Cult Objects Research Articles

A Literary and Ritual Analysis of Leviticus 16

Leviticus 16 is an important text in the book of Leviticus and the entire Pentateuch. The rituals in Leviticus 16 were central to the religious life of ancient Judah. It provided the means of atonement for the sins of the household of the high priest and the people annually. The text shows the seriousness of sin in the sight of YHWH. The various rituals in the text together reveal YHWH’s way of atoning for the sins of his people annually. The rituals of both the slayed and live goats meant the removal of categories of evil – impurities, sins and transgressions – from the community. Leviticus 16 shows that on the Day of Atonement, purification was meant not only for the people but also for cultic objects. Keywords: Literary, Ritual, Leviticus 16, Analysis, Atonement

FEATURES OF THE ARCHITECTURAL AND COMPOSITIONAL SOLUTION OF THE CHURCH IN THE VILLAGE OF SOLY

The article examines and analytically evaluates the features of the architectural and spatial organization and compositional structure of the Catholic cult object of the 20th century, the principles and methods of shaping which do not fit into the format of traditional canons and parameters of architectural solutions of churches. Being, due to its unusual figurative characteristics, the object of attraction of numerous tourists, the Church of Our Lady of Ruzhentsova in the village of Soly, Grodno region, nevertheless, unfairly, in our opinion, is deprived of the attention of professional specialists-architects. Apart from brief information in Wikipedia, commercials on the Internet, as well as stingy information in some literary sources, it was not possible to find any serious studies of the architectural features of the unique object. At the same time, there are discrepancies in the assessment of his style affiliation – modern, neo-Baroque, non-Gothic? In the work, based on a detailed study and generalization of literary sources, Internet resources and visual field survey, the author's version regarding the stylistic affiliation of this object is proposed.

Христианское население города Маджара и его округи по данным археологических и письменных источников

Introduction. The article deals with the issue of Christian communities of different denominations to have resided in the city of Majar, the latter localized around Majar hillfort on the Kuma riverside. Christian cult objects have been discovered in the commercial and crafts quarter of the hillfort. Archaeological and written sources make it possible to identify certain groups of Christians — Orthodox, Catholic, and Gregorian (Armenian) ones — within the city’s population. Goals. The study aims to summarize data on Christians in Majar. Nowadays, there is archaeological evidence confirming Majar had been also inhabited by ethnic Russians and Armenians. Materials and methods. The work analyzes the First Sophia Chronicle, sources on Latin missionary activity in the Golden Horde published by Ph. Bruun, A. Malyshev, and R. Hautala, a 1774 map of the Caucasus compiled by Georg Treitel, and archaeological materials. The study employs a number of research methods, such as the historical/systemic, historical/comparative, and cartographic ones. Results. The year 1245 had witnessed earliest contacts between the papacy and the Mongol Empire. In 1260, relations between the Golden Horde and the Byzantine Empire were set up. And in 1267, Metropolitan Kirill II of Kiev received a jarlig from Khan Mengu-Timur. Rulers of the Golden Horde were seeking to achieve various domestic and foreign policy goals through the agenda of religious tolerance. Franciscan missions, parishes of the Alan Metropolitanate, Diocese of Sarai, and the Armenian Church were functioning across the early 14th-century North Caucasus. Some 16th–18th century written sources attest to the presence of a Christian temple within the hillfort of Majar. Materials published by Ph. Bruun, A. Malyshev, and R. Hautala provide evidence Majar and its neighborhood used to host several Franciscan missions throughout the 14th century. Christian cult objects (encolpion cross, copper icon) discovered in the territory of Majar’s trade and crafts quarter testify to that Orthodox Christians had also lived there and had a temple of their own. The Armenian cross-stone (khachkar) which had been part of a church and found at the ancient site suggests there may have been an Armenian community and an Armenian temple too. Conclusions. The available evidence of the presence of different Christian denominations in Majar insufficiently reveals their role in the city’s life. And it gets urgent to localize the Christian quarter at the ancient site of Majar. So, the search for archival materials and archaeological explorations of the site should be continued.

