Gorgon in the religion of Maeotes

The immense popularity of the images of the Gorgon Medusa (mainly the gorgoneus) on various artifacts found in the mounds of Scythia and the Bosporus is usually explained by the apotropaic significance of her image, which was due to the influence of Greek culture on the barbarians. However, the find...

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Main Author: Schaub, I.Yu.
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cimmeria Publishing 2022-02-01
Series:Материалы по археологии и истории античного и средневекового Причерноморья
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Online Access:https://maiask.ru/data/documents/MAIASP-13-Schaub.pdf
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author Schaub, I.Yu.
author_facet Schaub, I.Yu.
author_sort Schaub, I.Yu.
collection DOAJ
description The immense popularity of the images of the Gorgon Medusa (mainly the gorgoneus) on various artifacts found in the mounds of Scythia and the Bosporus is usually explained by the apotropaic significance of her image, which was due to the influence of Greek culture on the barbarians. However, the finding of the golden gorgoneus, which was the main object of worship in one of the Maeotian sanctuaries near the village of Ulyap (Adygea), cannot be interpreted in this way. The similarity between the Gorgon Medusa and the ancient Chechen and Ingush Mother goddess Tusholi, who was worshiped in the form of an ominous mask, suggests that the Maeotes saw in the gorgonea the image of one of the main hypostases of the Great Goddess, who was also worshiped by other local tribes of the Black Sea region. In addition, among the barbarians, who practiced the ritual cutting off of the human head and religiously revered it, the gorgoneus should have been associated with this cult.
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spelling doaj.art-3e0d7e03534c4101818c591f898265582023-06-02T00:01:19ZengCimmeria PublishingМатериалы по археологии и истории античного и средневекового Причерноморья2713-20212022-02-011370171410.53737/2713-2021.2021.44.40.021Gorgon in the religion of Maeotes Schaub, I.Yu. 0Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of SciencesThe immense popularity of the images of the Gorgon Medusa (mainly the gorgoneus) on various artifacts found in the mounds of Scythia and the Bosporus is usually explained by the apotropaic significance of her image, which was due to the influence of Greek culture on the barbarians. However, the finding of the golden gorgoneus, which was the main object of worship in one of the Maeotian sanctuaries near the village of Ulyap (Adygea), cannot be interpreted in this way. The similarity between the Gorgon Medusa and the ancient Chechen and Ingush Mother goddess Tusholi, who was worshiped in the form of an ominous mask, suggests that the Maeotes saw in the gorgonea the image of one of the main hypostases of the Great Goddess, who was also worshiped by other local tribes of the Black Sea region. In addition, among the barbarians, who practiced the ritual cutting off of the human head and religiously revered it, the gorgoneus should have been associated with this cult.https://maiask.ru/data/documents/MAIASP-13-Schaub.pdfantique archaeology of the black sea regionscythiabosporusadygeamaeoteschechensingushreligion and cultsgorgon medusatusholigreat goddesscult of the severed human head
spellingShingle Schaub, I.Yu.
Gorgon in the religion of Maeotes
Материалы по археологии и истории античного и средневекового Причерноморья
antique archaeology of the black sea region
scythia
bosporus
adygea
maeotes
chechens
ingush
religion and cults
gorgon medusa
tusholi
great goddess
cult of the severed human head
title Gorgon in the religion of Maeotes
title_full Gorgon in the religion of Maeotes
title_fullStr Gorgon in the religion of Maeotes
title_full_unstemmed Gorgon in the religion of Maeotes
title_short Gorgon in the religion of Maeotes
title_sort gorgon in the religion of maeotes
topic antique archaeology of the black sea region
scythia
bosporus
adygea
maeotes
chechens
ingush
religion and cults
gorgon medusa
tusholi
great goddess
cult of the severed human head
url https://maiask.ru/data/documents/MAIASP-13-Schaub.pdf
work_keys_str_mv AT schaubiyu gorgoninthereligionofmaeotes