Monumental wooden statues from the Ust-Voikary fortified settlement, Northwestern Siberia: a multidisciplinary analysis

This article presents the results of a comprehensive study of two unusual large wooden statues with anthropomorphic faces. They were excavated from the Ust-Voikary stratified site, in southwestern Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. The site dwellers were native Siberians (Ugro-Samoyeds), who lived there from the Middle Ages to the recent centuries. This is one of the few sites in the region with frozen habitation deposits. The statues are unique in terms of attribution, size, preservation, and integrity of archaeological context. They were part of dwellings, being situated at the foundations of walls near the entrance. Their faces are modeled in bas-relief. Iconographically, they conform to the Ob Ugrian sculptural tradition. The analysis of the architectural context of the location of statues and certain details suggests a secondary use. Initially, they might have belonged to the frame supporting the roof. The statues are made of Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.). The dendrochronological analysis allowed us to estimate the date when the trees were felled-late 17th century. The retrospective analysis of data on ritual art of the northern Khanty and Mansi suggests an interpretation of the Voikary statues by analogy with wooden sculptures representing Menkvs-the forest spirits. Thus, their ritual role was mostly to protect the home.