Abstract

This article presents and analyzes non-funeral objects of worship, which were found throughout the area of spreading of the complex of Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni cultures. The spiritual aspect of life of these communities is well defi ned by places of worship (some parts of the “ashpits” and dwellings, ritual pits) and by the presence of votive objects made of clay, stone, bone and bronze (anthropomorphic and zoomorphic representations, small balls, miniature vessels and rollers, buttons, pendants, etc.) in the settlements. The present study aims to identify features of the Noua-Sabatinovka-Coslogeni communities’ spiritual life not related to burial rites based on archaeological data obtained as a result of excavations in the settlements throughout the spread of this complex of cultures.

List of illustrations: Fig. 1. Anthropomorphic representations: 1, 2 - Popeni (after Diaconu 2008, fi g. 2/1, 6); 3 - Trușești (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 154/1); 4 - Ibănești (after Diaconu 2008, fi g. 2/7); 5-7 - Novokievka (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 36/1, 9, 10); 8, 9 - Cobîlea (after Sava 2005, Abb. 11/1, 2); 10, 11 - Nicoleni (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 95/2, 3); 12 - Mologa (after Агульников, Малюкевичь 2010, рис. 4/5). 1-3 - bone; 4 - stone; 5-12 - baked clay. 1-4, 10-11 - without scale. Fig. 2. Zoomorphic representations made of baked clay: 1-4 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1961, рис. 7/1-4); 5, 11, 13 - Novokievka (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 18/4, 5; 36/13); 6 - Hansca (Никулицэ 1981, рис. 7/7); 7 - OdaiaMiciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 91/23 ); 8, 10 - Mereni (after Sava 2002, fi g. 3/1, 2); 9 - Lichitișeni (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 95/1); 12 - Platonești (after Rența 2008, fi g. 13); 14 - Stepovoe (after Шарафутдинова 1985, рис. 134/12). 9, 12, 14 - without scale. Fig. 3. Miniature rollers: 1, 3 - Novokievka (after Gerškovic 1999, Taf. 38/5, 6); 2 - Simionești (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 97/2); 4 - Suruceni (after Никулицэ 1979, рис. 8); 5 - Nisporeni. Discs: 7-9 - Gârbovăț (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 96/11; 97/12, 13); 10 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 91/19); 11 - Cobîlea (after Левицкий 1988, рис. 17/4); 12 - Novokievka (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 18/2). Miniature vessels: 6 - Nisporeni; 13 - Olteni (after Buzea 2003, foto 159); 14, 16, 18 - Ostrivec (after Балагурi 1968, рис. 5/14, 21, 22); 15, 17 - Cobîlea (after Levitsckii, Sava 1993, des. 11/7; 13/9). 13-18 - without scale. Fig. 4. Objects of baked clay: 1-3, 13 - Petrușeni (after Левицкий 1985, рис. 15/19, 16/1, 3, 6); 4, 5 - Mahala (after Смирнова 1972, рис. 5/14, 15); 6 - Cobîlea (after Левицкий 1988, рис. 24/2); 7 - Giurcani (after Rotaru 1983, fi g. 6/6); 8 - Căușeni (after Левинский 1986, рис. 8/5); 9, 15, 16 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 91/1, 3, 5); 11, 12, 14 - Novokievka (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 18/1; 37/8; 38/2); 10 - Mologa (after Агульников, Малюкевичь 2010, рис. 4/6). Fig. 5. Bone buttons: 1 - Bărboasa (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 153/4); 2 - Cavadinești (Florecu 1991, fi g. 153/8); 3, 4 - Gârbovăț (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 153/3, 7); 5 - Andrieșeni (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 153/1); 6 - SloboziaŞireuți. Bone pendants: 7 - Zlatopol’ (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 10/4); 8 - Slobozia-Şireuți; 9 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1961, рис. 9/4); 10 - Novoselica (after Тощев, Черняков 1986, рис. 6/7); 11 - Petrușeni (after Levitsckii, Sava 1993, des. 3/11); 12 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 84/14). Pendants made of animal teeth: 13 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1961, рис. 11/6); 14-16 - Gîrbovăț (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 155/2, 5, 11); 17 - Cavadinești (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 155/10). Bronze pendants: 18 - Ostrivec (after Балагурi 1968, рис. 3/8); 19 - Mahala (after Смирнова 1968, рис. 7/I 21); 20, 26 - Ulmi-Liteni (after Diaconu 2012, fi g. 1/1, 11); 21 - Mălăiești (after Diaconu 2012, fi g. 2/3); 22, 25 - Ghindești (after Dergacev 2012, fi g. 8/23, 24); 23 - Belcești (after Diaconu 2012, fi g. 1/12); 24 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 72/26). 1-5, 10, 14-19 - without scale. Fig. 6. Oval stone objects: 1, 5, 6 - Čikalovka (after Шарафутдiнова 1964, рис. 7/2-6); 2 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1961, рис. 11/5); 3 - Odaia-Miciurin (after Сава, Кайзер 2011, рис. 87/10); 4 - Novokievka (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 35/9). Scepters: 7, 9 - Chiperceni (after Савва 1987, рис. 2/9; 3/9); 8 - Ghindești (after Мелюкова 1961, рис. 11/12); 10 - Čikalovka (after Шарафутдiнова 1964, рис. 7/1); 11 - Petreni (after Савва 1987, рис. 2/4); 12 - Voinești (after Florescu 1991, fi g. 158/6). Stone discs: 13 - Slobozia-Şireuți; 14 - Cuconești. Mortar: 15 - Basarabeasca (after Сава 1987, рис. 2/24). Fig. 7. Cobîlea. Human mandible found in the “ashpit” no. 1: 1 - drawing (after Levitsckii, Sava 1993, des. 11/9); 2, 3 - photos. Fig. 8. Tomai. Plan and section of the “ashpit” (after Щербакова 1984, табл. V). Fig. 9. Samurza. General plan of the excavation no. 1 (after Агульников 1984, рис. 2). Fig. 10. Căușeni: 1 - votive deposit of clay objects (after Левинский 1986, рис. 10/1 ); 2 - ritual pit? (after Левинский 1986, рис. 10/2). Fig. 11. Mologa: 32 - plan and section of the pit no. 21, 1-31 – fi ndings from the pit no. 21 (after Агульников, Малюкевичь 2010, рис. 2-4). Fig. 12. Novokievka. Dwelling no. 2. Votive objects of baked clay (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 18). Fig. 13. Novokievka. Dwelling no. 6, pit no. 1: 1 - plan and section of the pit no. 1; 2-12 - fi ndings from the pit no. 1 (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 37). Fig. 14. Čikalovka. Votive objects of baked clay found within the dwelling no. 3 (after Шарафутдiнова 1964, рис. 6/12-15). Fig. 15. Usovo-Ozero. Timber grave culture. Dwelling no. 5. Votive objects of baked clay (after Березанская 1990, рис. 23/2). Fig. 16. Novokievka. Votive objects found in the pits outside dwellings: 1-7, 9-13 - pit no. 18; 8 - pit no. 17 (after Gerškovič 1999, Taf. 36).