Running Animals Belt

c. 1000 BCE
Overall: 7.6 x 67.6 x 1.2 cm (3 x 26 5/8 x 1/2 in.)
You can copy, modify, and distribute this work, all without asking permission. Learn more about CMA's Open Access Initiative.

Download, Print and Share

Did You Know?

The Scythians arose from nomadic tribes that wandered from the steppes to eastern Europe; the greatest numbers of finds related to them have come from the areas around the Black Sea.

Description

The design is one of running and leaping animals "drawn" with an elegance, vigor, and power reminiscent of those cultures who have lived most closely with wild animals and therefore appreciated them best, such as, for one example, the Neolithic cave painters of Lascaux. The animal figures on the belt are not actually drawn, but are punched with an extremely fine punch tool in very carefully planned lines that actually look as though they are drawn. This was a technique used in about 1000 BC.
Running Animals Belt

Running Animals Belt

c. 1000 BCE

Caucasus, Russia or Turkey, Koban culture

Visually Similar Artworks

Contact us

The information about this object, including provenance, may not be currently accurate. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@clevelandart.org.

To request more information about this object, study images, or bibliography, contact the Ingalls Library Reference Desk.

All images and data available through Open Access can be downloaded for free. For images not available through Open Access, a detail image, or any image with a color bar, request a digital file from Image Services.