Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2013, 1(2), 18-32
DOI: 10.24411/2310-2144-2013-00003
Russian meteorite of the Bronze Age (rock record)
Larisa N. Vodolazhskaya*1, Mikhail Yu. Nevsky2
1Southern Federal University (SFU), str. Zorge, 5, Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russian Federation; E-mails: larisavodol@aaatec.org, larisavodol@gmail.com
2Astronomical Observatory SFU, Department of Space Physics, Southern Federal University (SFU), str. Zorge, 5, Rostov-on-Don, 344090, Russian Federation; E-mail: munevsky@sfedu.ru
* Author to whom correspondence should be addressed
Abstract
This paper presents the results of the study of petroglyphs found in the quartzite grotto near the Skelnovsky small village in the Northern Black Sea in the South of Russia. The aim of the study was the analysis and interpretation of the Early Bronze Age petroglyphs using archaeoastronomical methods. The article presents a comparative analysis of Skelnovsky grotto ancient images and contemporary eyewitness accounts of the Sikhote-Alin meteorite fall and meteorite shower. Some petroglyphs were interpreted by us using ethnographic and folklore material. In this study, the magnetic declination for the geographical coordinates Skelnovsky farm was calculated, and the projection of the whole picture Skelnovskih petroglyphs on the topographical map of the area was built. The proposed location of the meteorite fall was determined with this projection. It is confirmed by satellite pictures, on which are the distinguishable terrain features, typical for the meteorite fall, are visible including the possible impact crater, and the corresponding symbols on a topographical map. The studies in the article conclude the astronomical character of the main content of the Skelnovsky petroglyphs picture which depicts the fall of a large meteoroid (bolide), similar to the Sikhote-Alin meteorite, accompanied by a meteorite shower. After a comparative analysis of the images in Sklenovsky grotto it was discovered that the petroglyph is a copy of the figure depicted on the famous Mesopotamic clay tablet YBC 7289. We speculate that this figure is a prototype of an important building used either for ritual or farm purposes, typical for the Bronze Age and distributed as in Mesopotamia, as also on the coast of the Northern Black Sea. This may indicate a cultural continuity, including the field of protoscientific knowledge, between the inhabitants of the Northern Black Sea and the inhabitants of Mesopotamia during the Bronze Age.
Keywords: archaeoastronomy, petroglyphs, rock art, meteoroid, meteorite shower, impact crater, Babylonian clay tablet YBC 7289.
Full Text: Download pdf (English)
References
1. Abelanet, J. Les roches gravees nord catalanes. Terra Nostra, 1990, No. 5, pp. 101-209.
2. Martynov, A.; Marichev, A.; Abetekov, A.K. Gravures Rupestres de Saimaly-Tach. Alma-Ata: Ministere de l'Instruction Publiquede la Republique du Kazakhstan, 1992, pp. 3-57.
3. Davis-Kimball, J.; Martynov, A. Solar rock art and cultures of Central Asia. In M. Singh (ed.), The Sun: symbol of power and life. New York: Abrams, 1993, pp. 207-221.
4. Martynov, A. Rock images of the ancientsanctuary Saimaly-Tach. Pinerolo:CeSMAP. NEWS-95 International Rock Art Congress Proceedings, 1999. CD-ROM.
5. Coimbra, F.A. When open air carved rocks become sanctuaries: methodological criteria for aclassification. In F. Djindjian, L. Oosterbeek (eds), Symbolic Spaces in Prehistoric Art - Territories, travels and site locations, Proceedings of XV IUPPS Congress, Archaeopress, Oxford, 2009, pp. 99-104.
6. Olivera, C.; Silva, C. M. Moon, Spring and Large Stones. Landscape and ritual calendar perception and symbolization. In D. Calado, M.Baldia, M. Boulanger (eds), Monumental Questions: Prehistoric Megaliths, Mounds, and Enclosures, Proceedings of XV IUPPS Congress, Archaeopress, Oxford, 2010, pp. 83-90.
7. Poikalainen, V. Rock Art of Lake Onega. Tartu, 2004, p. 63.
8. Markovin, V.I. Dol'meny Zapadnogo Kavkaza. [Western Caucasus Dolmens]. M.: Nauka, 1978, 328 p.
9. Latysheva, V.A.; Shhepinskij, A.A. Issledovaniya v Severo-Zapadnom Krymu. [Studies in North-Western Crimea]. Arxeologicheskie otkrytiya 1977 goda. [Archaeological discoveries in 1977]. M.: Nauka, 1978, pp. 348-349.
10. Iqbal, N.; Vahia, M.N.; Masood, T.; Ahmad, A. Some early astronomical sites in the Kashmir region. Journal of Astronomical History and Heritage, 2009, Vol. 12, No. 1, p. 61-65.
