Image of wild boar as decoration image in ancient nomads’ rielm of Western Siberia: semantics issue

In the steppe and forest-steppe regions of Western Siberia, the wild boar image is one of the dominant animal motifs in Scythian-Siberian art. The image was used in the decorations of weapons, funerary equipment, clothing, and harnesses; it was likely perceived as a certain symbol by the Early Iron Age nomadic peoples. In the religious and mythological traditions of European cultures, the boar was regarded as both a hoofed animal and a predator. The archaeological context of the artifacts decorated with boar images suggests that the animal was seen either as a chthonic creature or as an intermediary between the Middle World and the Underworld in the religious and mythological aspects; images of this powerful andfierce beast could represent supernatural forces and their inherent qualities. The boar tusks, as elements of horse equipment, pendants, and ornaments, may have served as amulets. Apparently, the sacred connotation of the image led to the use of the animal as a sacrificial beast, not only in funerary rites, but also in other rituals. Boar bones as the remains of funeral or sacrificial offerings were found in burial mounds. Traces of sacrifices have been found at archaeological sites in the region, where animals were offered as sacrifices during construction offortifications, as well as protective sacrifices in case of burial violations. Additionally, the image of the boar on funeral objects could be a status symbol of a society member and associated with certain totemic beliefs.