The bird-woman, the birthing woman and the woman of the animals : a consideration of the female image in petroglyphs of Ancient Central Asia - article ; n°1 ; vol.52, pg 37-59

Esther Jacobson

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Arts asiatiques - Année 1997 - Volume 52 - Numéro 1 - Pages 37-59
Dans les traditions artistiques de la Sibérie du Sud et du nord de l'Asie Centrale, d'importantes images de figures féminines ne disparurent pas au paléolithique. Au contraire, on peut remonter jusqu'à l'Age de Bronze, et même à la période des premiers nomades (premier millénaire avant Jésus Christ), et trouver des images de femmes qui semblent avoir une signification plus qu'humaine. En utilisant des pétroglyphes de Kalbak-Tash dans la République Altay et de deux des principaux sites de l'Altay en Mongolie, l'auteur démontre l'apparition constante de trois formes primaires d'imagerie de la femme : la femme avec des caractéristiques d'oiseau (femme-oiseau), la femme génitrice, et une autre image que l'on pourrait appeler la femme des animaux. D'apparition fréquente et, à l'occasion, impressionnantes par leur présentation et leur taille, ces images reprennent une association archaïque, mais persistante, de la figure de la femme au bétail et au daim ; elles nous forcent à nous demander pourquoi de telles images ont jusqu'ici reçu si peu d'attention dans le recensement et les études des pétroglyphes eurasiens.
Within the artistic traditions of South Siberia and northern Central Asia, significant representations of female figures did not disappear with the Paleolithic period. Rather, images of females who appear to have a more-than-human signification can be traced down through the Bronze Age and perhaps even into the period of the Early Nomads (first millennium B.C.E.). Using petroglyphs from Kalbak-Tash in the Altay Republic and from two major new sites in the Mongolian Altay, the author demonstrates the continued appearance of three primary forms of female imagery: that of a woman with bird characteristics (bird-woman), that of the birthing woman, and another which might be called a woman of the animals. Frequent in appearance and occasionally impressive in presentation and size, these images reaffirm an archaic but persistent association of the female figure with cattle and with deer; they force one to ask why such images have hitherto received so little attention in the recording and study of Eurasian petroglyphs.
23 pages
Source : Persée ; Ministère de la jeunesse, de l’éducation nationale et de la recherche, Direction de l’enseignement supérieur, Sous-direction des bibliothèques et de la documentation.

Sujets

• Sciences et techniques

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• Publié par: Arts-asiatiques
• Publié le: 01 janvier 1997
• Nombre de lectures: 37
• Langue: Français
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 2 Mo

