On interpretation of symbolic images from early holocene sites in the north of Eastern Europe

The paper discusses the problems related to reconstruction of ideologicalviews of hunters-gatherers who lived in East European forest zone in the Mesolithic andNeolithic. First pieces of primitive art and rock engravings came to light in XIX century.Among them there were some images of symbolic character, probably illustrating somecosmogonical ideas of the ancient people. Since then the data on the Mesolithic art havegrown considerably, mostly due to the materials from the Oleniy Ostrov cemetery, peatbog sites Vis 1, Zamostye 2, Veretye. The author analyses the objects' function, evolutionof most popular subjects and probable relation of mythology with subjects of cosmogonicalcharacter. Conclusion is put forward that some groups of Neolithic population of EastEuropean forest zone developed some ideas on the celestial sphere and cult attitude toheavenly bodies - the Sun and the Moon, and, possibly, to the stars. Information onMesolithic population is not sufficient, yet in this early period of special importance weresuch subjects as Sun elk-deer, water or Sun bird - swan and crane, which in ancientmythologies are related with celestial sphere, the Sun and other heavenly bodies.