Possibilities of digital technologies in the studies of deer stones (case study of two ancient statues from the State Hermitage Museum)

This paper is the first to publish the most complete information on two deer stones put on display at the State Hermitage Museum (Saint-Petersburg, Russia). These statues originate from Tyva and date from the early Scythian period. They are a vital source for studying the culture of ancient nomads in Inner Asia. The paper describes the history of discovery and acquisition of the deer stones by the museum and also contains references to the early publications and display at exhibitions. Modern documenting was performed for their detail study. At first, 3D models were prepared using photogrammetry and graphical drawings of the images were then made based on the digital technologies developed. The results obtained made it possible to prepare detailed descriptions and identify multiple characteristics of reflected real items. This extensive information provides an opportunity to interpret the images of ancient warriors as well as perform comparative analysis using other similar finds. It is planned to prepare an online catalogue of Tyva deer stones using the procedure developed.