Characterised by stylised depictions of animals and stretching from Ukraine to Mongolia, animal-style art is emblematic of the ‘Scythian culture’ of the Eurasian Steppe. Often thought to have been in use from the 7th to 2nd centuries BC, it remains ambiguous how the style originated.
To explore its origins, a team of researchers examined animal-style artefacts from the Scythian burial mound (kurgan) of Tunnug 1, Siberia: one of the earliest burial mounds from the Early Iron Age ‘Valley of the Kings’.
Dating from 800-833 BC, Tunnug 1 is one of the most securely dated sources of animal style art and constitutes the earliest instance of Scythian material culture, providing a perfect opportunity to explore the origins of the culture’s iconic art.
Animal style was only found on horse-related objects and depicts only 4 types of animals: ovicaprids (sheep & goat), felines, birds of prey and serpents. Each animal was tied to a specific artefact type.
This is interesting, as all depictions were of real animals. Fantastical and hybrid creatures were popular in much animal-style art but must have come later.
These factors indicate the use of the animal style was initially relatively restricted, especially in comparison to later periods. The motifs may stem from mythology, with the way myths were told dictating how the animals were depicted.
However, not all of the art from Tunnug 1 was in the animal style. Many artefacts are decorated with geometric motifs, indicating some groups participating in the kurgan’s construction did not have an animal style tradition.
This suggests that Tunnug 1 was constructed by a broad confederation of culturally diverse social groups, with the animal style just one local phenomenon among many diverse artistic traditions.
The later changes to the animal style, such as its use on non-horse-related artefacts and the depiction of new animals, indicate the widespread adoption of animal-style art came with changes associated with pre-existing artistic traditions.
Overall, the art of Tunnug 1 displays the animal style’s origins as one tradition among many, despite the widespread connections and shared practices across the Eurasian Steppe even at the onset of the Scythian cultural tradition.
The intensified interaction and shared ritual practices at this time likely led to the widespread adoption of animal-style art, leading to its distribution from China to the Caucasus.