History:Horseshoe-Shaped Hearth with Ram-Headed Ends

From HandWiki
Horseshoe-Shaped Hearth with Ram-Headed Ends
Materialclay
Created3000 BC
DiscoveredShirak, Karnut
Present locationHistory Museum of Armenia
Identification2995-2

The Horseshoe-Shaped Hearth with Ram-Headed Ends, is a clay sculpture found in the History Museum of Armenia.[1]

Armenia's Early Bronze Age monuments that were discovered had similar hearths decorated with anthropomorphic and animal sculptures, that were special altars installed in homes to perform beliefs concerning agricultural rituals.[2]

History

Early Bronze Age culture built stone hearths next to clay mobile hearths which served different purposes. Horseshoe-shaped or arched-shaped mobile hearths are used only for ceremonial purposes. According to common belief, the mobile hearth symbolizes the male head of the household and their ability to prosper.[3] The mobile hearths are put over extinguished fires or on top of ashes, then are kept on the inside of ancient ovens called tonirs, in a vertical position. There are examples of the Early Bronze Age found on a few stones assembled on fireplaces. [notes 1]

Notes

  1. 3000 BC monuments are not only found with strong ram heads, bodies, and limbs for worship in hearth fireplace horeshoe crutches, but also with ram-head medal accessories.

References

See also

  • Hasmik Israelyan, Worship and Beliefs of the Late Bronze Age in Armenia, Yerevan, 1973
  • View from the Bronze Age, album-catalog, History Museum of Armenia, 2010