Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 42 (4) 2014

Annotation:  Test Study of Organic and Inorganic Residues on the Stone Tools from the Mesolithic Layer in the Dvo Carinated Pieces in Paleolithic Assemblages of Central Asia Ceramics of the Mariinskoye Culture from the Lower Amur Chronology of the Chalcolithic and the Early Bronze Age in the Urals Ethnic and Cultural Mosaic in Western Baraba During the Late Bronze to Iron Age Transition (14th–8th Imitation/Reconstruction of an Early Medieval Dwelling in the Western Amur Basin Inscriptions in Uyghur Writing and Runic Characters from the Urkosh Area (Central Altai) High Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging of a Mummy from AkAlakha-3 Mound 1, Ukok Plateau, Gorny Altai: Paleolandscape Reconstruction of the Abrau Peninsula Littoral (Krasnodar Territory): Based on Sedime An Archaeological Landscape in the Dzhazator Valley (Altai Mountains): Surface Monuments and Petrogl Metal Plaques from the Fortifi ed Settlement Old Iskarra: Attribution and Subjects Ethnological Approach to Siberian Zoomorphs: A Search for Meaning and Implications for the Upper Pa Genealogies of the Siberian Bukharans: The Shikhovs Early Iron Age Surgical Technologies: Ante-Mortem Trepanation Among the Early Nomads of Gorny Altai   

Ethnological Approach to Siberian Zoomorphs: A Search for Meaning and Implications for the Upper Paleolithic Evidence

S. Sázelová.

Ethnological analogies derived from studies of recent environments and societies in Arctic and Subarctic regions of Siberia are generally being applied in archaeological interpretative models. The analogies prove to be inspiring, because each of them has the potential to enlarge the scope of static archaeological evidence by including dynamic aspects of social and symbolic systems within recent societies. Here, we analyze electronic databases and literature on zoomorphic and theriantropic fi gurines collected during the Jesup North Pacifi c expedition. Subsequently, the social value and mythological context that accompany specifi c zoomorphic themes were recorded. Some aspects of these paleoethnological implications are partially applicable to the Upper Paleolithic zoomorphs.

Keywords: Jesup North Pacifi c expedition, mythology, paleoethnology, Siberia, Upper Paleolithic art, zoomorphic fi gurine.