This stone statue with a fantastic mask was found in the lower reaches of the Uybat River — about 40 kilometers from the city of Abakan along the Askiz tract. It is dated to the end of the 3rd — beginning of the 2nd millennium BC and belongs to the Okunev archaeological culture. Experts believe that at one time it was discovered by the Scythians — nomads who inhabited Eurasia from the 8th century BC to the 4th century AD — and installed it as an angular vertical stele in a stone fence around the large Tagar mound Chalgys-oba.
The sculpture is a rectangular granite mass of grey color. The height of the rounded stele is 3.5 meters. The upper fragment of the monument was lost in antiquity.
In the lower part of the statue there is a schematic image of a fantastic mask — an unknown deity. The drawing was made in point technique with subsequent grinding of the image lines.
The mask combines anthropomorphic and zoomorphic features. Its chin is stretched and narrowed downwards, and the inner space is divided by two lines into three horizontal areas — figurative belts.
Three circles with dots inside are embossed in the upper part. They symbolize the eyes of the deity. The circles are separated from each other by short, slightly curved vertical lines. Above the central “frontal” eye, the stroke of “eyebrows” is preserved. The upper part also features cow horns and stylized animal ears.
On the lower transverse line of the mask, there are two semicircles with dots inside. Experts speculate that they mimic the nostrils of a deity. The mouth of the creature is depicted as a grooved oval strip. Three curved stripes are visible on the chin of the mask.
At the very bottom of the statue there is a large solar sign. It consists of a circle, inside which a second circle of smaller diameter is inscribed with a dot in the center. There are four symmetrically located short lines on the outer edge of the badge.
The second solar sign was preserved on one of the lateral planes of the statue. This symbol is framed by only three short lines around the outer perimeter.
The sculpture is a rectangular granite mass of grey color. The height of the rounded stele is 3.5 meters. The upper fragment of the monument was lost in antiquity.
In the lower part of the statue there is a schematic image of a fantastic mask — an unknown deity. The drawing was made in point technique with subsequent grinding of the image lines.
The mask combines anthropomorphic and zoomorphic features. Its chin is stretched and narrowed downwards, and the inner space is divided by two lines into three horizontal areas — figurative belts.
Three circles with dots inside are embossed in the upper part. They symbolize the eyes of the deity. The circles are separated from each other by short, slightly curved vertical lines. Above the central “frontal” eye, the stroke of “eyebrows” is preserved. The upper part also features cow horns and stylized animal ears.
On the lower transverse line of the mask, there are two semicircles with dots inside. Experts speculate that they mimic the nostrils of a deity. The mouth of the creature is depicted as a grooved oval strip. Three curved stripes are visible on the chin of the mask.
At the very bottom of the statue there is a large solar sign. It consists of a circle, inside which a second circle of smaller diameter is inscribed with a dot in the center. There are four symmetrically located short lines on the outer edge of the badge.
The second solar sign was preserved on one of the lateral planes of the statue. This symbol is framed by only three short lines around the outer perimeter.