Japanese Collections by Anna E. Gluskina in the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography

Anna Evgenievna Gluskina (1904–1994) is known as an outstanding translator of Japanese poetry, teacher and educator, expert on Japanese culture, author of numerous academic articles and monographs. There are many well-known publications devoted to her life, her research and poetic work. However, her activities as a museum Japanologist, as well as her contribution to the formation and description of the Japanese collection of the Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography RAS (MAE), are still little known and underestimated. Meanwhile, Anna Evgenievna's debut as a professional Japanologist is connected with her work at the MAE; she spent almost 9 years of her life in the museum (1925–1933). During her academic trip to Japan in 1928, she acquired over 700 pieces that characterize various aspects of traditional Japanese culture, for the museum: Shinto cult objects, a variety of theatrical accessories including marionette puppets and kageboshi shadow theatre items, numerous traditional agricultural implements and fishing gear, peasants’ costumes and agricultural instruments as well as about 400 photographs and negatives. All these items were organized into 7 material and 6 photographic collections; the descriptions were made by Anna Evgenievna at a very high professional level and are distinguished by great accuracy; each item is provided with a detailed attribution and ethnic designation supplied with its Japanese character writing and indication of the circumstances of their acquisition. By the early 1930s, Anna Evgenievna had fully established herself not only as a professional Japanologist, but ethnographer and museum researcher, too; however, the dramatic circumstances intervening into the life of the MAE in 1933 had interrupted her activities in this field.

Destruction of Cult Buildings in Kharkiv during the Russian Military Aggression: Public Perception and Rethinking of Cultural Heritage

The article considers the ways in which public reaction to the destruction of cult buildings in Kharkiv during the full-scale Russian invasion is reflected in Ukrainian-language online media. The author examines how the religious nature of a cultural heritage object affects the perception of its destruction, how the significance of cult objects is reinterpreted in this situation, and to what extent the destruction of cult objects combines religious, ethnonational, and other connotations. Drawing on the theoretical studies of cultural memory by Aleida Assmann, the author establishes which factors influence the actualization of particular aspects of the history of damaged cult objects in the mass media. It is noted that, despite the fairly high level of secularization in Ukrainian society, the collective imagination continues to perceive churches and other religious buildings as sacred objects, the destruction of which is seen as a blasphemous act. The artistic and historical significance of damaged cult objects is actualized much less often in the texts the author analyzes. This is in line with the tendencies described by José Casanova as part of the theory of postsecularism. The specific denominational affiliation of damaged religious buildings remains of secondary importance to the mass media, which may be interpreted as a manifestation of “spontaneous religiosity,” in which the sacral nature of cult objects is recognized, but without serious reflection, awareness of denominational boundaries, or regular immersion in spiritual practices. Furthermore, in this way, respect for believers of different confessions is demonstrated: the special significance of cult objects is recognized first and foremost because of their significance for others. The article also considers the impact of the religious affiliation of cult objects on the ways in which damage done to them is reported in some Ukrainian media.

The beginning of archaeological study of Lutsk

The report contains materials about the first archaeological research of Lutsk, conducted by scientists of the Russian Empire from the mid-nineteenth to early twentieth century. The attention of researchers was attracted primarily by Lutsk Upper Castle, which was caused by both historical memory and sporadic finds in the castle of interesting and valuable things. During 1854–1856, research was conducted here with the ambitious goal of finding the tomb of Lubart and other princes. These works caused a great resonance and became the impetus for further excavations. Information about accidental finds on the territory of Lutsk Castle is extraordinary, especially when it concerns valuable cult objects. Often the history of finds did not end with the fact of their discovery. The documents of the time to clarify the value are interesting, and as a consequence, the identification of successors or owners of valuables, especially in the context of government and church. Insignificant, often fragmentary and extremely limited information about such finds becomes especially important because in the absence of the things themselves this is almost the only source for the formation of an objective history of the earliest archaeological research in Lutsk. In general, the initial stage of archaeological study of Lutsk begins with the first known research (1854) and lasts until the XI Archaeological Congress, when all materials or reports known at that time were systematized and published accordingly. The restoration of the archaeological study of Lutsk Castle and the historical part of the city took place only in the 1930s by scientists of the Polish state. Key words: archaeological research, Volyn, Lutsk Castle, Archaeological Congress.

