Carved Bone Figure

Already old when the age of bronze came around, this little carved bone figurine is a holy relic resembling a big rotound woman figure holding her hands over her chest. It has neatly carved facial features, hair and horns making it resemble a reindeer. The connection to reindeers made some speculate it might be related to the Askars god Firja, a reindeer goddess of herbs and poisons, witchcraft, divination, and talking to the dead.

Significance

It was found in the southwest part of Ukan in a cave, together with some bones. It shows a very big, heavy feminine shape with reindeer horns and head. It has a neutral expression.
The shape hints at a culture older than the arrival of Askars religion in the region, one similar to mother nature cults. Perhaps the worship is of a nature goddess who "birth" the spring every year after winter, but also given that it was placed in what by all means look like a grave site, the figurine may also represent a goddess who also took care of the dead and guided them to the afterlife.

by Hejhyena

Item type

Religious / Ritualistic

Current Location

Ukan

Rarity

There are similar objects but this one is unique in it's level of detail, and of course it is also one of the oldest mother cult objects ever found. It is in remarkable good condition, probably due to the location it was found.

Weight

134 grams

Dimensions

10,5 cm x 6 cm

Base Price

N/A

Raw materials & Components

It is made entirely out of horn. It seems to have been made with a sharp object like stone knife (perhaps flint) or similar.

Tools

A range of tools would be required, most provided by nature. Flint tool kits making is similar to other stone apparatus maker tools, often containing rounded stones created by rivers, rough stones for filing and perhaps a pieve of bark to test it. Often it was all wrapped into a sewn leather bag, as the tools were valuable and you would not want to lose them. People living in the early age of stone would have to move every day to maintain a hunter-gatherer lifestyle, to find food.