Iconography

This paper proposes a distinct “Bee Shaman” ritual identity traceable from the Zarzian world of Shanidar Cave and Zawi Chemi through Körtik Tepe, Göbekli Tepe, the northern Levant, and into the later symbolic foundations of early Egyptian sacred kingship. The study argues that this lineage was characterized by extreme hocker burials, chlorite bee-motif iconography, red ochre funerary practice, specialized ritual objects, altered-state initiation, and the manufacture or ritual use of Shaman Phalli.

The argument begins at Körtik Tepe, where bee/insect imagery, elite burial practice, chlorite vessels and plaquettes, and red ochre funerary treatment suggest the emergence of a guarded ritual office. It then follows this symbolic grammar into Göbekli Tepe’s Enclosure D, where bee and insect motifs are interpreted within a broader initiation sequence involving red ochre, deprivation, altered states of consciousness, Deneb alignment, the Vulva Stone, the Shaman Phallus, and the Hieros Gamos.

The paper does not claim direct proof of an unbroken Bee Shaman priesthood into Egypt. Instead, it argues for ritual-symbolic migration, regional absorption, and later reassembly. In this model, an older Upper Tigris / Anatolian symbolic grammar may have survived collapse and dispersal by entering new cultural and theological forms. In Egypt, this grammar may have been reassembled around Min, Coptos, red honey, red ochre, phallic fertility theology, royal ideology, and the Bee of the Nesu-Bity title.

The study also addresses the unresolved Egyptological problem of the Bee’s sacral authority in early royal titulary. Rather than treating the Bee as a simple geographic emblem of Lower Egypt, this paper proposes that it may preserve the transformed memory of an older ritual grammar rooted in the Neolithic shamanic world of Upper Mesopotamia and southeastern Anatolia.

The millennium of the first Piast coronations in 1025 has generated intense debate in the Polish public sphere, heavily distorted by modern political ideologies. Right-wing discourses often frame the event as a localized struggle for state sovereignty, while liberal narratives romanticize it as an early milestone of European integration. 

This paper rejects these anachronistic frameworks to reconstruct how the liturgical act of crowning was genuinely understood within eleventh-century Ottonian and Salian cultural horizons. By cross-examining narrative treatises, visual iconography, and early medieval liturgical instructions ("ordines coronandi"), the study demonstrates that the crown was not viewed as a mere symbol of secular jurisdiction. Instead, it functioned as a sacramental sign deeply embedded in a mystical worldview.

Consequently, the paper re-evaluates the fierce condemnation of Bolesław Chrobry’s and Mieszko II’s 1025 elevations found in imperial sources. The study concludes that the outrage of narratives from the Empire did not stem from a simple violation of geopolitical hierarchy. Rather, the Piast rulers utilized the efficacy of the ritual to claim the cosmic status of the anointed king, fundamentally elevating their position within both the earthly and divine orders.

A remarkable group of sacred images, largely ignored by historians, garnered considerable attention between the late medieval and the early modern period: Christian representations apparently produced by nature. This article presents the first comprehensive overview of these objects, examining their embedding in European religious, scientific, and visual culture. Rather than evidence a linear epistemic trajectory, it reveals the plurality and contradictions of the historical interpretations of these images, and explores the challenges posed by their being positioned on a continuum between divine miracles, natural productions, and human artworks.