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Esther Jacobson
The "bird-woman", the "birthing woman" and the "woman of the
animals" : a consideration of the female image in petroglyphs of
Ancient Central Asia
In: Arts asiatiques. Tome 52, 1997. pp. 37-59.
Citer ce document / Cite this document :
Jacobson Esther. The "bird-woman", the "birthing woman" and the "woman of the animals" : a consideration of the female image
in petroglyphs of Ancient Central Asia. In: Arts asiatiques. Tome 52, 1997. pp. 37-59.
http://www.persee.fr/web/revues/home/prescript/article/arasi_0004-3958_1997_num_52_1_1400Résumé
Dans les traditions artistiques de la Sibérie du Sud et du nord de l'Asie Centrale, d'importantes images
de figures féminines ne disparurent pas au paléolithique. Au contraire, on peut remonter jusqu'à l'Age
de Bronze, et même à la période des premiers nomades (premier millénaire avant Jésus Christ), et
trouver des images de femmes qui semblent avoir une signification "plus qu'humaine". En utilisant des
pétroglyphes de Kalbak-Tash dans la République Altay et de deux des principaux sites de l'Altay en
Mongolie, l'auteur démontre l'apparition constante de trois formes primaires d'imagerie de la femme : la
femme avec des caractéristiques d'oiseau ("femme-oiseau"), la "femme génitrice", et une autre image
que l'on pourrait appeler "la femme des animaux". D'apparition fréquente et, à l'occasion,
impressionnantes par leur présentation et leur taille, ces images reprennent une association archaïque,
mais persistante, de la figure de la femme au bétail et au daim ; elles nous forcent à nous demander
pourquoi de telles images ont jusqu'ici reçu si peu d'attention dans le recensement et les études des
pétroglyphes eurasiens.
Abstract
Within the artistic traditions of South Siberia and northern Central Asia, significant representations of
female figures did not disappear with the Paleolithic period. Rather, images of females who appear to
have a "more-than-human" signification can be traced down through the Bronze Age and perhaps even
into the period of the Early Nomads (first millennium B.C.E.). Using petroglyphs from Kalbak-Tash in the
Altay Republic and from two major new sites in the Mongolian Altay, the author demonstrates the
continued appearance of three primary forms of female imagery: that of a woman with bird
characteristics ("bird-woman"), that of the "birthing woman", and another which might be called a
"woman of the animals". Frequent in appearance and occasionally impressive in presentation and size,
these images reaffirm an archaic but persistent association of the female figure with cattle and with
deer; they force one to ask why such images have hitherto received so little attention in the recording
and study of Eurasian petroglyphs.woman,' Esther Jacobson
The 'bird Uni\ersity of Oregon Department of Art History
School of Architecture and Allied Arts the 'birthing Eugene, OR 97403, USA
and the 'woman of the animals':
a consideration of the female image
in petroglyphs
of ancient Central Asia
considered too lacking in interest to be recorded by resear
chers working in the field. The clumsy frontal figures, many
A with legs drawn up as if in childbirth, others characterized by
a graceless and static frontality, may have simply been set
aside in the process of copying thousands of images in various
states of disintegration.5 Their ungainly forms appear to resist
the attribution of artistic value and to thwart a rigorous dating
breasts, sign clan Siberia world, emerged ancient decades head woman's drawn of origins, and full-bodied become, an Near on pubic ago descendants.2 a archaic arms, traditions from northern Siberian virtual fertility, East and region, in she India. belief and our female accelerating industry Central Paleolithic has death, and Egypt, supported century, system For By been figure-a thighs, contrast, the and Asia,3 from in centered a understood most the art. in renewal.1 distinctive and by the unsupported quintessential recent study the written part, Frontal, European with around artistic these small, Beginning as of years, sign texts a the with concerns by pre-Christian fundamental of studies traditions inarticulate Venus-has Paleolithic contempothere European from enlarged several have with has the of by style.
In the following pages, I will use petroglyphic imagery from
the Altay Mountains of Central Asia6 to argue that the image of
several significant and probably related female types emerged
well before the period referred to as Bronze Age: that is, ear
lier than representations of social organization and pastora-
lism. These types continued into a much later date, across the
raneously recorded texts, present a blank wall for one who second and well into the first millennia b.c.k. Their character
would try to understand the evolution of the female image and quality indicate the persistence of a significant female el
through the Neolithic period, the Bronze Age, and into the ement within the native belief systems of cultures spanning
early Iron Age. It is true, of course, that little relevant material approximately 2000-3000 years. On the basis, also, of mater
in three-dimensional sculptural form survives from those per ials gathered in recent field seasons and hitherto unpublishe
iods and that vast region.4 Our primary representational d,7 I will propose that the female image was actually far more
sculptural traditions from the two thousand years of the late significant a part of Bronze and early Iron Age art than
pre-Bronze, Bronze, and early Iron Ages are petroglyphs; that published studies to date would lead us to believe. It is possible
is, images carved on stone. Rendered on thousands of surfaces to propose that 'she' was associated with ideas and signs of
comprising hundreds of thousands of representations, these regeneration, such as birds, feathers, and birth; and with wild
images would appear to offer an extraordinary archive for one deer and cattle and with the success of the hunt. I will argue
who would trace the transformation of the Siberian image of that these female figures may be dated provisionally by a
the woman since the Paleolithic period. But where one would consideration of the images which surround or overlay them;
expect a wealth of material one finds only silence: to judge they, in turn, radically amplify our understanding of contem
from the many studies of Siberian and northern Central Asian porary cultural impulses. I will also propose that the relative
petroglyphs, the image of the woman essentially disappeared paucity of female imagery in existing documentation may have
after the Paleolithic period, her place taken by hunters and less to say about actuality and more about perception: it may
warriors, by herdsmen, and by horned or masked images so indicate a lack of attention by those who have undertaken the
often referred to as 'shamans.' Lonely exceptions are the occa study of Central Asian and South Siberian petroglyphs and a
sional representations of women said to be in the act of child lack of interest in what frequently appears to be primitive
birth ('birthing women') or women as part of what is euphem rather than heroic, a static sign rather than a vital figure.
istically referred to as an 'erotic pair.' The petroglyphic site of Kalbak Tash I is relatively small
but it includes some of the oldest and most interesting carved Perhaps relevant imagery has simply disappeared, the
inadvertant victim of time and the seasons. But there also images to be found in the Altay Republic.8 Among these the
remains the possibility that the images of women have been most striking are representations of large, frontal women.9
Arts Asiatiques, tome 52-1997 37 either tapered downward or reduced to one or a few lines13;
there is no indication of the pubic region; and although the
'skirt' is striped, as if feathered, there is no feathering on the
body. On the other hand, the small triangular heads, the raised
arms and hands, and the determined frontality of the images
indicate a probable identity of reference with the Kalbak-Tash
female images.
In the course of our field work on the complex Tsagaan
Salaa and Baga Oigor (hereafter: TS/BO), in Mongolia's north
west Bayan Olgiy aimag, we have documented at least two
other images which may well be analogous to the Kalbak-Tash
bird-women.14 One of these images, at BO II, is rendered in a
worn and shallow-pecked silhouette (fig. 10). She is frontal and
large in body, as if wearing a full dress; her arms are raised on
either side of her small head. This figure lacks the particular
treatment of the pubic region and the avian characteristics of
the Kalbak-Tash images; but the muted character of her car
ving and her unusual form are suggestive of a reference that
30 cm
' and maral. Horizontal surface, Fig. 1. Images of 'bird-women,
section II. Kalbak Tash I. (From Kubarev and Jacobson, 1996: fig. 196).
Fig. 1. Images de 'femmes-oiseaux' et maral. Surface horizontale,
section II. Kalbak-Tash I. (D'après Kubarev et Jacobson