ISAW, NYU
This exhibition has been organized by the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University in collaboration with the Central State Museum, the Presidential Center of Culture, the A. Kh. Margulan Institute of Archaeology, the Museum of Archaeology, and the Embassy of the Republic of Kazakshtan to the United States. The exhibition was made possible through the support of the Leon Levy Foundation.
DIADEM
Gold, Turquoise, Carnelian, Coral. L. (total) 36.3; H. 5 cm Kargaly (Myng-Oshakty tract, Almaty region), 2nd century BCE–1st century CE Central State Museum, Almaty: KP 3990 Photography © The Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Almaty
NOMADS AND NETWORKS: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan. March 7 - June 3, 2012
PLAQUE OF ARGALI HEAD SUSPENDED FROM RIBBED BAR FROM HORSE TACK
Sets of plaques were used to decorate ceremonial horse tack. The argali (mountain sheep) heads from this set are completed in an interesting way, with the animal’s beard extended back and under its neck to end in a curl that mimics the curve of the horn.
NOMADS AND NETWORKS: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan. March 7 - June 3, 2012
PLAQUE OF GRIFFIN WITH OUTSTRETCHED WINGS FROM HORSE TACK
Thirteen horses were included with the burial in Berel kurgan 11, and each set of decorated horse tack highlighted a single motif. They include representations of real animals, such as paired deer heads and argali (horned sheep) heads, as well as fantastic creatures, including eagle-griffin heads and standing eagle-griffins with their wings outstretched as seen here. Many were further decorated with foil made from beaten tin or gold.
NOMADS AND NETWORKS: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan. March 7 - June 3, 2012
FOUR PLAQUES: STANDINGN ARGALI; “SNOW LEOPARD MASK” CONSISTING OF TWO FACING IBEX HEADS AND FLYING BIRD; TWO ADDORSED DEER HEADS; PERCHED RAPTOR (VULTURE?)
These plaques come from a rich burial excavated in 2003-2004. The Scytho-Siberian animal style can be quite naturalistic, as seen in the perched raptor or the mountain sheep standing on tiptoe. A more abstracting trend is called “zoomorphic juncture,” where parts of one animal are transformed into another, An especially sophisticated example of this is seen in the “Snow Leopard Mask,” which takes its name from the overall impression of a composition made up from two profile mountain goat heads and a soaring bird seen from above. The two voids below the goat horns form the ears of the leopard; the two voids between the chins of the goats and the wing of the birds are the leopard’s eyes; and the back of the bird forms the nose. In addition, the wings of the bird become the necks of the goat heads. The plaques from Shilikty are all cast in molds, and small gold loops were soldered onto the backs so they could be sewn onto clothing.
NOMADS AND NETWORKS: The Ancient Art and Culture of Kazakhstan. March 7 - June 3, 2012