Pazyryk Horsemen and Elks

Illustration: Pazyryk saddlecloth depicting an elk.

It is now assumed by many archaeologists that the people, who were initially entitled as Pazyryk, are in fact either Scythian or at least a branch of that culture and people. The Scythians were a nomadic people who used the great plains of central Asia and southern Russia as their extensive homeland. Many different cultures have used the vast steppes of Europe and Asia for past millennia, but they have all shared a particularly common bond, seeing textiles as an important element of their lifestyles, even being seen as one of the main domestic ingredients of their mobile cultures.

Illustration: Pazyryk felt carpet.

Although the artistic and creative element could be somewhat limiting within a constantly mobile culture, this did not stop nomadic people like the Scythians, perfecting an indigenous decorative style that reflected their own interests and that of their culture. Much of the art and design work produced was animal based, with those commonly found on the plains being particularly represented. Horses were the lifeblood and mainstay of the culture and played a vast role in the mobility of various communities. They were represented with and without riders, in ceremonial stances and in the ever-popular hunting scenes. Hunted animals, such as the elk, were also very popular, though the hunted animal itself was never portrayed as an insignificant member of the composition or even as a victim, but as a vital part of the story. These animals had a dignity of their own and were portrayed as a vital and integral part of the Scythian culture, one that was needed as part of the finely tuned structure that allowed that culture to survive. Although the animals are recognisable, there is a relatively free and independent stylised interpretation and appearance. Long gracious curves, movement and detailed borders are particularly popular motifs, which give the animals a decidedly individual appearance rather than that of a standardised motif.

Much of the work was felt-based with a certain amount of embroidery embellishment. Felt was an invaluable textile base that was used throughout the region. It was both insulating and largely waterproof and could be used in a number of colour and texture ranges for anything from heavy domestic use such as tents, flooring and bedding, to various items of clothing, footwear and baby carriers. It was also used for various horse riding equipment such as saddle cloths and bags.

Illustration: Pazyryk carpet detail showing a horseman.

We are extremely lucky to have any felt and other textile pieces remaining from Pazyryk and other areas of the plains of central Asia. They give us an insight into the daily lives, interests and creative ability of a culture that naturally, within their mobile lifestyle, have left little behind them. These images allow us to see these nomadic people as the highly sophisticated cultures that they were, but perhaps more importantly it allows them to show us how comfortable and balanced they were with both their immediate landscape and their place within that landscape.

Further reading links: 
Frozen Tombs of Siberia: The Pazyryk Burials of Iron-Age Horsemen
Pazyryk Burials
The Pazyryk: A 2500 Years Old Knotted Rug Found in an Icegrave in the Altai. Its Use and Origin
In Search of the Immortals: Mummies, Death and the Afterlife
Ancient Horsemen Of Siberia (Time Travelers)
Kurgans: Pazyryk Burials, Kurgan, Noin-Ula Kurgans, Mamayev Kurgan, Merheleva Ridge, Kul-Oba, Thracian Tomb of Aleksandrovo Kurgan, Black Grave
Archaeology of Kazakhstan: Archaeological Sites in Kazakhstan, Kurgans, Pazyryk Burials, Noin-Ula Kurgans, Otrar, Turkestan, Mamayev Kurgan
Costume and Textiles Pazyryks Altai. / Kostyum i textil pazyryktsev Altaya.
The Pazyryk Felt Screen and the Barbarian Captivity of Ts'ai Wen Chi
Warrior Women: An Archaeologist's Search for History's Hidden Heroines
Felt (Textiles That Changed the World)
Spiritual Tattoo: A Cultural History of Tattooing, Piercing, Scarification, Branding, and Implants
The Golden Deer of Eurasia
The Mummies of Urumchi

The Pazyryk Rug

Illustration: The Pazyryk rug, c500bc.

The Pazyryk rug is the oldest surviving example of a complete rug discovered so far. It was probably produced in the 5th century BC by the nomadic Scythian people and was discovered by the Russian archaeologist Sergei Rudenko in a Scythian burial mound in the late 1940s.

The rug itself was probably a funereal item and could well have been woven for that specific purpose and so was probably never used. The grave was that of a prince and so the rug itself would probably have been of the highest standard that was available at the time.

The rug is nearly symmetrical in shape with the length being slightly longer than the width, the actual measurements of the rug being 2m x 1.83m. The design is made up of concentric squares separated by various borders. The central panel is made up of what is assumed to be symbols that represent the sun. This is surrounded by a border of winged griffins, which is then in turn surrounded by another border filled with antlered deer. There is then a small border of abstract floral motifs, which is then followed by a border of horses being alternately led and ridden by their riders. This border has the horses travelling in the opposite direction to that of the earlier antlered deer. There is then a final border of winged griffins, which then completes the rug.

Like many traditional carpets and indeed many forms of textile, symbolism is abundant and can often be either misinterpreted or misunderstood. For example, the griffins are often thought to represent some form of guardian whether in life or the after life, while stags can represent wisdom and long life. However, we will probably never fully understand the symbolism involved within the pattern of the rug.

Illustration: The Pazyryk rug, close-up, c500bc.

Interestingly, the rug itself was preserved due to the grave being robbed at some point in the past. Because the seal of the grave was opened, moisture got into the grave goods and the rug was frozen into a solid ball of ice, thus preserving it until its rediscovery by Sergei Rudenko.

The discovery of the Pazyryk rug caused a sensation at the time and has changed our perception of the history of woven rug design. It had long been thought that early rugs and carpets would have been fairly primitive in both construction and design, so it came as a surprise to find a rug over 2500 years old that had this level of sophistication and finish. It was also discovered that the rug was constructed using the traditional Turkish knotting system, which strongly implies that the nomadic Turkish tribes who occupied central Asia two millennia ago, share an unbroken tradition of rug making with that of more modern traditions.

The sophistication of the Pazyryk rug informs us that a high level of design and construction had been achieved by the 5th century BC. It would have taken generations to achieve this level, which implies that this level of rug making must go back much further than the 5th century.

The rug itself is now housed and fully displayed at the Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg. There are also good reproductions of the original design that are available to buy. The best one that I have come across can be found online at The Magic Carpet, an image of which is shown below. It gives a good indication of the high standard that was achieved by the makers of the original Pazyryk rug.

Illustration: The Pazyryk rug. The Magic Carpet, Nevada City, California.

Further reading links:
Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg
The Magic Carpet
The pazyryk: A 2500 years old knotted rug found in an icegrave in the Altai, its uses and origin
Frozen Tombs of Siberia: The Pazyryk Burials of Iron-Age Horsemen
Archaeological Collections of the Hermitage: Pazyryk Burials, Egyptian Collection of the Hermitage Museum, Pereshchepina Treasure, Kul-Oba
Kurgans: Pazyryk Burials, Kurgan, Noin-Ula Kurgans, Mamayev Kurgan, Merheleva Ridge, Kul-Oba, Thracian Tomb of Aleksandrovo Kurgan, Black Grave
Scythians: Anacharsis, Pazyryk Burials, Indo-Scythians, Kharahostes, Apracaraja Indravarman's Silver Reliquary, Tocharians, Saka, Kamuia
Costume and Textiles Pazyryks Altai. / Kostyum i textil pazyryktsev Altaya.
The Pazyryk felt screen and the barbarian captivity of Ts'ai Wên Chi
Ancient Horsemen Of Siberia (Time Travelers)