Catalogue - Metropolitan Museum of Art

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98 This handle is in the shape of an exquisitely and naturalistically modeled fallow deer. Although found in Siberia, it is of Iranian manufacture. The spots on the body and the horns (now missing) were gilded. The bent knees would originally have rested on the vessel's rim. Leaping fallow deer, handle from a silver vase. Silver gilt, height 16 cm. (614 in.). Iranian, 4th-3rd century B.C. South Altai, near Bukhtarma. Acquired from G. F. Miller, 1735. Hermitage, S 273. Artamonov, Sokrovishcha sakov, p. 216. 99 (Color plate 22) This plaque depicts a fantastic creature-an eagle or griffin-clutching a contorted goat in its talons. Note the explicit and different ways the texture of the creature's body is delineated: parts are covered with cloisons that originally contained colored insets to simulate scales. The captured animal also has numerous areas for inlay, with a surviving bit of black glass in his eye. Remnants of light blue and cherry red enamel are reminders of the magnificent colors with which this dazzling ornament once glowed. Power and vitality radiate from this work of art: imagine it bedecking a warrior's headdress, with real plumes flying atop the griffin's tail, and the polychrome inlays and cloisonne glittering against the shining gold. Eagle or griffin holding a goat, possibly a headband ornament. Gold, height 15.4 cm. (61/6 in.), width 16 cm. (65/6 in.), weight 209.78 gr. Eastern Iran or Central Asia, 4th-3rd century B.C. Siberian collection of Peter I. Acquired from M. P. Gagarin, 1716. Hermitage, Si 1727, 1/31. Artamonov, Sokrovishcha sakov, pp. 189- 190, fig. 241. 98 Altai culture 6th-3rd centuries B.C. The northern nomads' textiles and woodcarvings are as strikingly characteristic a part of their art as the famous Siberian gold treasure of Peter the Great (see nos. 93-99). More perishable than the metal objects, which were found in many places, these have not been known to any extent in the modern world until five kurgans (the Russian term for a burial mound) near the hamlet of Pazyryk in the central Altai Mountains of Siberia were opened by Soviet scientists in the second quarter of this century. Here-and in similar burials nearby-frozen in the ice resulting from a combination of long, cold winters, the deep frost level of this mountainous terrain, and the fortuitous (for us) hacking open of the burial chambers by early grave robbers (which permitted the entry of a great deal of quickly frozen moisture), was preserved a record of the life of a tribe of highly civilized nomads of the 5th to 4th century B.C., who were in touch with Achaemenid Persia on the west and feudal China (Chou period, about 1027-256 B.C.) on the east. Wood rarely survives in the climates of Near Eastern and Central Asian countries, therefore the examples from the Altai are particularly valuable. The beveled carving of the surface is distinctive, and this treatment was deliberately reproduced by the goldworkers who made some of the large animal figures found in the Scythian tombs in the Black Sea region (see nos. 18, 28, 77). Many of the wooden pieces were covered with gold leaf in order to give the appearance of that precious metal.
100 (Color plate 24) The figural carving on this object shows a feline face with a ferocious teeth-baring grin and curiously spiral ears, over an interlocked S-shape ending in a couple of curly-beaked birds' heads. The symmetry of the composition is subtly enlivened by the inward-turning scroll of the lower loop. Tiger, harness ornament. Wood, leather, and bronze, length 22.5 cm. (87/8 in.). Altai nomadic, 6th century B.C. Altai, Tuekta, kurgan 1. Excavations of S. I. Rudenko, 1954. Hermitage, 2179/148. S. I. Rudenko, Kultura naseleniya Tsentralnogo Altaya v skifskoe vremya (Moscow-Leningrad, 1960), pl. LXVII. 101 Eagle, harness ornament. Wood, height 4.5 cm. (134 in.). Altai nomadic, 6th century B.C. Altai, Tuekta, kurgan 1. Excavations of S. I. Rudenko, 1954. Hermitage, 2179/120. Rudenko, Kultura Tsentralnogo Altaya, p. 286, fig. 145a, pl. XCVII. 102 106 Panther's head, harness ornament. Wood, height 4.5 cm. (134 in.). Altai nomadic, 6th century B.C. Altai, Tuekta, kurgan 1. Excavations of S. I. Rudenko, 1954. Hermitage, 2179/187. Rudenko, Kultura Tsentralnogo Altaya, p. 289, fig. 1481, pl. CII. 103 Wolf's head, harness ornament. Wood, length 12.2 cm. (413/6 in.). Altai nomadic, 6th century B.C. Altai, Tuekta, kurgan 1. Excavations of S. I. Rudenko, 1954. Hermitage, 2179/198. Rudenko, Kultura Tsentralnogo Altaya, p. 279, fig. 143g, pl. XCIV. 104 Elk's head, harness plaque. Wood, 11.2 cm. (45%6 in.). Altai nomadic, 6th century B.C. Altai, Tuekta, kurgan 1. Excavations of S. I. Rudenko, 1954. Hermitage, 2179/205. Rudenko, Kultura Tsentralnogo Altaya, p. 265, fig. 136z, pl. XCII. 105 Two elks' heads, harness plaque. Wood, height 8.8 cm. (3716 in.). Altai nomadic, 6th century B.C. Altai, Tuekta, kurgan 1. Excavations of S. I. Rudenko, 1954. Hermitage, 2179/227. Rudenko, Kultura Tsentralnogo Altaya, p. 265, fig. 136g, pl. XCI. 105 Three elks' heads, harness plaque. Wood, height 8.8 cm. (37/16 in.). Altai nomadic, 6th century B.C. Altai, Tuekta, kurgan 1. Excavations of S. I. Rudenko, 1954. Hermitage, 2179/245. Rudenko, Kultura Tsentralnogo Altaya, p. 255, fig. 131v, pl. XCI. 107 (Color plate 24) On this roundel, the foreparts of two griffins swirl around the central boss. The head of a griffin is differentiated from that of an eagle by having pointed ears and a jagged, sometimes finlike crest down its neck. Roundel decorated with two griffins. Wood, diameter 12.7 cm. (5 in.). Altai nomadic, 6th century B.C. Altai, Tuekta, kurgan 1. Excavations of S. I. Rudenko, 1954. Hermitage, 2179/79. Rudenko, Kultura Tsentralnogo Altaya, pl. CI. 108 Two griffins' heads, harness plaque. Wood, height 12 cm. (434 in.). Altai nomadic, 6th century B.C. Altai, Tuekta, kurgan 1. Excavations of S. I. Rudenko, 1954. Hermitage, 2179/28. Rudenko, Kultura Tsentralnogo Altaya, pl. CI. 106 108
Page 1 and 2: Catalogue The State Hermitage Museu
Page 3 and 4: Quiver decorated with horsemen and
Page 5 and 6: 25 (Color plate 4) The subject matt
Page 7 and 8: 34 (Color plate 6) The coiling of t
Page 9 and 10: 46 The volute-krater was a Laconian
Page 11 and 12: 60 This type of cauldron, with upri
Page 13 and 14: 68 (Color plate 10) This scabbard c
Page 15 and 16: 74 77 (Color plate 15) Among the la
Page 17 and 18: 83 (Color plate 20) The decoration
Page 19: Objects from the Siberian collectio
Page 23 and 24: 115 (Color plate 23) The felt lions
Page 25 and 26: 129 Leather bridle ornamented with
Page 27 and 28: The Culture of Siberia 143 Stag, fi
Page 29 and 30: Sarmatian art 1st century B.C.-lst
Page 31 and 32: 172 (Color plate 29) Scythians are

Catalogue - Metropolitan Museum of Art

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