FEMALE SCULPTURES OF TANG MONGOLIA (BASED ON MATERIALS FROM ULAAN HARAM SHAROON BUMBAGAR BARROW)
DOI: 10.23951/2307-6119-2021-1-132-143
The article analyzes female sculptural images from the Ulaan Haram Sharoon Bumbagar barrow in the Bayannuur Somon of the Bulgan aimag in Mongolia. Among other things, female figures made of terracotta were found in the burial. All materials are currently stored in the Kharkhorin museum. The characteristics of ceramic microplastics are given according to the author's approved scheme for describing votive sculptures, taking into account gender differences. The purpose of the publication is to introduce the scientific circulation of information about the features of female medieval images of the Turkic time, made by their contemporaries. The characteristics of 13 ceramic figures made in full growth are given. The characteristics of ceramic microplastics are given according to the author's approved scheme for describing votive sculptures, taking into account gender differences. The purpose of the publication is to introduce the scientific circulation of information about the features of female medieval images of the Turkic time, made by their contemporaries. The characteristics of 13 ceramic figures made in full growth are given. The description provides the characteristics of the manufacturing material; inventory numbers and sizes are given according to the museum's documentation; the degree of safety of the figures is noted; a description of the costume, hairstyles, makeup details is given; the anthropological features of sculptural images are characterized; the racial and, if possible, ethnic identification of the prototypes of the images is given. The article notes the similarity of finds (ceramic microplastics) from the investigated burial with previously studied materials from the Shoroon bumbagar mound in Zamar somon of the Central aimag of Mongolia (stored in the G. Zanabazar Museum of Fine Arts, Ulan Bator, Mongolia). In addition, apparently identical sculptural images were found during excavations in northwestern China of a burial dating from the Tang Dynasty, near the village of Yancun, Xixian District, Shaanxi Province. The tomb belongs to Xue Shao, the first husband of Princess Taiping, daughter of Emperor Gaozong. The study of the sculptural materials from the Bayannur burial mound made it possible to record the appearance of noblewomen of the Middle Ages from the Central Asian steppes. The comparative analysis confirmed the updated date of the mound to the last quarter of the 7th century AD, which corresponds to the Turkic time during the reign of the Tang Empire. The analysis of the statuettes made it possible to draw a conclusion about the possible presence of both South Siberian (Turkic) and East Asian (Chinese) components among the prototypes of female images. New data made it possible to expand knowledge about the population of the Central Asian steppes during the era of hegemony of the Tang Empire.
Keywords: women, Central Asia, Mongolia, Tang Empire, barrow, sculpture, anthropology, South Siberian race, East Asian race
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Issue: 1, 2021
Series of issue: Issue 1
Rubric: ANTHROPOLOGY
Pages: 132 — 143
Downloads: 611