Crafting Purity in Assyro-Babylonian Procedures

Assyro-Babylonian procedural texts for making cult objects dated to the 1st millennium BCE provide an untapped resource for examining scribal conceptions of craft and purity in the ancient world. Ritual procedures for “opening of the mouth” of a cult statue (mīs pî), and for manufacturing a ritual drum called the lilissu, constitute the principal focus of this two-part study. This work uses three themata – time, space, and the material world – to provide the scaffolding for a comparative analysis that spans various centuries and localities, highlighting the ways in which “purity” was crafted in cuneiform scholarly cultures.

Антропоморфная деревянная скульптура как категория языческих древностей средневекового Новгорода (хронология, топография, семантика)

Anthropomorphic wooden sculpture of small forms is one of the categories of pagan antiquities of medieval Russia. The Novgorod collection of such finds is the most important one and allows for a comprehensive analysis, including morphological, stratigraphic and topographic studies. Thanks to the introduction of new finds into scientific discussion, the typology was clarified, and the main variants of images were considered. The chronology of anthropomorphic sculpture corresponds to the dating of other categories of pagan cult objects. The variety of types and variants falls on the pagan period and the first century after baptism. The exception is wooden finials, the use of which continues until the early 14th century. Topographic analysis shows that most of the finds are localized in structures, which indicates the use of small anthropomorphic sculptures as housing apotropaea. Perhaps the semantic meaning of this category of cult objects should be sought in the cults of “domestic” gods, such as Rod or Svarozhich, and a connection with the archaic traditions of house-building magic is not excluded.

Синтез слова і зображення в сакральному мистецтві

The problems of synthesis of religious art and literature in medieval culture are considered in the article. The nature of interactions of the artistic material and its text basis is investigated. Historical lore and the descriptions of the eyewitnesses of the Jesus Christ, the Mother of God, Apostles have been of a great significance at the early stages of icon painting images development. The period of iconography formation on the base of the evidences, memories and sacred texts has lasted till the 8th century. Gradually the icon is transformed into a peculiar sacred matrix, independent cult object, where the problem of historical similarity is replaced by reality, determined by the consent of Christian community. The necessity of comprehension with the help of faith and mind of what is reproduced by the sacred images – their spiritual, true idea – appears in the foreground. Starting from the 17th century Ukrainian masters gain knowledge of iconographic canons, technique of icon painting, theological admonitions and precepts from Herminia – a special reference book-teaching aid for the painters. The image of a certain saint, especially the physiognomic features, is described in them by words. Several descriptions of the saints’ appearance in their lifetime are also known. These are in particular the images of Saint Nicholas, kept in ancient synaxaria. According to the dogma on veneration of icons (adopted by the Second Council of Nicaea in 787), the inscription of the saint name is an integral attribute of the icon painting. It determines sameness between the image and its prototype. Inscriptions, signatures and accompanying texts are introduced consistently into ancient easel works, wall paintings and miniatures. The images of saints are applied to the faithful, showing them the opened books, unfolded scrolls. In the Old Ruthenian art the classical thematic structure of the saints’ life cycles, basing on the Byzantine hagiography, has been supplemented with plots of the actions of Kyiv recording. Sometimes in Ukrainian monuments the inscriptions are placed near the image, on the icon’s background. These are the so-called supplementary texts. The plots of the living icons have been connected with the written sources. The synthesis of written sources and artistic material is the most evident in the book miniature. Observation of convergence of the visual material and literature shows, that the experience of various arts isn’t transferred mechanically on the surface foreign for them, but is changed, transformed, adopted by art, which has perceived it and at the same time crystallizes the peculiarity of each of them.

