Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 39 (3) 2011

Annotation:  The Origin of Anatomically Modern Humans and their Behavior in Africa and Eurasia Newly Discovered Yarmukian and Wadi Rabah Sites in the Southern Jordan Valley and the Desert Fringe Periodization of Bronze Age Cultures in the Ob–Irtysh Forest-Steppe: The Stratigraphic Position of E Early Iron Age Burials in Southeastern Zhetysu: The Geoarchaeological Evidence Stratigraphy and Relative Chronology of the Neolithic Assemblages at the Koksharovsky Kholm Sanctua Pazyryk Burial at Khankarinsky Dol in the Northwestern Altai On the Origins of Nomadism in the Asian Steppes Medieval Sanctuary at Eshmess Cave in the Pechora Urals “Priest’s Staff” from Fort Nadym of the 16th–17th Centuries Wooden Pectoral Cross from a Burial at the Spassky Necropolis of the 18th Century in Irkutsk Latticed Petroglyphs of Mount Kalbak-Tash, Gorny Altai Food Symbolism in the Context of Komi (Zyrians) Wedding Rituals Zheltuga Republic: The Case of Social Development at the Chinese-Russian Border The Dentition of the Alakul People, with Reference to their Origin   

Medieval Sanctuary at Eshmess Cave in the Pechora Urals

A.M. Murygin.

The article focuses on a unique historical source, a sacrifi cial site dating to the 10th–11th centuries located at Eshmess Cave in the Pechora River basin. Finds include coins, silver artifacts with gilding and graffi ti, zoo- and anthropomorphic décor, arrowheads, animal bones, and wooden idols. The collection of metal artifacts from the cave can be interpreted as an intentionally selected set of ritual objects. The Eshmess sanctuary was worshipped by a homogeneous ethnic group, whose beliefs resembled those of groups inhabiting the Polar Urals. Comparison with the Northern Ural sanctuaries suggests that this was both a local and a regional sacred center.

Keywords: Northeast of Europe, Middle Ages, sanctuary.