Чи була самостійною сарматська монументальна кам’яна скульптура?
Is it was independent: The heritage of Sarmat monumental stone sculpture?

Summary/Abstract: The article is devoted to the main problem of the development of Sarmat monumental sculpture on the territory of Ukraine. The politic history of Sarmat tribes began in III – II centuries B. CH. on the territory between rivers Don and Dunay. The most earlier monuments of Sarmat culture on the territory of Ukraine belong to II century B. CH. As to Sarmat fine art, it was first of all decorative art of weapon, horse – collar, human clothes, so on. But the essential part of Sarmat culture is monumental sculpture. The first Sarmat sculptures very similar to Scythian monumental stone sculpture. Sometimes it is very difficult to different, to whom it may concern: Sarmat or Scythian culture. We can see this on the example of sculpture from village Zavitne (Crimea). It is the image of warrior. The height of the sculpture -1,1 meter. The image of it absolutely repeat the image of Scythian warrior with sword, necklace and rython for vine in hands. We also can see the face of warrior. But the image of Sarmat warrior, as to professional sculpture level, is very low. Comparison of this sculpture with Scythian sculpture show, that last one much perfect from professional and artistic point of view. Also in Crimea were found another monument. It is stone stele (height – 0,9 m.) with face and without any attributes. But on this monument we can see the graven sign – Sarmat’s tamga. The image of tamga much expressive in comparison with image from out forms of sculpture. It is real dominant, because sign on sculpture occupy attention of any looker. After this moment Sarmat sculpture step by step lost interest to artistic out forms of sculpture and moves to direction of using abstract out forms and paid main attention to the image of sign (tamga). The next artifact of Sarmat sculpture is very important for our topic. It was found in Zaporizzia region. It is stone stele? much higher than all previous monuments (height – 1,73 m.). Sculptor, who made this monument, did not use out forms of human body. On the place of the face he graven one great sign. So, tamga became associated with image of man. The last sculpture were found in the grave of Sarmat warrior. May be it was the burial monument. In Crimea, in Kermen – Kir, were found the anthropomorphic stone part of human body sculpture with the head (height – 0,83 m.). On this artifact we can see the fact of man with closed eyes. So, we can consider, that it is burial monument, too. On the chest of the monument is situated the sign of tamga. Here, on contrary, sculptor prefers to use first of all artistic out forms of human body, not sign. But, we have got another monument, very similar to previous sculpture. This artifact was found in Kerch, in Crimea. It is stone stele (height – 1,12 m.). This monument has got the same out forms, but there is no face. We can see great amount of signs of different sizes. There are few small tamgaes and several big ones. The biggest tamga is situated on the front surface of this sculpture and on the back of the monument. So, sculptor demonstrates to us how we must identifier the image of this burial monument with person or, maybe, several persons of one family. Monumental art of stone sculpture of Sarmat tribes is very different. It’s it main message to modern scholars. On the territory of Backlin grave in Crimea was found very interesting stone stele. It has form of man’s penis with the sign of one tamga. The height of this stele – 0,85 meter. The hole impression from this artifact is very realistic. The sign of tamga is situated on the height of the head of penis. It is the upper point of sculpture. So, it is attracted attention of any looker. We did not find any analogues to this monument on the territory of Ukraine. It is rather difficult task tу say any about appointment of this artifact. Probably, it was useful during some sacral ceremonies, for example, initiations. This stele, so, as all previous monuments belong to I c. B. CH. -1 c. A. CH. The main trend of development of Sarmat sculpture later goes into direction to refuse from out forms of sculpture and using only signs, as the main source of information. Best illustrated examples of this direction are stone’s burial Sarmat monuments of II c. A. CH. All these artifacts have got out form of four corners stone stele with one big sign of tamga on its front surface. One of these steles was found in the East Crimea region. The height of this artifact consists 1,07 meter. The image of the very big tamga absolutely paid the all attention of looker. There are a very great group of Sarmat monuments with signs of tamga between of attributes of Greek antique sculpture : images of nymphs, ornament, so on. We do not used this group of Sarmat monuments in our article, because it is belonged to another, antique culture. All these monuments were made by Greek sculptors. As to the Sarmat sculpture heritage, we consider that it was not independent, as the event in their ancient culture. The earlier Sarmat sculpture was under the great influence from the side of Scythian monumental sculpture. But, during the all time of its existence, Sarmat sculpture is transformed from realistic to abstract out forms of sculpture. Sarmat sculpture even on the early stages of it development tried to less realism and bigger scheme in it’s out forms. The high level of this trend we consider Sarmat "encyclopedia". It is very interesting artifact. "Encyclopedia" consists of a great amount of Sarmat’s signs (tamga) on the big four corners stone stele. These monumental artifacts were very popular among Saitttat tribes and their culture heritage of I – II cc. A. CH. So, even from our shot article we must do very simple summit, that Sarmat sculpture is not independent event. On the contrary, it is very dependent event. It is depended from Scythian and antique Greek culture, first of all sculpture. Anthropomorphic stone steles were under strong influence of Scythians. Four corners stone steles or Sarmat burial monuments were made under influence of Greek sculpture. Antique sculptors made them especially for Sarmat. Sarmat sculpture was very different in its types, it’s images, professional level of sculptors, even stone materials. Usual stones with Sarmat signs we cannot consider as sculpture. Few, very specific monuments, such as stone stele in form of man penis, from Backlin grave do not change the main trend. The author consider, that the main reason of such situation with Sarmat sculpture is follow: during the period of active development of Sarmat language and first write the general interest of human society was devoted to abstract images. They are characterize language and write, but not sculpture and not fine art. Sculpture and fine art operate usually with concrete images and concrete forms. That is why Sarmat sculptors preferred abstract out forms and Sarmat society preferred signs. The author, after the analysis of artifacts of Sarmat sculpture, came to conclusion that this people did not created own independent sculpture heritage. Sarmat sculpture always go after Scythian or antique sculpture. At last sculpture was replaced by system of signs. The main cause of this is the development of early own write.

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