Objects of the Funerary Cult in the Han Dynasty. Gold and Silver Items. Aesthetics of Gold and Silver in the Han Dynasty

The unification of China under the rule of the Han Dynasty and the subsequent prosperity of the state inevitably led to a sharp increase in the production of gold and silver items. The emperors of the Western Han Dynasty often rewarded officials who had served with gold to the extent that cast gold discs and gold bars were included in circulation. Looking at the gold and silver items that archaeologists find in the tombs of the Han period makes one see the superiority of utensils in this era over the items of previous periods both in quantity and in their typology, and possibly in terms of manufacturing complexity. Having become an independent craft, separate from traditional bronze casting, it strongly influenced the art of subsequent Chinese dynasties. Gilding technologies appeared in China as early as the early Zhanguo period. This highly commendable art used in the decoration of bronze, which was densely covered with gold, reached its maturity in the pre-Qin period and gained popularity during the Han Dynasty. Most importantly, in the Han Dynasty, the fine art of decorating with silver and gold reached a new, higher level and, no longer being part of the bronze casting craft, received independent development. Silver utensils of the Han period are found evenly throughout the territory of modern China. Silver caskets, funnel-shaped vessels and many ornaments were found in the tombs of the Jing king, Liu Sheng, in Zhongshan, the Huai king, Liu Xiu, and the Mu king, Liu Chan, in the same city district. Gold and silver vessels are evidence of the development of the art of working with gold and silver. Silver and gold vessels that archaeologists find in the graves of the highest tribal nobility of the Han Dynasty not only speak of the high level of this industry in the Han Dynasty but also testify to a unique culture and help us better understand the society of this time.

Letter from the editor

Dear readers, We are pleased to present to you Issue 4, 2022, of the scientific and analytical journal Burganov House. The Space of Culture. Upon the recommendation of the Expert Council of the Higher Attestation Commission, the journal is included in the List of Leading Peer-reviewed Scientific Journals and Publications in which the main scientific results of theses for the academic degrees of doctor and candidate of science must be published. The journal publishes scientific articles by leading specialists in various humanitarian fields, doctoral students, and graduate students. Research areas concern topical problems in multiple areas of culture, art, philology, and linguistics. This versatility of the review reveals the main specificity of the journal, which represents the current state of the cultural space. The journal opens with articles by Chinese researchers devoted to the art of Ancient China. In the article "The Heaven-and-Man Oneness Concept and the Style of Funerary Plastic Art During the Han Dynasty", Xiang Wu analyses the idea of heaven-and-man oneness, which was important for the art of this period. It was based on the Confucian view, the rituals of a strict social hierarchy and Taoist metaphysics. Qiu Mubing’s scientific research topic is “Objects of the Funerary Cult in the Han Dynasty. Gold and Silver Items. Aesthetics of Gold and Silver in the Han Dynasty”. Examining archaeological sources, the author concludes the high achievements of Chinese artisans during the Han Dynasty on examples of works of arts and crafts made of precious metals. In the article “Aesthetics of the Song Dynasty. The Origins of the New Style of Furniture Design in China", N.Kazakova and Qiu Qi analyse the vector of development of the furniture industry through the prism of the industrial design evolution. The reasons for the emergence of the New style in furniture design in China are studied. They are analysed in detail against the background of changing economic, political and cultural realities. The issues of the influence of Ancient China aesthetics on the formation and development of a new language in furniture design are touched upon. In the article "Problems of Colour Harmonisation of Composition and Development of Associative and Imaginative Thinking in the Environmental Design", N.Bogatova reveals the potential of colouristic graphic two-dimensional modelling in artistic and imaginative thematic compositions. On the example of the compositional laws of colouristics, the author traces the path of ascent from the concrete to the abstract, pictorial to the expressive, and emotional to the figurative. P.Dobrolyubov presents the text “Sculptor Alexander Matveev’s School and His Students”, which includes many archival documents and photographs. The author describes the process of learning from teacher and sculptor A.Matveev, names the main dates in his creative work, reveals the details of the sculptural craft, talks about the variety of moves in the master’s plasticity, analyses the methods and principles of work in sculpture, shows the attitude of students to their teacher, and highlights the entire course of historical milestones in the sculptor’s creative biography. In the article "The Golden Age of PRC History Painting (1949–1966): Origins, Searches, Achievements”, K.Gavrilin and L.Xiaonan consider the issues of the formation of the modern Chinese art school. Its foundation was laid in the framework of the creative and educational dialogue between China and the Soviet Union at the beginning of the second half of the 20th century. The authors believe that the characteristic features of the golden age of Chinese historical painting were, on the one hand, the popularisation of painting as an art form and, on the other hand, the predominance of the dominant position of realism over the traditional styles of Chinese painting. It is noted that during this period, two main plots became widespread: scenes of socialist construction and historical events of the revolution. S.Zubarev considers theoretical and practical aspects of the activities of military musicians in the article "Academic Music in the Practice of Russian Military Bands of the 19th - early 21st Centuries". In the process of studying military bands, special attention is paid to the study of the features of military band service development in the 19th and 20th centuries. Factors revealing the role of Russian composers in the history of military musical culture are highlighted, and several works of academic music performed by military bands are analysed. In conclusion, the author notes that in the national culture, unique conditions for the development of military musicians’ arranging activity were created. They made it possible to preserve the traditions of the military band service and form the value principles of academic art. The publication is addressed to professionals specialising in the theory and practice of the fine arts and philology and all those interested in the arts and culture.

