TY - JOUR

T1 - The techniques of modeling and decorating upper paleolithic anthropomorphic figurines from Malta, Eastern Siberia

AU - Lbova, L. V.

AU - Volkov, P. V.

AU - Bocharova, E. N.

AU - Kovalev, V. S.

AU - Khaykunova, N. A.

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research, Project No. 17-56-16016. The authors express their gratitude to the heads of the State Hermitage Museum and the State Historical Museum for the opportunity to work with archaeological collections. The authors also appreciate consultations and comments of G.I. Medvedev, E.A. Lipnina, V.E. Larichev, and S.A. Demeshchenko. Special thanks go to A.O. Shevtsov and S.A. Avdusina, of the State Historical Museum, for their technical assistance. Publisher Copyright: © 2017 Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - We present the results of a microscopic analysis of anthropomorphic fi gurines from Malta, southeastern Siberia. The bulk of the collection comprises "classical" specimens unearthed by M.M. Gerasimov in 1928-1958. Recent studies by G.I. Medvedev and others in Irkutsk focused on the chronology, microstratigraphy, and cultural subdivision of the deposits. The an alysis of the fi gurines excavated by Gerasimov has revealed the manufacturing sequence, as well as modeling and decoration techniques. The process included the primary processing of mammoth ivory, preparation of a blank with key elements being marked, fi nal modeling, and decoration. At each stage, specifi c tools were used. Especial attention is paid to decorative elements: patterns, engraving, rendition of clothing and accessories, and painting. Tools included planing-knives, scrapers, cutters, burins, and reamers. The decoration process was subject to a certain canon, which concerned key elements of design, their combination, and choice of the decorated area. One of the most intriguing facts about the decoration of Malta fi gurines is that in certain instances, traces of several pigments such as scarlet, green, and blue were revealed.

AB - We present the results of a microscopic analysis of anthropomorphic fi gurines from Malta, southeastern Siberia. The bulk of the collection comprises "classical" specimens unearthed by M.M. Gerasimov in 1928-1958. Recent studies by G.I. Medvedev and others in Irkutsk focused on the chronology, microstratigraphy, and cultural subdivision of the deposits. The an alysis of the fi gurines excavated by Gerasimov has revealed the manufacturing sequence, as well as modeling and decoration techniques. The process included the primary processing of mammoth ivory, preparation of a blank with key elements being marked, fi nal modeling, and decoration. At each stage, specifi c tools were used. Especial attention is paid to decorative elements: patterns, engraving, rendition of clothing and accessories, and painting. Tools included planing-knives, scrapers, cutters, burins, and reamers. The decoration process was subject to a certain canon, which concerned key elements of design, their combination, and choice of the decorated area. One of the most intriguing facts about the decoration of Malta fi gurines is that in certain instances, traces of several pigments such as scarlet, green, and blue were revealed.

KW - Anthropomorphic fi gurines

KW - Decoration

KW - Ivory processing

KW - Malta

KW - Siberia

KW - Upper Paleolithic

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85036560019&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://elibrary.ru/item.asp?id=35495782

U2 - 10.17746/1563-0110.2017.45.3.048-055

DO - 10.17746/1563-0110.2017.45.3.048-055

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85036560019

VL - 45

SP - 48

EP - 55

JO - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

JF - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

SN - 1563-0110

IS - 3

M1 - 5

ER -