The Challenge in Scythian Animal Art: Hunters and the Prey

Yıl 2023, Sayı: 12, 1383 - 1399, 26.09.2023

Ayten Akcan

https://doi.org/10.51531/korkutataturkiyat.1345925

Öz

The nomadic Scythians, who travelled between the Caspian steppes and the Altai Mountains during the 7th and 3rd centuries BC, were known for their iconic animal-style art. This art, which depicts fewer human figures, brought a completely different interpretation to history by stylising animals as living creatures. However, the fact that the Scythians did not leave written sources for us to understand their beliefs and understanding of art has caused us to resort to Greek and Persian sources, which have a settled life style. In addition, it is obvious that the questions asked to clarify some points in these written sources cannot be fully answered. Another important issue that should not be forgotten is that it is sometimes quite mysterious to unravel and analyse societies in ancient times -and today- and to understand the motives that mobilise these masses politically, culturally, religiously or artistically.
It is understood that the Scythians created human stories by using animals in their understanding of art, and that they tried to shed light on their society today by creating a multi-perspective reading environment from the animal style they created over time. For this reason, in this study, I will try to draw an anthropological perspective in order to better understand the depths of their belief systems and how they perceived the world, based mostly on animal figures, one of the elements of material culture in Scythian art. At the same time, I will endeavour to emphasise the importance of interpreting the struggle between predators, prey and hunter in Scythian art from a different perspective.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Scythians; nomadic life, animal style, art, prey.

İskit Hayvan Sanatındaki Meydan Okuma: Avcılar ve Av

Öz

MÖ 7. ve 3. yüzyıllar boyunca Hazar bozkırları ile Altay Dağları arasında dolaşan göçebe İskitler, ikonik hayvan stili sanatlarıyla tanınmışlardır. Daha az sayıda insan figürünü tasvir eden bu sanat, hayvanları canlı stilize ederek tarihe bambaşka bir yorum getirmiştir. Fakat İskitlerin, inançları ve sanat anlayışlarını anlayabilmemiz adına yazılı kaynak bırakmamış olmaları, yerleşik yaşam şekline sahip olan Yunan ve Fars kaynaklarına başvurmamıza neden olmuştur. Bunun yanı sıra bu yazılı kaynaklarda bazı noktaların aydınlatılması için sorulan soruların cevabının tam olarak verilemediği de aşikardır. Unutulmaması gereken diğer önemli bir konuda, eski tarihlerde -ve bugünde- toplumları çözmenin, analiz etmenin ve bu kitleleri siyasal, kültürel, dinsel ya da sanatsal açıdan harekete geçiren saiklerin ne olduğunu anlamanın bazen oldukça gizemli hale gelmesi meselesidir.
İskitlerin ortaya koydukları sanat anlayışlarında hayvanları kullanarak insan hikayeleri oluşturdukları, zamanla ortaya çıkardıkları hayvan üslubundan çok bakışlı bir okuma ortamı meydana getirerek toplumları hakkında günümüze ışık tutmaya çalıştıkları anlaşılmaktadır. Bu nedenle bu çalışmada, İskit sanatındaki maddi kültür unsurlarından -çoğunlukla- hayvan figürlerini baz alarak, onların inanç sistemlerinin derinliklerini ve dünyayı nasıl algıladıklarını daha iyi anlamak adına antropolojik bir perspektif çizmeye çalışacağım. Aynı zamanda İskit sanatında ortaya konan yırtıcıların, avın ve avcının arasındaki mücadelenin farklı bir bakış açısı ile yorumlanması gerekliliğinin önemi üzerinde durmaya gayret göstereceğim.

Anahtar Kelimeler

İskitler, göçebe yaşam, hayvan üslubu, sanat, av.

Kaynakça

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