Сарматские культы и общество сарматов

The proposed article addresses the problem of social reflection of the cult life of the Sarmatians, investigated with the help of archeology and written tradition. In the article, special attention is paid to the concept of priesthood, which is compared with other concepts (healers, fortune-tellers, shamans). There is a practice in the archaeological literature to use a certain set of signs for attributing burials as priestly. Researchers usually refer to priestly burials as female and male burials with extraordinary grave goods. But these burials are more likely to be the burials of leaders and their wives and are associated with the performance of certain cult actions by them. Shrines and ritual sites, as well as cult objects known in Sarmatian culture, are not necessarily associated with the specialization of cult activities. The use of the concepts of ‘Sarmatian priests’, ‘Sarmatian priestesses’ and ‘priestly attributes’ by the archaeologists is rather a tribute to historiography, but upon closer examination, they turn out to be historiographical phantoms rather than a reflection of social realities.

Бронзові культові руки Римського часу з території України: походження та сакральне призначення (історіографія проблеми)

Two bronze hands associated with the confession of oriental cults are very interesting archaeological items found on theterritoryofUkraine. The first one comes from the village Myshkiv inWestern Podillya, another – from the territory of the Ukrainian steppe. These artifacts are well studied by specialists in archeology, ancient history, theologians, but most of the works on this subject are written in German, Polish and Russian and, because of different reasons, are inaccessible to the Ukrainian reader. The main thesis of the article is an attempt to generalize diverse approaches, versions and concepts and to represent a relatively integral picture of the origin and religious purpose of these cult hands. The main idea of the article is to publish some quite new conclusions and clarifications made during the author's own research. The author examines the history of the discovery of these monuments, indicates the places of their storage, presents detailed sculptural descriptions. While speaking about the hand from Myshkiv, the text of the inscription is clearly reproduced. Three different interpretations of this inscription, offered in the works of T. Rybicki (ego), E. Bormann (a), M. Bandrivsky and O. Bandrovsky, are given, as well as their translations into Ukrainian. The approaches of various scientists on the issue of the sacred purpose of the hand from Myshkiv were analyzed in the article. T. Rybicki considered that it is the top of a Roman military standard. According to J. Zingerle, it is the hand of a contributor who has made a dedication to Jupiter Dolichenus for his military success. But D. Lusthaus thinks it is a symbol of the deity himself, which was also served as the top. J. Kolendo and J. Trynkowski defended the opinion of using of this hand only for religious purposes in the sanctuary at Orheiu Bistriței. Figures from Cătunele in Romaniaand Kavarna in Bulgariaare considered to be similar. It is important that the last one has a figure of Victoria, which is absent on the hands from Myshkiv and Cătunele. Basing on the interpretation of the sign V engraved on the hand as – miliaria (the thousandth), T. Rybicki, E. Bormann, J. Zingerle, J. Kolendo and J. Trynkowski believe that it is “cohorsprima Flavia Ulpia Hispanorum miliaria equitat civium Romanorum”. Instead, M. Bandrovsky and O. Bandrovsky interpret this sign as “equitataquingenaria” (the five hundredth cavalry) and correlate it with “prima I Hispanorum pia fidelis equitata quingenaria”. B. Farmakovsky's position about the appointment of a hand from the territory of the former Ekaterinoslav province is considered. His thought that