Some indications of shamanism in Arasbaran rock carvings
Documenta Praehistorica December 31, 2007 DOI: 10.4312/dp.34.15 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Ethnological and archaeological field research Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Rock carvings and drawings in northern Iranian Azerbaijan |
| Duration | Four seasons, 1998–2002 |
| Topics | Shamanism |
| Citations | 9 |
| Key points | The rock art reveals cultural connections and diffusion across prehistoric Anatolia, Caucasus, Zagros, and central Iran; animal symbolism is interpreted within ancient Iranian and Caucasian traditions. |
Abstract
Four seasons (1998–2002) of ethnological and archaeological researches in the northern part of the Iranian Azerbaijan have revealed hundreds of carved and scratched drawings and figures on rocks and in subterranean rock-shelters. An anthropological study reveals remarkable information about the situation and the limits of the cultural domains, the cultural relations and the process of cultural diffusion in the prehistory at the intersection of Anatolia, Caucasus, Zagros and the central plateau of Iran. The human and animals figures and signs are contextualized and ichnographically interpreted. The animal symbolism is discussed in the contexts of ancient Iran and Caucasus art and tradition.