The Early Bronze Age Complex with a Stone Figurine from the North-East Azov Sea Region Cover Image

Комплекс раннего бронзового века с каменной фигуркой из Северо-Восточного Приазовья
The Early Bronze Age Complex with a Stone Figurine from the North-East Azov Sea Region

Author(s): Sergey N. Razumov, Anatolii N. Usachuk
Subject(s): History, Archaeology, Ancient World
Published by: Издательский дом Stratum, Университет «Высшая антропологическая школа»
Keywords: North Black Sea region; the Early Bronze Age; Pit Graves cultural and historical community; barrow; funerary rite; sculpture; flint items
Summary/Abstract: The grave goods contained in the main burial complex of Zintseva Balka 2/17 (North-Eastern Azov Sea Region), a Pit Grave Cultural and Historical Community site, were very expressive, including a damaged flint biface and a stylized sandstone figurine, which was morphologically similar to the stele from the Early Bronze Age barrows. Analysis of existing analogies showed that use of small stylized stone sculptures, often in combination with cutting tools, was a part of the funerary rite of the cattle-breeding population of the steppe zone of the Early and Middle Bronze Age, reflecting its ideological representations. Presence of such figurines in graves may indicate a special social and/or sacral status of the buried.

  • Page Range: 49-58
  • Page Count: 10
  • Publication Year: 2018
  • Language: Russian