such objects may be associated not only with Sabazios or Serapis, but also with the cults of other deities, has been proved. But there is no answer yet, whom exactly the hand from the territory of the Ukrainian steppe was dedicated. Instead, it is known that the cause of the donation was the childbirth of an unknown woman. B. Farmakovsky's characteristic of all available reliefs on the hand is presented. According to these arguments, the images of animals on the statuette had to turn away the harmful effects of the evil eye. Basing on this, the hand can be defined as a cult object that has an apotropaic character. The results of the study include detailed analysis of historiography devoted to the study of bronze cult hands found in Ukraine, the involvement of a large amount of additional literature, the presentation of a number of images of similar monuments. The votive character of the Myshkiv hand and the apotropaic character of the Ekaterinoslav one is determined. There are many strong arguments in favour of the statement that the hand from Myshkiv has a direct connection with the thousandth cohort of Spaniards.

THINGS IN THE SPACE OF UDMURT SACRIFICES: ON THE BORDER OF THE UTILITARIAN AND THE SACRED

The article examines the composition and functions of things used at the traditional sacrifices of the Trans-Kama Udmurts, the adherents of the ethnic religion from the Republic of Bashkortostan and the Perm Krai. Rites with sacrifices represent a vivid manifestation of the form of religious cult and involve an offering of sacrificial gifts (animals, things) to the deities and require the use of a wide range of objects of the material world like ritual dishes and utensils, working tools and devices, ritual clothing, textiles. The entire set of cult objects constitutes the material embodiment of ritual activity which clearly characterizes the worldview, evolution, and the current state of national culture. The results of the study show that the things used in the rituals are used for their utilitarian purpose while the ritual nature of their use endows them with symbolic functions, thereby preserving their sacred status. Comparison with historical data shows that the number, composition and functions of objects used for cult purposes have remained the same, but their types, shapes, material and manufacturing method have changed. The work was prepared on the basis of published and archival sources, the authors' own field ethnographic materials.

Designing the Golden Calf: Pens and Presumption in the Production of a “Divine” Image

Abstract This article reexamines the creation of the golden calf in Exod 32:4a. Though the text in question is brief, it has been a puzzle to translators and commentators since the time of the LXX and warrants reassessment in light of new inscriptional and linguistic data. Syntactical analysis and comparative Semitics show that Aaron not only produced the calf but designed it as well. This interpretation requires glossing the verb in the passage, , according to its cognates in Akkadian and Aramaic as “to draw” or “to design.” The resulting translation solves the grammatical difficulties of the text and fits a greater cultural concern for the “divine design” of cultic objects. I will also suggest that the implement Aaron used to design the calf was not an engraving tool but a rush pen. Artifacts from Egypt as well as from Kuntillet ‘Ajrud evidence how ancient scribes sketched, played with, and practiced their craft with ink and pen before creating a final product. Understanding the tool in this manner also suits its usage in Isa 8:1 as a writing instrument used on a large piece of papyrus. In sum, the translation “and he designed it with a rush pen and made it into a cast-metal calf” solves the grammatical and lexical difficulties of the passage while adding to our understanding of Exodus’s overall polemic against the bovine image.

