"Deer" Image as a Possible Differentiator of Social Groups on the Basis of Saimaly-Tash Petroglyphs

Abstract

The main focus of the paper is the innovative approach toward interpretation of the rock art images, in particular the “deer” image of the Saimaly-Tash monument, Kyrgyzstan. For doing so I adapted different techniques of emic and etic analysis developed by several rock art research schools from North America, South Africa, Australia, Europe and Russia. My research question is based on the hypothesis that semantic meaning of the symbol (“deer”) taken from one historical period (Bronze Age) might have different interpretations as well as purposes in accordance with other symbols that combine the composition. Thereby the semantics of the deer symbol is understood as mythological, shamanistic, commemorative and totemic relying on the detailed analysis of the additional figures in compositions. Such an approach helps not only for petroglyph reading but also for the reconsideration of the ancient societies that populated the area of Saimaly-Tash. In the context of semantic meaning of each composition I hypothesize social belonging of ancient masters. There are five rock art compositions been fully described in the paper, using ethnographic, written, and other applicable sources. The research aims to become a first step in the intensive analysis of the Saimaly-Tash petroglyphs relying not on the quantitative analysis (as it was before) but rather on qualitative one.