National Museum of Kalmykia: Geometric and Zoomorphic Stone Sculptures Revisited

Abstract

Introduction. Each and every stone carving discovered in barrows is of great interest. And essentially rare zoomorphic / anthropomorphic stone sculptures from Kalmykia’s excavated sites are academically important for regional studies in general. Goals. The paper aims to examine a number of non-anthropomorphic stone carvings spotted in the territory of present-day Kalmykia. The zoomorphic sculptures depict a sheep’s head and an ox; special attention is paid to a compound construct. The samples under consideration are stored at the Palmov National Museum of Kalmykia. All of them have been introduced into scientific discourse already, while the article provides detailed descriptions thereto supplementing the latter with reviews of morphological peculiarities. Results. The animal depictions are unique materials for the research of antiquities of Eastern European steppe, and some of the sculptures have no analogues registered. All the sculptures were spotted within barrow borders but the barrows themselves — except for one dated to the period of ‘late nomads’ — were never duly excavated. The fact stone zoomorphic sculptures and other depictions (along with Polovtsian balbals) got that widespread makes it possible to conclude western areas of present-day Kalmykia used to be inhabited by representatives of different cultures dated to different historical eras. The introduced materials provide additional data on material reflection of religious pantheons of Old Turks to have inhabited Eastern European steppe in chronologically different periods.