Title: Fragment of a Felt Covering for a Saddle with a GriffinOrigin: RussiaCulture: PazyrykDate: 5t
Title: Fragment of a Felt Covering for a Saddle with a GriffinOrigin: RussiaCulture: PazyrykDate: 5th century BCDescription: “Found: Altai Territory, Pazyryk Boundary, the Valley of the River Bolshoy Ulagan. Pazyryk Barrow No. 2 (excavations by S.I. Rudenko)A griffin - a fantastical best with the body of a tiger and the head of an eagle - adorns this small piece of felt from a saddle cover. The monster’s outstretched body is decked out with appliqué pieces: bright blue on the neck, claws and beak, reddish triangles on the claws, different coloured drop-shaped inserts marking the ribs, pink “commas” decorating the comb. Each applied piece is surrounded with decorative embroidery forming a filigree border, while the wing, collar and silhouette of the whole figure are also outlined with embroidery. This image is often cited to prove that there were close links between Altai felt appliqués and the applied art of the Near East. A number of scholars suggest that the image of a griffin came to the Altai from Achaemenid Iran and Central Asia, where “commas” and “dots” were used in jewellery and where the griffin motif was tied up with ancient traditions. An opposing point of view, however, suggests that nomadic appliqué art influenced the inlay style in Iranian art. This unusual device might perhaps be the result of mutual influence between jewellers and weavers in Iran, although in the Altai some local representational and technical peculiarities made their appearance.“Source: Hermitagemuseum.org -- source link
#griffin#gryphon#griffon#russian#russia#pazyryk#fabric#saddle cover#400 bc#400s bc