Astronomical and sacred aspects of the surrounding landscape at the archaeological monuments of Sayano-Altai (integral approach)

Abstract

Over the past five decades in Siberia, archaeologists have not only searched for and excavated new monuments, but also developed new approaches to previously studied archaeological sites – to mounds, calculations, settlements, stone sculptures and petroglyphs. At this time, new types of ancient objects were discovered on the Sayano-Altai mountains – sanctuaries, megaliths, observation astropoints and a giant "zooanthropomorphic sculpture". Sacred features at archaeological sites and sanctuaries can be identified by studying: 1) the surrounding landscape; 2) orientation and marking of sacred objects and paths to them; 3) pictorial images on stones, rocks, objects (main and secondary compositions); 4) the most revered objects are altars, bonfires, images, structures made of stones and steles, water springs, mountain peaks, important for understanding the main purpose of the ancient sanctuary; 5) ancient knowledge of astronomy, mathematics, geometry, embedded in large and small objects. An integral approach allows you to combine ancient knowledge into a single whole.

Keywords

• archaeology
• astronomy
• ethnography
• integration
• methods
• signs
• sanctuary
• sacredness
• landscape