THE LION HEAD-SHAPED BRONZE PLATES FROM SCYTHIAN ASSEMBLAGES OF THE FOREST-STEPPE OF DNIPRO RIGHT BANK

Authors

Keywords:

Dnipro Right Bank, Beresniahy, Ye. Znosko-Borovskyi, Scythians, lion, Scythian «animal style»

Abstract

Two sets of bronze plates originating from two assemblages of the Dnipro Right Bank forest-steppe are studied in the paper. The set from the barrow No. 4 (fig. 1) near Beresniahy village includes the image of a lion head full-face (10 units) and in profile (2 units). The full-face view of the head is unique and has no analogues. Paired profile plates have a complete analogue in a pair of plates, originating from the barrow near the Stebliv village (Serhii Crichton collection). Presumably, both sets were made by the same master from the same molds. The researchers date the barrow No. 4 near Beresniahy village within the second quarter — the mid-5th century BC. The plates with the image of the lion head from this assemblage are the earliest images of this predator, made in traditions close to the Scythian «animal style». The image of the head of a cat family predator on bronze plates from barrows No. 400 and 401 near Zhuravka village on the Dnipro Right Bank is earlier and may have been the source of the artistic motif. Image of the predator head from barrow No. 491 near Makiivka village is also earlier. It is made in the traditions of the Scythian «animal style». The images on a gold plate from barrow No. 3 near Orlyk village on the Dnipro Left Bank and on bronze plates from barrow No. 32 of the necropolis of Greek city of Nymphaeon, Eastern Crimea are similar to the lion heads from Beresniahy and Stebliv. The most eastern is a bronze plate from the Voskresensk hillfort in the Southern Ural. Another version of the motif is presented on bronze plates from barrow No. 32 of the Aksyonovsky-I cemetery in Lower Volga Region and from the Ananino cemetery in the Volga-Kama region.

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Published

2023-09-18

How to Cite

Didenko, S. V. ., Kutsenyak, O. Y. ., & Polidovych, Y. B. . (2023). THE LION HEAD-SHAPED BRONZE PLATES FROM SCYTHIAN ASSEMBLAGES OF THE FOREST-STEPPE OF DNIPRO RIGHT BANK. Archaeology and Early History of Ukraine, 49(4(49), 118–128. Retrieved from https://adiu.com.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/597