Feathered treasure: South Ural fishermen found 14 bronze bird figures

14 figures of bronze birds, discovered by two South Ural fishermen, were handed over to a scientist at Chelyabinsk State University for studying and familiarizing with the exposition of iron age artifacts.

Two men dug out these figures in the vicinity of one of the villages of Kunashaksky district. These were 14 bird figures with outstretched wings made of bronze. Fishermen handed over the find to the museum of the Chelyabinsk State University.

According to scientists, the ancient population of the Urals and Siberia assigned the role of a mediator between the worlds of the living and the dead to birds. The same was true for the transfer of the souls of the dead to the afterlife. Such winged images were considered totems. Early samples of poultry idols are associated with the Itkul culture of the Middle Trans-Urals.

Such figures were used in sacrifices or shaman rites. They were placed in shrines, and in some cases hung on clothes.

Bronze idols, which were discovered by fishermen, were made in the VII – III centuries BC. They carry the features of the day birds of prey: eagle, hawk, kite, falcon. Researchers say that idols were intended to become a repository for the souls of the deceased people of the dead who had different sex, age, social status in society, etc.