Images on Metal Ware: The Graphic Art of Northwestern Siberia and the Cis-urals

Engravings on Early Iron Age and medieval metal plaques, mirrors, and imported eating utensils from the northwestern Urals and northwestern Siberia are described in the context of local art of the period. The distribution area of such drawings is determined, and new interpretations are suggested. The specimens are analyzed in terms of imagery, iconography, scenes, and composition. Engravings on early 2nd millennium AD silver plaques are discussed in particular. All such representations display numerous iconographic and compositional similarities and the characters depicted are the same. Parallels with ancient and medieval art of northwestern Siberia and the northwestern Urals are revealed, especially parallels with bronze sculpture.