CLAY BALLS FROM SUCHU ISLAND AS NEOLITHIC SACRAL SYMBOLS

In the 1970s, two ornamented clay balls were discovered on Suchu Island, the Lower Amur River, Ulchi Region, Khabarovsk Territory. They are unusual in shape and are richly decorated. Initially the balls were identified as stamps for decorating ceramics. However, parallels with miniature Neolithic balls from the Amur and with stamp-like Jomon artifacts suggest that the balls were related to religious beliefs and were possibly used in rites.