Костяные пластины с изображением грифонов из раскопок таманского городища
Bone Plates with Gryphon Designs from the Taman Fortified Site

Summary/Abstract: This article is dedicated to the problem of the significance of Gryphon designs on bone plates of Byzantine origin that were found in medieval layers of the Taman fortified site (known as Tamatarhi to the Khazarians and Matrachi to the Byzantines). The author suggests that the image of the Gryphon possessed magical-symbolic significance above and beyond its decorative symmetrical use in the composition and that the bone plates were most likely placed on top of the burial shroud as a means of protection.

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