The Finding of a Bronze “Freak of Nature” in the Samara Volga Region

Abstract

This publication introduces into scientific discourse a fragment of a bronze anthropomorphic figurine from the archaeological collections of the Samara Museum for History and Regional Studies named after P.V. Alabin. For similar items, named in A.A. Spitsin's paper "copper ugly figurines", the definition of "bronze freaks" is currently fixed. This name is explained by the fact that the objects had deliberate flaws in the image of individual elements of the figure. The figurine in question was discovered by chance on the territory of Samarskaya Luka. It consists of two fragments of the front part of the head of a man. The face is elongated, the nose is wide. A scrap passes through the right side of the figure's face. Judging by the condition of the fracture edge, it probably originally represented a defective product. Typologically, it can be defined as a component of a hollow, two-faced anthropomorphic bronze figurine. It fits into the range of similar finds in Eastern Europe: in the Middle Volga and Kama regions, as well as in the basin of the river Seversky Donets. Comparing our product with similar Eastern European finds, it should be assumed that it existed in the Khazar era as a cult object associated with the rituals of the Turkic-speaking population of the Samara Volga region.

Keywords

• archaeology
• eastern europe
• samara volga region
• khazar khaganate
• middle ages
• bronze anthropomorphic figurine
• "freaks"
• cult objects
• turkic-speaking population