Bronze matrix from Belsk forthill: about Central Asian motifs in early Scythian animal style of Northern Black Sea Cost

The article introduces into scientific circulation a unique matrix for the production of golden or silver plaques in the Scythian animal style, which was discovered at the Bilsk forthill. On the working surface of the matrix there is depicted a horse with bent legs and a bowed head. Analogical worki...

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Main Authors: Roman Zymovets, Sergey Skory, Vitaliy Okatenko
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: National Museum of History of Moldova 2018-11-01
Series:Tyragetia
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.nationalmuseum.md/ro/press_releases/journal_tyragetia/bronzovaja_matrica_s_bel_skogo_gorodixha_k_voprosu_o_central_noaziatskix_motivax_v_ranneskifskom_zverinom_stile_severnogo_prichernomor_ja/
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author Roman Zymovets
Sergey Skory
Vitaliy Okatenko
author_facet Roman Zymovets
Sergey Skory
Vitaliy Okatenko
author_sort Roman Zymovets
collection DOAJ
description The article introduces into scientific circulation a unique matrix for the production of golden or silver plaques in the Scythian animal style, which was discovered at the Bilsk forthill. On the working surface of the matrix there is depicted a horse with bent legs and a bowed head. Analogical working tools from Dnieper, North Caucasus and Balkan regions are analyzed. There is only one analogy to the image on the matrix among products originated from Eastern Europe: golden plates of the horse’s bridle from Kelermes kurgan № 4. On this basis the matrix is dated the 7th century B.C. Further plot, iconographic and stylistic analogies allow us to conclude that the horse images from the Bilsk matrix and Kelermes plates is matched with the Central Asian images of horses, in particular those placed on deer stones of Mongolia, Tuva and Altay. It’s argued that the matrix could have reached Bilsk settlement together with one of the waves of Scythian migrants from Central Asia, or could be produced by a local master familiar with the Central Asia tradition of depicting a horse. Considerations about semantics of the image of a horse in the Scythian funeral ceremony are represented.
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spelling doaj.art-c0b5864b5c52473b9f96739ef7f662f82022-12-22T03:25:25ZdeuNational Museum of History of MoldovaTyragetia1857-02402537-63302018-11-01XII1218236Bronze matrix from Belsk forthill: about Central Asian motifs in early Scythian animal style of Northern Black Sea CostRoman ZymovetsSergey SkoryVitaliy OkatenkoThe article introduces into scientific circulation a unique matrix for the production of golden or silver plaques in the Scythian animal style, which was discovered at the Bilsk forthill. On the working surface of the matrix there is depicted a horse with bent legs and a bowed head. Analogical working tools from Dnieper, North Caucasus and Balkan regions are analyzed. There is only one analogy to the image on the matrix among products originated from Eastern Europe: golden plates of the horse’s bridle from Kelermes kurgan № 4. On this basis the matrix is dated the 7th century B.C. Further plot, iconographic and stylistic analogies allow us to conclude that the horse images from the Bilsk matrix and Kelermes plates is matched with the Central Asian images of horses, in particular those placed on deer stones of Mongolia, Tuva and Altay. It’s argued that the matrix could have reached Bilsk settlement together with one of the waves of Scythian migrants from Central Asia, or could be produced by a local master familiar with the Central Asia tradition of depicting a horse. Considerations about semantics of the image of a horse in the Scythian funeral ceremony are represented.https://www.nationalmuseum.md/ro/press_releases/journal_tyragetia/bronzovaja_matrica_s_bel_skogo_gorodixha_k_voprosu_o_central_noaziatskix_motivax_v_ranneskifskom_zverinom_stile_severnogo_prichernomor_ja/ScythiansScythian animal stylematrixpunchBilsk forthillearly Scythian epoch
spellingShingle Roman Zymovets
Sergey Skory
Vitaliy Okatenko
Bronze matrix from Belsk forthill: about Central Asian motifs in early Scythian animal style of Northern Black Sea Cost
Tyragetia
Scythians
Scythian animal style
matrix
punch
Bilsk forthill
early Scythian epoch
title Bronze matrix from Belsk forthill: about Central Asian motifs in early Scythian animal style of Northern Black Sea Cost
title_full Bronze matrix from Belsk forthill: about Central Asian motifs in early Scythian animal style of Northern Black Sea Cost
title_fullStr Bronze matrix from Belsk forthill: about Central Asian motifs in early Scythian animal style of Northern Black Sea Cost
title_full_unstemmed Bronze matrix from Belsk forthill: about Central Asian motifs in early Scythian animal style of Northern Black Sea Cost
title_short Bronze matrix from Belsk forthill: about Central Asian motifs in early Scythian animal style of Northern Black Sea Cost
title_sort bronze matrix from belsk forthill about central asian motifs in early scythian animal style of northern black sea cost
topic Scythians
Scythian animal style
matrix
punch
Bilsk forthill
early Scythian epoch
url https://www.nationalmuseum.md/ro/press_releases/journal_tyragetia/bronzovaja_matrica_s_bel_skogo_gorodixha_k_voprosu_o_central_noaziatskix_motivax_v_ranneskifskom_zverinom_stile_severnogo_prichernomor_ja/
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AT sergeyskory bronzematrixfrombelskforthillaboutcentralasianmotifsinearlyscythiananimalstyleofnorthernblackseacost
AT vitaliyokatenko bronzematrixfrombelskforthillaboutcentralasianmotifsinearlyscythiananimalstyleofnorthernblackseacost