Title: Kamennyĭ "kompas" v Sai︠a︡nskom kanʹone Enisei︠a︡
Description: "The flat rock with the petroglyphs was found in 1983 at the foot of the Ustju-Mozaga mountain in the flood region of the Sayan Hydro. More than 150 images are carved and pecked on it: animals, anthropomorphic figures. Among them there is a shaman's image, a mask-image, a chariot, the skin of an animal and some symbols - signs. The composition is dated to the threshold of the 2nd - 1st millennia BC. The huge line on the rock surface represents both the 'road' and the topographic indicator. It points to the North. Another small arrow points to the East. The relative proportion of the two symbols suggests that the authors of the stone picture considered the northern direction to be the principal one as the direction of 'departure'. The ancient artist has placed the chariot images along the edges of the rock probably following the cardinal directions, as far as the erosion of the rock surface allowed. The presence of direction indicating arrows, images of the 'road', chariots and hoof prints on the rock surface imply and symbolize movement. This composition represents a specific 'compass' and it may be assumed that it reflects the experience of the ancients in understanding the Universe and their efforts to grasp such abstract notions as a space and time. Extremely difficult for our understanding, it was realized according to some coherent plan that most likely is still to remain an unsolvable riddle for us"--P. 79.
Subjects: Petroglyphs, Antiquities, Ancient Cosmology, Compass in art
Places: Russia (Federation), Sayan Mountains Region, Yenisey River Valley (Russia), Sayan Mountains Region (Russia), Yenisey River Valley