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The article is devoted to the complex archaeological and technological study of the decorated bronze mirrors from the burials of the nomads of the foothills of South Urals, dated from the late 6th to the 3rd centuries BC. They include mirrors of various shapes decorated with the motif of a single or multiple intersected circles with six-petal rosettes inside, executed by means of punched dots and the so-called rattle-mirrors, a unique group of composite bipartite mirrors, with the plates, attached to the discs, decorated with chiseled multi-figural mythological compositions. Analysis of metal composition and microstructures has shown that the earliest mirrors of the first group, allegedly of Near Eastern (Iranian?) origin, given the analysis of their decoration were cast of bronze with low tin composition (ca. 8%) and were cold forged. However, the later mirrors with such decoration, dating to the 4th – 3rd centuries BC, as well as the “rattle-mirrors”, which were most probably manufactured in India from the late 5th to the 4th century BC, were manufactured according to absolutely different technology of hot-forging of high-tin bronze (ca. 23–24% Sn). Moreover, in 4th – 3rd centuries BC this technology was used for manufacture of the majority of mirrors found in the barrows of the foothills of South Urals. There are grounds to suggest that both the mirrors discussed and the new technology of mirror bronzes were brought to the nomads of South Urals along the trade route from India not earlier than in the late 5th – early 4th centuries BC.
ICON. The Journal of Archaeology and Culture. Vol. 5
FIVE INDIAN “MUSICAL” MIRRORS FROM SCYTHIAN AND SARMATIAN BARROWS OF ALTAI REGION AND SOUTH URALS, RUSSIAN FEDERATION2018 •
The aim of this paper was to attract attention of Indian archaeologists to the series of the so-called “rattle” or “musical” mirrors – unique objects of art unearthed in Scythian and Sarmatian burial mounds of V-IV centuries BC. The findings were made in two regions of Russia, about two thousands km apart: Altai and South Urals. At the time when this paper was written we knew about five mirrors of this kind. The paper contains arguments in favor of their Indian origin. I am greatly indebted to Alexander Kozintsev who kindly corrected in PDF misprints made in the I.C.O.N. magazine’s published text (I had no opportunity to read the proofs). As far as I know, the sixth high-tin bronze mirror of the same type has been found recently, but not published yet. At the same time, a hoard of high-tin bronze discs imitating in their general design the “musical” mirrors was found at the North of West Siberia, not far from the Arctic circle.
Tishkin A.A., Seregin N.N. Metal Mirrors from Altai Sites of the Xiongnu Time: Results of a Complex Analysis // Ancient Civilizations from Scythia to Siberia. 2019. V. 25. №2. P. 357–375.
Tishkin A.A., Seregin N.N. Metal Mirrors from Altai Sites of the Xiongnu Time: Results of a Complex AnalysisMetal mirrors are important indicators when reconstructing the history of the ancient peoples of Altai on the basis of archaeological materials. Among the latter there are imported products, recorded in the mounds of the Xiongnu time (2nd century BC – 1st century AD). The article gives an overview of the results of a comprehensive study of the mirrors. Only one mirror was found intact, and the rest are represented by fragments. This collection of 19 archaeological items is divided into two groups, reflecting the direction of contacts of the Altai population in this period. The first demonstrates Chinese products that could have entered the region indirectly from the Xiongnu who dominated Inner Asia. Some of them were made in the previous period, but were used for a long time. The analyses of metal alloys from the Yaloman-II site supplements the conclusions made during the visual examination. The second group, through its origin, is associated with the cultures of the so-called Sarmatian circle, whose sites were located to the west of the Altai. A separate section of the article is devoted to a discussion of reconstruction of some aspects of the social history of the nomads and their world.
The Mirror Age
The Mirror Age: A Study of the Materials, Production and Symbolism of Iron Age Mirrors2024 •
This personal research paper discusses the materials, production and role of Iron Age mirrors. The views within the paper are not peered reviewed and do not represent the consensus of archaeological opionion.
Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology
Vitalie, Bârcă, The Sarmatian Mirror with Tamgas from the Settlement of Sebeș - “Podul Pripocului” (Alba county, Romania): 50 years later, Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology, 8/1, 2021, p. 87-115.2021 •
The article discusses the mirror discovered in 1967 following the archaeological excavations conducted in the Sebeș - “Podul Pripocului” settlement (Alba county/RO), dated to the 3rd – 4th century AD. The piece, singular in the intra-Carpathian area, belongs to the type of disc mirrors with rectangular side handle and decorated reverse. These are specific mainly to the Sarmatae world, yet are also found in the environment of other cultural identities. Although they emerge in the 1st century AD, they were broadly used in the 2nd century – first half of the 3rd century AD, being rare in the second half of the 3rd century AD. On the Romanian eastern and south-eastern territory, such toiletries appear sometime by mid 2nd century AD, originating especially from graves and features of the second half of the 2nd century – first half of the 3rd century AD, while in only a few cases the dating may also include the first part of the second half of the 3rd century AD. In the case of the specimens from the Romanian territory, these are small, thin in cross-section, exhibiting a slightly marked border on the rim, while the central disc convexity is lacking with most, these being features characteristic to the decorated mirrors of the second half of the 2nd century – first half of the 3rd century AD. The study of the ”Podul Pripocului” exemplar showed that on its reverse there are two identical tamgas set in the mirror, rendered erroneously in their previous publications, which explains the lack of any reported parallels. The author concludes that most close or very close parallels are specific to the region to the right of the Dnieper. As for the dating, these are specific to the period comprised between the second half of the 1st century AD – mid 3rd century AD. It is also noted that in the north-Pontic area, there are many tamgas with components similar to those on the Sebeș - “Podul Pripocului” mirror (in particular the volutes with the inward wavy loops), however these may not be deemed, according to the author, parallels. Owing to its significance, yet especially their function and their borrowing mechanism by the neighbouring populaces, the author concludes that the Sebeș - “Podul Pripocului” mirror did not reach the intra-Carpathian area by trade or exchange. On the basis of the existing finds, it is concluded that currently, it is impossible to say with certainty when the Sebeș - “Podul Pripocului” settlement started or ceased, but also that there was a most certain Barbarian presence, of which further details would be known only subsequent to future archaeological research. Given the role and function of the tamgas on the objects, their distribution manner in other cultural areas and borrowing mechanism by the neighbouring populations, the author concludes it is very likely that among the Barbarians who settled in the “Podul Pripocului” settlement also counted Sarmatians, to whom the presence of this mirror on in the intra-Carpathian area is due.
Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology
Vitalie Bârcă, A DISK MIRROR RECENTLY DISCOVERED SOUTH THE LOWER MUREȘ, Journal of Ancient History and Archaeology, 3/3, 2016, p. 55-61.2016 •
The object of this study is the analysis of the disk mirror discovered in 2010 during the rescue archaeological excavations carried out in occasion of the construction of the Arad-Timişoara motorway, respectively the Arad-Seceani sector. The mirror was found at ca. 1 m north grave 1 in site B0_6, where beside other two cremation graves, poorly preserved, other 129 archaeological features were also investigated. Though not exhaustively, we attempt herein to present the origin, distribution of this mirror type in the Sarmatian world and the chronological interval of their use within said environment. The author notes that these disk mirror types from the funerary Sarmatian features of the Great Hungarian Plain count amongst the most numerous, being found within funerary contexts on the entire duration of the Sarmatian inhabitancy of this geographical area. Further, the author notes that mirrors of the type are widely spread on broad geographical areas, hence the establishment of any production centres is highly difficult, but also that very likely, they were produced in various cultural environments over several centuries. Their high numbers in the Sarmatian world proves it is possible they made them, although there is no certain substantiating evidence. The author does not exclude either the possibility of the presence of travelling artisans in the Sarmatian environment making certain item categories upon order, mirrors of the type included. In terms of the dating of G 1 at Arad (site B_06), where the mirror most definitely originates, the author concludes that together with the other two graves (G 2 and G 3) are contemporary and date sometime to the end of the 2nd century – early decades of the 3rd century AD.
The article presents two special finds uncovered at the site of Sanjar-Shah during the 2016 archeological season—a bronze pin with a unique finial of two Janus-like faces, and a fragment of a Chinese mirror. The bronze pin has no parallels among Sogdian objects but is strikingly similar to a group of so-called "mace-heads" that originate in Sasanian Iran.We suggest that the design of the Sanjar-Shah pin is inspired by these objects, all of them being modelled on real maces attested in Sogdian paintings. The surviving fragment of the mirror allows us to establish that it belongs to a well-known type of mirror from the Tang period, the Zhenzifeishuang mirror. This is the first time that a mirror of this type has been found outside of China.
Purpose. The author introduces the results of preliminary technical and technological analysis of cloth and leather samples from the grave mound necropolis Karban-2 discovered during the expedition of Barnaul State Pedagogical Institute under the leadership of A. P. Umansky and M. A. Demin in 1989. The materials have not been published in scientific journals yet, so our results of applying technological methods of analysis to the rare finds of organic materials from a grave mound contribute to studying the technology of making ancient costumes and can be of particular interest to the public. The current finding is stored in the Historical museum of Altai State Pedagogical University. Results. The remains of a small sac for a mirror found include two pieces: some substrate material that used to make a textile bag and a diagonal twill weave edging made of double twisted threads. The largest fragment of the fabric found features a glover’s stitch, which is likely to have connected the parts of the bag. Organoleptic and microscopic examination of the material allowed the author to identify some fiber texture, presumably wool. Thus, we believe that the fabric was made of wool. We found two pieces of leather on the top of the basic fabric sac. The largest one is similar in size to the remains of the basic fabric sac. The other, a smaller one, is much dented and bears a few strands of hair. Interpretation of the leather pieces involved a number of difficulties. The condition of them was quite poor, and the leather and textile fragments had no visible binding (traces of stitches). Two possible explanations are that either the woven sac had a closure, or the leather element was used as an ornament. Conclusion. The technical and technological analysis we applied to the finding allowed us to reveal that the people inhabiting the Altai Mountains during the Early Iron Age, who left the necropolis Karban-2, used in their clothes twill weave and connected elements of their clothes with glover’s stitch (stitch over the edge). We also identified a previously unknown method of decorating textile bags for a mirror, which might have had a certain mythological significance. Compatibility of the materials used for making clothes and other components of the costume expands our understanding of the textile traditions of those times. The findings under analysis lead to a more detailed discussion of issues related to the study of textile used in clothes of the population of the Altai Mountains.
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