11. Whipple, F. The Mystery of Comets. Cambridge University Press, 1985, pp. 1-9.
12. Woodhouse, B. Bushman paintings of comets? Monthly Notes from the Astronomical Society of South Africa, 1986, 45, pp. 33-35.
13. Barreto, P. La hipotesis del evento Tupana. El Super-Tunguska Prehistorico Sudamericano. Huygens, 77. Agrupacion Astronomica de la Safor, Gandia, 2009, pp. 12-22.
14. Coimbra, F.A. The sky on the rocks: cometaryimages in rock art. Fumdhamentos IX. Proceedings of the Global Rock Art International Congress, Serra da Capivara, Brasil. 2010. Fumdham, Sao Raimundo Nonato. DVD.
15. Bailey, M.E.; Clube, S.V.M.; Napier, W.M. The origin of comets. Pergamon Press, Oxford, 1990, pp. 1-39.
16. Coimbra, F. A. Comets and meteors in rock art: evidences and possibilities. 13th SEAC Conference Proceedings, Isili, 2007, pp. 250-256.
17. Barreto, P. La hipotesis del evento Tupana. El Super-Tunguska Prehistorico Sudamericano. Huygens, 77. Agrupacion Astronomica de la Safor, Gandia, 2009, pp. 12-22.
18. Coimbra, F.A. The sky on the rocks: cometaryimages in rock art. Fumdhamentos IX. Proceedings of the Global Rock Art International Congress, Serra da Capivara, Brasil, 2010, Fumdham, Sao Raimundo Nonato. DVD.
19. Iqbal, N., N. Vahia, M. N., Ahmad, A., Masood, T. The prehistoric meteor shower recorded on a Palaeolithic Rock, NRIAG Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics (Egypt), Special Issue, 2010, pp. 469-475.
20. Tokhatyan, K. The Reflection of Ancient Astronomical Knowledge in the Rock Art of Armenia. Archaeoastronomy: a debate between archaeologists and astronomers looking for a common method. International Congress IISL of Archaeoastronomy held in Genoa and Sanremo in 2002, Sanremo (Italy), 2002. (CD)
21. Kiyashko, V.Ya.; Cybrij, V.V.; Cybrij, A.V.; Cybrij T.V.; Zaxarikov, A.P.; Orlenko, A.V.; Ozerov, A.A.; Abakumov, G.N.; Abakumov, T.N. Petroglify u xutora Skel'novskij. [Petroglyphs near the hamlet Skelnovsky]. Rostov-na-Donu: Donskoe arxeologicheskoe obshhestvo, 2010, 112 p.
22. E'neolit SSSR. [Eneolit USSR]. M.: Nauka, 1982, 360 p.
23. Vodolazhskaya, L.; Larenok, V. Arhaeoastronomical analysis of the Levinsadovka sacrificial complex (South Russia). Archaeoastronomy and Ancient Technologies 2013, 1(1), pp. 5-25.
24. Krinov, E.L. Zheleznyj dozhd'. [Iron rain]. M.: Nauka, 1981, 192 p.
25. Afonasin, E.V. Diogen iz Apollonii. Fragmenty i svidetel'stva. [Diogenes of Apollonia. Fragments and evidence]. SChOLH. [FACULTY], 2009, Vol. 3, No 2, pp. 559-611.
26. Gore, V. Creation. Book one, chapter 2, Publisher: Vintage Books, 2002, 592 p.
27. De'vlet, M.A. Drevnie zhilishha narodov Severnoj i Central'noj Azii (po materialam petroglifov) [Ancient dwellings peoples of North and Central Asia (based on petroglyphs)]. Miroponimanie drevnix i tradicionnyx obshhestv Evrazii. [Worldview of ancient and traditional societies of Eurasia]. M.: Institut arxeologii RAN, 2006, pp. 212-238.
28. Friberg, J. A Survey of Publications on Sumero-Akkadian Mathematics, Metrology and Related Matters (1854-1982), Preprint 1982-17, Goteborg: Department of Mathematics, Chalmers University of Technology and University of Goteborg, 1982, p. 64.
29. Munchaev, R.M. Majkopskaya kul'tura. [Maikop culture]. E'poxa bronzy Kavkaza i Srednej Azii. Rannyaya i srednyaya bronza Kavkaza. [Bronze Age Caucasus and Central Asia. Early and medium bronze Caucasus]. M.: Nauka, 1994, 382 p.
30. Fizicheskaya geografiya Nizhnego Dona. [Physical Geography of the Lower Don]. Rostov-na-Donu: Izdatel'stvo Rostovskogo Universiteta, 1971, 149 p.
