Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The aim is to study problems of the role of mirrors in funeral rites. The basis are ethnographic and archaeological sources. Among many ancient peoples mirrors played a special role in these rituals. The importance of mirrors in funeral practice is particularly evident in the archaeology of the Scythian-Sarmatian period. Bronze mirrors are found as the accompanying inventory of the Scythian, Sauromatian, Sarmatian, Pazyryk, and other burials. Mirrors are found in the graves of representatives of various gender groups. In ancient times, people considered the image in the mirror as a reflection of the owner’s soul. Mirrors were important cult utensil of shamans, and magical items for performing funeral rites.Mirrors could have been used in magical practices during the Scythian-Sarmatian era, but still during human life since the concept of magic involves actions aimed at supernaturally influencing a particular material object or phenomenon.The interpretation of the magical role of mirrors in the funeral rites of Eurasian populations during the Scythian-Sarmatian period lacks confirmation. It is necessary to use ethnographic data with caution when interpreting the magical role of mirrors in the funeral rites of ancient peoples, taking into account their dating.
Source: Cultural Heritage
Author: Tatiana Kuznetsova
Institutions: Russian Academy of Sciences, Institute of Archaeology
Language: English
Subfield: Archeology
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4413264623