There is a special type of an image — “animal rider” in the Urals and Western Siberia people art. The exhibition “Ugra Heritage” houses a bronze casting on a similar theme — the “bear rider”. In the Siberian culture, the image of the bear has been widespread from the Neolithic era. This animal is regarded as one of the main characters in the Western Siberia Kulay plastic arts of the Early Iron Age.

The Kulay culture is a layer of archaeological finds dating back to the first millennium BC. This culture is connected by the researchers to the present Finno-Ugric peoples’ ancestors including those of the Ob-Ugrians.

The Kulay people lived in half-dugouts. They used to hunt, fish and, breed horses. Initially, only small groups of people gathered on one territory, two or three dwellings per group, and then, the number of houses increased to ten. The settlements were secured by a moat.

This culture became famous for bronze casting. Ancient people could make both hunting gears and uncustomary artifacts: figurines of people, animals, birds, and mythical beings.

The bronze figurine “Bear rider” was received by the Nefteyugansk Museum of Local History in 2001 from the Syroy Agan 6 — an ancient settlement dig site. Determination of the exact date of this figurine is problematic, supposedly it could be a time frame from the 3rd century BC to the 3rd century AD.

This image was found next to the horse’s lower jaw fragment, making the researchers suggest that this is one of the cult places. This is a flat casting featuring an animal with a creature on its back resembling a human. The front has been worked out in detail, but the reverse is flat. The animal is side-drawn with a head turned to the right. The researchers agreed that the animal represents a bear. The bear is tailless with a large body, short ears on his head, and paws with five claws. Teeth or probably a clamped object are shown in the open mouth (the casting quality does not allow to specify this accurately).

The anthropomorphic figure on the bear’s back is less detailed. The eyes, nose, mouth are specified on the face. There are four segments seen underneath the head. The researchers suggest that in such a way the craftsman schematically indicated the rider’s legs and arms. The Kulay people often depicted people with large heads and stylized, small limbs.

Полное наименование: Bear rider
Дата создания: the 3rd century BC — the 3rd century AD
Техника: casting
Место создания: the Middle Ob region
Размеры: 7.3×4×0.3 cm
Коллекция: History and Art Museum Complex
Правообладатель изображений: History and Art Museum Complex

A crucible is a container for firing, heating, and melting materials. The term is derived from the German word “tiegel” meaning “pot”. The oldest crucibles found date back to the 11th — 10th centuries B.C.

In the old times, metal products were brought to the Salym District from Ural, Altai, and Sayan, where the centers of metallurgy had already formed. Copper, bronze, and, later, ironware was highly valued by the ancient peoples of Salym: when it fell into disrepair, it was melted down rather than thrown away. Scientists discovered a large number of metal items in cults and burial complexes — the most valuable items were usually brought there. Later, the local population mastered the process of metal processing and smelting from scrap metal.

A new archaeological culture — the Kulay culture — existed on the territory of the Salym region from about the end of the 3rd century B.C. to the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. Scientists find metal goods of the earliest origins in the area where the Kulay people settled. By the turn of the era, metal had become the main material used in all spheres of life and, above all, for making tools, weapons, and cult objects.

The ceramic crucibles from the archeological collection of the Museum of the Ob River were found during the studies of Kulay bronze casting complexes on the territory of Syroy Agan 6 settlement. Initially, they were separate fragments, from which whole vessels were later glued together. All three crucibles, presented in the hall “Ancient History”, are restored, i.e. rebuilt from pieces.

One of the pieces contains traces of gray color, indicating limited access to oxygen in the smelting furnace, and the cracked edge is evidence of a very high temperature. The researchers speculate that the gray-colored fragments were not used to smelt metal. Perhaps they were put under the crucibles during heating. By pressing the fragments into the sand before heating, it was possible to set the necessary gap between the ground and the bottom of the crucible, in which hot coals were placed.

Полное наименование: Ceramic crucible
Дата создания: the 3rd century BC — the 3rd century AD
Техника: molding, firing
Место создания: the Nefteyugansk District
Размеры: 9×7.5×3.5 cm
Коллекция: History and Art Museum Complex
Правообладатель изображений: History and Art Museum Complex