From the Treasuries of the Macedonian Orthodox Church—The Archbishopric of Ohrid: Notes on the Sacral Collection and Art Works

From the Treasuries of the Macedonian Orthodox Church—The Archbishopric of Ohrid: Notes on the Sacral Collection and Art Works

Astronomical clues in unicorn iconography of the Harappan civilization

Unicorn imagery on the seals of the Harappan civilization (HC) is shown to be a chimera. This study tries to interpret the iconography of the unicorn and the associated cult object in terms of interrelated myths-specifically Vedic myths around Prajāpati as Mṛgaśiraṣa (Orion). A reading of composite seal M1171 depicting the body of a bull with protomes of a bull, unicorn and an antelope strengthens our interpretation. The research implies that the Mature Phase of the HC within the timeframe of ~ 2600–1900 BCE may reveal memories of the Vedic astronomy as we understand it since millennia.

Зеркало в погребальном обряде ранних кочевников Южного Урала: маркер гендера или статуса, предмет культа или быта?

Metal (presumably bronze) mirrors are rather numerous in the early nomadic burials. This study pursues two goals: (1) analysis of burials with mirrors based on the representative data base from the Southern Ural area (the end of the 6th—2nd centuries BCE) and (2) interpretation of symbolism related to mirrors in the mortuary context. The sample consists of 90 anthropologically identified undisturbed burials with mirrors. Of these, 75 burials belonged to females (83.3 %), 11 — to males (12.2 %) and 4 — to sub-adults (4.5 %). The author has analyzed the distribution of objects according to age/gender groups and the correlation between mirrors and other grave goods (ornaments, weapons and cultic items). As a result, we can conclude that mirrors are artifacts of complex symbolism, being objects of everyday life, vertical status and cult, at the same time. It can be confirmed by their position near the head or to the right of the body, the finds of precious and rare mirrors, as well as the location of mirrors in complexes of various objects of cult.

Элементы культового комплекса домашнего очага в погребальной практике населения Предкавказья в скифский и сарматский периоды

The article discusses the cult objects found in the burials of the Scythian and Sarmatian times of the Central Ciscaucasia: metal chains, vessels with pebbles and chains, bronze cauldrons, cauldron-shaped pendants, etc. Using the legends of the Nart sagas about Batraz, the God of Thunderstorms and the Lightning, and ethnographic data on the above cult objects, the author reconstructs elements of a complex cult of hearth. Two different variants for cauldron-shaped pendants and chains finds both on the sites of steppe cultures of Scythians and Sarmatians and in the autochthonous burials of Koban culture in the territory of the Central Ciscaucasia indicate the coexistence in the region of two substantially similar hearth cults: steppe (Indo-European) origin, first brought by the Scythians, later by the Sarmatians, and autochthonous (Indo-European) origin, known from the Middle Bronze Age (finds of bronze pot-shaped pendants), cultivated by the population of Koban culture. Finds of vessels with pebbles and chains, cauldron-shaped pendants and other objects associated with the hearth cult in the burials of the last centuries BC in the foothill areas of the Central Ciscaucasia — the area with the mixed population, suggest a symbiosis of the two cults, similar by type, but different by their origin.

О СВЯЗЯХ АСТРОИССЛЕДОВАНИЙ НА САЯНО-АЛТАЕ С ДРУГИМИ НАУЧНЫМИ НАПРАВЛЕНИЯМИ

This article briefly examines the results of astroarchaeological research conducted by the Sayano-Altai archaeological expedition of The State Hermitage Expedition on astroobjects in Tuva (since 1987), Altai (since 1991), Khakassia (since 1992) and Kazakhstan (since 1997). Astroarchaeology is a new scientific trend in Russia, which began to be developed only since in the 1980s. Synthesis of ancient astro-knowledge is mainly represented on elite and cult objects in different regions of the world. Huge sections of ancient knowledge - astronomy, mathematics, geography, which are often interrelated with each other, still remain poorly studied in modern archaeological research. This significantly impoverishes our understanding of the early stages of development of practical, sacred and scientific achievements of past eras.