FUNCTIONAL AND DECORATIVE ELEMENTS OF FURNITURE CRAFTED FROM BONE, ANTLER AND IVORY FROM OLBIA PONTICA

Abstract

The article is dedicated to furniture components made of bone, deer antler, and elephant ivory, discovered in the territory of the ancient polis of Olbia. The analysis of these artifacts provides a series of important insights into their functional purpose, artistic characteristics, and significance within Olbia’s material culture. The majority of these artifacts belong to the category of decorative elements — overlays of various shapes that adorned wooden furniture. The second group consists of structural components that lacked a decorative function (such as hinges for movable mechanisms) or combined both decorative and functional roles (such as legs). The artifacts discovered at the site represent a wide range of objects spanning all chronological phases of Olbia’s existence. However, the majority date to the Hellenistic period, while the Roman period remains the least represented in this regard. The shape and ornamentation of the overlays exhibit considerable diversity while adhering to motifs traditionally prevalent in Greek culture, including architecture and vase painting. These primarily consist of volutes of varying complexity, palmette details, and framing motifs such as the meander, running-dog pattern, Ionic kymation, and bead-and-reel pattern. Anthropomorphic and zoomorphic overlays were also in use, with the most common motif being a long-necked bird. There were two main techniques used for decorating these objects. The first, engraving, was employed for flat ornamentation, while the second, carving, was used to create relief images. The analysis of decorative elements and their comparison with finds from other sites have made it possible to associate certain groups of decorations with specific types of furniture, primarily klinai, thrones, and caskets. However, the function of most pieces, unfortunately, remains undetermined. It is likely that they adorned various wooden objects, including funerary sarcophagi. Most of the analyzed material originates from the city’s territory. In the necropolis, such finds are not uncommon; however, they are poorly represented in publications and remain inaccessible for direct study. At the same time, nearly all artifact types are known from both the necropolis and the city, which is particularly important for identifying elements as klinai ornaments. Most notably, these include volutes with eye-like features, which in some cases have been interpreted by researchers as sarcophagus decorations, even when no sarcophagus remains were found or only fragments of wood survived. A more detailed study of furniture decoration and its comparison with finds from other parts of the Greek world allow for a new interpretation of wooden structures in several burials within Olbia’s necropolis.