Russia, Western Siberia, Yamal Peninsula and Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug (District), ca. 5th to 8th CE. An elaborate bronze pendant, created to jangle, rustle, and catch light when worn on a hunter's belt. The form is of two horse's heads back to back, with detailed faces and manes. Six bell-shaped bronzes dangle from long chains. Size: 2" W x 3.7" H (5.1 cm x 9.4 cm)

In western Siberia during the Bronze Age, which there extended into what we in the west think of as the medieval period, there were sanctuaries in the forest where archaeologists and local people have found evidence of bronze and silver smelting, as well as bronze and silver artifacts. These sanctuaries seem to have accumulated, over many generations, metal gifts left to the spirits who patronized them. These sanctuaries played a role in local life into the early 20th century, with many people being afraid of disturbing the ancient metal items within; accounts of archaeological expeditions into the 1980s include much information on what superstitious activities the scientists had to go through before local informants would take them to sites. These objects are rare outside of the Russian world, and nearly all of the information published about them is in Russian. They often include stylized human figures and animal iconography. For humans, there is heavy emphasis in depiction placed on certain parts of the body, like eyes and hands; animals seem to be more naturalistically drawn (although not entirely). The relationship between this kind of artistic expression and that of the Perm Animal Style (also Permian Animal Style) is not currently known, but they were contemporaneous and geographically close, and have many of the same elements. These people may also have been inspired by the Scytho-Siberians who came before them, and the Vikings who they could have had contact with in the west.

Provenance: Ex-LA County Collection formed bewteen 1980 and 2000

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#117346

Overall patina with slight wear, form is excellent.