Shamanic Attributes of Anthropomorphic Characters in the Rock Art of the Middle Yenisei

The rock art of the Middle Yenisei often depicts shamans with various shamanic attributes. The local shamanism has its roots in the Bronze Age. It influenced the plots and patterns of the Middle Yenisei rock art. The earliest images of shaman figures with shamanic attributes date back to the Tesin period. Shamanic images also appear in the art of the Tashtyk culture. However, it is the shamanic images of the Modern Era that are the most numerous. They show shamans in dynamic poses. The images are either individual or incorporated into complex multi-figure compositions. The shamans are wearing coats decorated with ribbons, long robes or fur coats, and hats trimmed with feathers or adorned with animal / bird ornaments. The shamanic attributes include large or small tambourines depicted as circles divided with vertical lines into two or four parts. Some shamans are holding bows or arrows instead of tambourines, which they probably use to fight evil spirits. A shaman’s wand is the least popular attribute. With three claws on a handle, it resembles a bird’s foot.

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