Despite ethnic and
linguistic differences among the nomadic groups, the steppe lifestyle was quite
similar across cultures and regions. On the basis of the linguistic difference
the steppe people of the Central Asia can be classified into three main
linguistic groups: Indo-European,16 the Turks17 and the Mongols.18 The nomadic
tribes remained active in Central Asia for more than twenty centuries. They
were called barbarians by the settled people of the Central Asia due to the
reason that they used to attack the sedentary people to plunder the things they
wanted. The artistic culture among these nomads flourished under the impact of
the settled civilizations. These nomadic people, who moved from one place to
another, left bronze, silver and gold artworks. Their art focused on the
richness of dress, ornamentation of equipment, plaques for belts, harness
plates, sword belt buckles, wagon panels, handles, hilts and carpets.
Culture
of nomadic tribes began with the Scythian, the first nomadic tribe who
established strong Nomadic Empire. Scythian introduced several cultural aspects
to the nomadic art. Scythians used axes, spears and swords in the battle.
Scythians are also given credit for the introduction of bows and arrows. Their
bows were made of bone, stone or bronze. Scythians were also creators of the
animal art. Animal art flourished since the time of the Scythians among all
nomadic tribes. This was also due to the reason that these nomadic groups were
hunter-gatherers. The Scythian art had influenced the Assyrian natural art.
Thus, the animal art of Scythian was referred to as the art of Assyrian19
naturalism. Assyrian art flourished on the walls of the palaces of the kings
but Scythians used gold to make animal sculptures in a decorative way. Thus in
contrast to Assyrian art, Scythian art was the culture of nomadic tribe,
although the theme of their artist creations was animals or birds, but they
decorated it in a much fine way. Scythian used gold to prepare their ornaments
and jewellery. Birds and animals remained the theme of all the nomadic arts of
Central Asia. The first Scythian work: the iron and gold axe of Kelermes in
Kuban (dating from about the sixth century) displays the old AssyroBabylonian
and Luristanian theme of two ibexes standing next to the tree of life. ‘The
animals are depicted in a realistic manner and the art form is clearly inspired
by Assyrian animal art.’ Sythian art started from this, ‘which may be defined
as turning Assyrian (or Greek) naturalism to a decorative purpose’ (Grousset,
1970: 11-12). The art of Scythians appears in its definitive form with the
golden deer of the Kostromskaya tomb. In the art of nomads, naturalist touch
and decorative style both were unique. Realism of the animal style was depicted
in their art.
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