes. These contexts show that axes were used in the ritual preceding the excavation of the grave; they completed the ritual before the filling of the grave; and they were included in the final sealing of the burial. In addition to the ritual implications of Scythian axes found in kurgan burials, this article considers the meaning of the representations of related artifacts on Scythian metalwork, as well as on the coins of Kerkinitis and Olbia. A bronze votive axe similar to the one from L’vovo Kurgan 18, Burial 2 is shown on Olbian Borysthenes coins, indicating a permanent relationship between the city and the Scythians, perhaps in the form of paying tribute (“gifts”) to the Scythians. The dating of Olbian Borysthenes coinage is also discussed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/12/3/124Scythiansweaponsaxesfunerary ritesvotivescoins |
| spellingShingle | Marina Daragan Sergei Polin Axes in the Funerary Ceremonies of the Northern Pontic Scythians Arts Scythians weapons axes funerary rites votives coins |
| title | Axes in the Funerary Ceremonies of the Northern Pontic Scythians |
| title_full | Axes in the Funerary Ceremonies of the Northern Pontic Scythians |
| title_fullStr | Axes in the Funerary Ceremonies of the Northern Pontic Scythians |
| title_full_unstemmed | Axes in the Funerary Ceremonies of the Northern Pontic Scythians |
| title_short | Axes in the Funerary Ceremonies of the Northern Pontic Scythians |
| title_sort | axes in the funerary ceremonies of the northern pontic scythians |
| topic | Scythians weapons axes funerary rites votives coins |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/12/3/124 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT marinadaragan axesinthefuneraryceremoniesofthenorthernponticscythians AT sergeipolin axesinthefuneraryceremoniesofthenorthernponticscythians |