New anthropomorphic figurines from the forest-steppe Trans-Urals

Abstract

Two villagers from the Kunashak region of Chelyabinsk oblast donated the State Historical Museum of the Southern Urals (Chelyabinsk) two anthropomorphic figurines. They were found near Karino Village, Kunashakskiy District, on the right bank of the Sinara River. Besides, there is another anthropomorphic figurine probably originating from this area. The exact location of it discovery is not known. All three figurines were cast by an ancient master using the same model, but different sand-clay (earthen) molds. The model was a standing male warrior. A quiver hangs on his belt. The man’s legs are spread wide, his arms are spread and down. A long, slightly curved object extends upward from the warrior’s right shoulder. A bird sits on the left shoulder. After casting, the figurines were not further processed. The properties of the molds material and the metal determined the differences in the details of the figurines. The figurines from Karino are closest to the anthropomorphic figurines from the Sapogovskiy treasure, Elevator Village and the outskirts of Dalmatovo. The authors of the article combine them into the Sapogovskiy type of anthropomorphic metal-plastic art of the forest-steppe Trans-Urals. The anthropomorphic figurines of the Sapogovskiy type were compared with anthropomorphic metal-plastics of the second half of the first millennium BC from the neighboring regions (Middle and Lower Ob region, Kama region, Middle Volga region) and show their outstanding authenticity. The anthropomorphs of the Sapogovskiy type also differ from the anthropomorphs of the Itkul culture of the Trans-Urals. The research analyses the locations of the anthropomorphic figurines finds. It concludes that the warrior figurine from Elevator village is an isolated find that is in no way connected with the Sapogovskiy treasure. All figurines of the Sapogovskiy type were found in the area of the Gorokhov archaeological culture. All of them were created by bearers of the Gorokhov archaeological culture. The figurines represent various strata of the Gorokhovsky society. These figurines bear the peculiarities of the worldview of the Gorokhovskaya population. These peculiarities are determined by the genesis of the Gorokhov culture and the mixed Ugro-Iranian roots of its bearers.