Состав редакционной коллегии журнала: Баранова С. И., д-р ист. наук (главный редактор) Авдеева В. В., канд. искусствоведения, доц., зав. кафедрой истории искусств и музееведения Уральского федерального университета им. Первого президента России Б. Н. Ельцина Андреева Е. А., канд. ист. наук, ст. науч. сотр. отдела «Дворец Меншикова» Государственного Эрмитажа Беляевская О. Н., канд. геол.-минерал. наук, ст. науч. сотр. «Лаборатории химических технологий реставрационных процессов» ГОСНИИР Воронова А. А., канд. искусствоведения, зав. кафедрой истории и теории христианского искусства, зам. декана по научной работе факультета церковных художеств Православного Свято-Тихоновского университета Горшкова В. В., канд. ист. наук, зав. отделом древнерусской живописи Ярославского художественного музея Ёлкина И. И., канд. ист. наук, ст. науч. сотр. отдела археологии Московской Руси Института археологии РАН Колотаев В. А., д-р искусствоведения, д-р филол. наук, доц., зав. кафедрой кино и современного искусства, декан факультета истории искусства РГГУ (зам. главного редактора, ответственный за выпуск) Манукян А. М., канд. искусствоведения, науч. сотр. благотворительного фонда «Частный музей русской иконы» Марков А. В., д-р филол. наук, доц., проф. кафедры кино и современного искусства факультета истории искусства РГГУ Опарина Т. А., канд. ист. наук, проф. кафедры всеобщей истории искусств, врио зам. ректора Российской академии живописи, ваяния и зодчества Ильи Глазунова Реунов Ю. С., канд. искусствоведения, доц. кафедры музеологии факультета истории искусства РГГУ (ответственный за выпуск) Румянцева О. С., канд. ист. наук, ст. науч. сотр. отдела археологии эпохи Великого переселения народов и раннего Средневековья Института археологии РАН Самойлова Е. А., художник-реставратор керамики и стекла высшей категории, зав. мастерской реставрации керамики Государственного исторического музея Цыркун Н. А., д-р искусствоведения, гл. науч. сотр. кафедры кино и современного искусства факультета истории искусства РГГУ Штейн С. Ю., канд. искусствоведения, доц., доц. кафедры кино и современного искусства факультета истории искусства РГГУ Состав редакционного совета журнала: Беляев Л. А., д-р ист. наук, член-корр. РАН, зав. отделом археологии Московской Руси Института археологии РАН (председатель Совета) Баталов А. Л., д-р искусствоведения, проф., акад. РАХ, зам. директора по научной работе Государственных музеев Московского Кремля Бобринская Е. А., д-р искусствоведения, зав. сектором русского искусства Нового и Новейшего времени ГИИ Полякова Е. А., д-р ист. наук, доцент, проректор по научной работе и международным связям Алтайского государственного института культуры Ситдиков А. Г., д-р ист. наук, проф., директор Института археологии Академии наук Республики Татарстан Стерлигова И. А., канд. искусствоведения, вед. науч. сотр. Государственных музеев Московского Кремля, ст. науч. сотр. ГИИ Трощинская А. В., д-р искусствоведения, проф., главный хранитель Музея декоративноприкладного и промышленного искусства Российского государственного художественнопромышленного университета им. C. Г. Строганова Хромов О. Р., д-р искусствоведения, проф., акад. РАХ, проф. кафедры истории и теории церковного искусства Московской духовной академии Чернецов А. В., д-р ист. наук, проф., гл. науч. сотр. отдела средневековой археологии Института археологии РАН Шелягина О. Н., д-р ист. наук, вед. науч. сотр. сектора истории общественно-политического развития Института истории СО РАН Юхименко Е. М., д-р филол. наук, гл. науч. сотр. Отдела рукописей и старопечатных книг Государственного исторического музея Яценко С. А., д-р ист. наук, проф. кафедры истории и теории культуры РГГУ ПОДЛИННИК. Вопросы атрибуции и реставрации 2026 | 1

