A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book
Zoomorphic stone maces and axes in the forest zone of north-eastern Europe - Manifestations of interaction between hunter-gatherers and cattle herding groups in the 3rd millennium BC
Authors: Mantere Ville, Kashina Ekaterina
Editors: Petri Halinen,Volker Heyd, Kristiina Mannermaa
Publication year: 2022
Book title : Oodeja Mikalle: Juhlakirja professori Mika Lavennolle hänen täyttäessään 60 vuotta Odes to Mika: Festschrift for Professor Mika Lavento on the occasion of his 60th birthday Оды Мике: Юбилейный сборник посвященный 60-летию профессора Мики Лавенто
Series title: Monographs of the Archaeological Society of Finland
Number in series: 10
First page : 35
Last page: 44
Number of pages: 10
ISBN: 978-952-69942-0-8
eISBN: 978-952-68453-9-5
Web address : http://www.sarks.fi/masf/masf_10/masf_10.html
Self-archived copy’s web address: https://research.utu.fi/converis/portal/detail/Publication/174629937
More than 50 animal-headed stone weapons have been found in the forest zone of north- eastern
Europe. These diverse items consist of maces and axes and they represent a variety of animal
species, of which brown bear and Eurasian elk are the most common. In this article, we pres-
ent an up-to-date overview of these finds and discuss their dating and cultural background. We
argue that the animal-headed stone weapons were prestige items that were introduced to the
northern forest zone by cattle herding groups in the 3rd millennium BC. We interpret the items
as manifestations of a new set of pastoralist beliefs, in which masculinity and the bear probably
played a central part.
Downloadable publication This is an electronic reprint of the original article. |  |