Fibulalar, Antik Çağ'da insanların giyim kuşamlarında kullandıkları günlük yaşamın vazgeçilmez süs ve prestij unsuru olan objelerdir. Fibulaların en eski örnekleri Geç Bronz Çağı sonunda, Güneydoğu Avrupa'da üretilmiştir. Anadolu'da fibula kullanımı Demir Çağı'nda Frigler tarafından yaygınlaştırılmış; Roma Dönemi'nde Akdeniz ve yakınındaki coğrafyaya yayılmıştır. Başlangıçta günlük ihtiyaçlar için üretilen fibulaların işlevleri zamanla çeşitlenmiştir. Süs gereçleri, kült objesi, ölü hediyesi olarak kullanılan fibulalar, Roma Dönemi'nde meslek ve statü sembolü objelere dönüşmüştür. Bu makalenin konusunu Hierapolis Arkeoloji Müzesi envanterine kayıtlı on beş fibula oluşturmaktadır. Eserler müzeye satın alma yoluyla ulaşmıştır. Çalışmada Frig tipi on dört fibula ile birlikte Teselya ve Adalar tipi olarak değerlendirilen bir fibulanın özellikleri açıklanmış, sınıflandırmaları yapılmıştır. Eserler, benzerleri ile karşılaştırıla rak ait oldukları tipler hakkında bilgiler verilmiştir. On beş fibula, MÖ 8 7. yüzyıllara tarihlendirilmiştir. Müze envanter kayıtlarında yedi adet fibulanın Denizli'nin Çivril İlçesi'nde ele geçtiği belirtilmektedir. Çivril kökenli fibulaların işlevleri ile Frig Krallığı'nın güney ve güneybatı sınırları konusunda değerlendirmeler yapılmıştır.

Este artículo presenta dos yacimientos de petroglifos inéditos de Malagón (La Mancha, interior de la Península Ibérica) como casos de estudio sobre la reutilización cultural a largo plazo y la reinterpretación del arte rupestre prehistórico. Mediante un enfoque diacrónico-biográfico que combina fuentes arqueológicas, históricas y etnográficas, nuestra investigación ha identificado varias fases gráficas que abarcan desde la Prehistoria tardía hasta el siglo XIX. Entre ellas se incluyen cazoletas, motivos esquemáticos, inscripciones, iconografía cristiana e imaginería moderna. Además, las entrevistas con los lugareños indican que estos yacimientos han seguido utilizándose hasta la actualidad. En consecuencia, ambos yacimientos representan un escenario ideal para explorar cómo diferentes comunidades humanas han interactuado de forma persistente con estos lugares a lo largo de milenios, atribuyéndoles nuevos significados alineados con las cambiantes cosmovisiones. Así, en lugar de concebir los yacimientos arqueológicos como reliquias estáticas, el estudio hace hincapié en su papel dinámico en la construcción de la memoria y la identidad colectivas. En última instancia, todo ello respalda la idea de que integrar los conocimientos tradicionales en la interpretación arqueológica puede dar lugar a un enfoque más inclusivo y con base social para la preservación del patrimonio. //
This paper presents two unpublished petroglyph sites from Malagón (La Mancha, inner Iberia) as case studies in the long-term cultural reuse and reinterpretation of prehistoric rock art. Through a diachronic-biographical approach that combines archaeological, historical, and ethnographic sources, our research has identified several graphic phases spanning from Late Prehistory to the 19th century. These include cup-marks, schematic motifs, inscriptions, Christian iconography, and modern imagery. Moreover, interviews with locals indicate that these sites have remained in use through to the present day. Consequently, both sites represent an ideal scenario to explore how different human communities have persistently engaged with these sites throughout millennia, attributing new meanings aligned with changing worldviews. Thus, rather than conceiving archaeological sites as static relics, the study emphasizes their dynamic role in the construction of collective memory and identity. Ultimately, all this supports the notion that integrating traditional knowledge into archaeological interpretation can result in a more inclusive and socially grounded approach to heritage preservation.

En el presente texto se aborda el estudio de las huellas de la toponimia fenopúnica de la Hispania antigua prerromana, abarcando tanto el periodo fenicio arcaico de expansión colonial como la época de dominio y apogeo púnico-cartaginés a partir de la mitad del siglo VI a. C. La mayoría de los topónimos conocidos por las fuentes escritas, con algunas excepciones, se han conservado en la geografía española hasta nuestros días. Algunos casos son nombres indígenas o autóctonos lingüísticamente fenopunizados; otros responden a fundaciones coloniales ex novo de nítidas etimologías semitas. No se dejan de señalar, por otra parte, las varias teorías existentes, antiguas y recientes, que atribuyen a la lengua fenicia el origen y formación del corónimo Hispania. Y finalmente se recogen otras atribuciones que plantean nuevas hipótesis de filiación etimológica fenicia para relevantes topónimos meridionales españoles.

Adam and Eve are two important figures in many religious traditions. Their story is often used in religious imagery to show ideas about creation, temptation, and the beginning of human life. This essay aims to explore how Adam and Eve appear in religious art and texts, and what their story means for people today. The objectives are to explain the main points of their story, examine how artists and writers use their images, and consider the effects of these images on believers. Many books and articles discuss Adam and Eve. Most focus on the story from the Book of Genesis, where Adam and Eve live in the Garden of Eden. They eat fruit from the forbidden tree, which leads to their fall from grace. In paintings and sculptures, Adam and Eve are shown with the tree, the serpent, and sometimes angels. Writers use their story to talk about sin, forgiveness, and hope. The literature shows that their images change over time and across cultures. The methodology for this essay is simple. It looks at religious texts, famous works of art, and scholarly articles. The essay compares different ways Adam and Eve are shown and asks how these images help people understand religious ideas. It also looks at how the story is used in sermons and lessons. The results show that Adam and Eve appear in many forms. Their story is used to teach lessons about choice and responsibility. Artists often use symbols like the apple and the serpent to make the story easy to understand. Writers and teachers use their story to explain why people sometimes make mistakes and how they can learn from them. The outcome is that Adam and Eve’s story stays important in religious imagery. Their images help people think about their own lives and choices. The relevance of this study is clear. By seeing Adam and Eve in art and texts, people learn about faith, consequences, and hope. Their story continues to inspire and teach people in many cultures.

This contribution examines mining or quarrying and related ore processing sites for which multidisciplinary data collected over the past 25 years is available. Applied to all phases of the production process, the cross-disciplinary approach and systematic comparison of historical, technological, stratigraphic (at both site and landscape level), ore deposit, mineralogical and material science data, as well as the history of architecture, have led to significant and sometimes innovative results; namely:
– to identify and/or adjust chrono-functional networks among ore deposits, processing sites and techniques;
– to recognise local mining enterprises, with a composite activity in terms of exploited géoressources, relationship with political power, access to broader foreign markets by means of external capitals;
– to delineate the transition from direct to indirect iron ore reduction between the late 13th and the early 15th century.
There are also several innovations from materials science perspective:
– identification of different ore waste limits depending on age;
– recognition of mining-metallurgical activities in pedological profiles even without anthropogenic materials;
– differentiation in reworked layers between stones thermo-altered at high temperature (medieval reduction furnace) or at low temperature (modern roasting furnace);
– discrimination between process/product metallurgy by means of X-ray diffractometric analysis applied to ferruginous dusts;
– recognition of technological, environmental or political-economic constraints in the use of different wood types for charcoal.
The geographical distribution of mining, quarrying and metallurgical sites ranges from the Saluzzo valleys to those of Susa and Lanzo, as well as the Biella-Vercelli region, involving various political subjects, in connection with the fragmentation of the medieval territory (fig. 1-2).
The sought-after minerals were mainly mixed sulphides containing silver, in addition to iron oxides and hydroxides. The quarries produced soapstone and freestone (fig. 3-4).
The exploitation methods were varied, conditioned by high altitude (climate), discontinuous nature and size of the deposits. The development of both open-pit and underground workings, of varying extent, was conditioned by the nature and shape of the deposits, which were heterogeneous and difficult to access.  Sometimes the structure and extension of the medieval excavations are only partially known, obliterated by the later ones.