A 3D copy of the altar joined the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts

The head of the international Turkmen-Russian archaeological expedition, N.F.Solovyeva, donated to the Museum of Fine Arts of Turkmenistan a 3D copy of a ceramic altar, more than 4 millennia old. This artifact was discovered during the excavations of Parhay-depe ancient settlement located on the territory of Balkan velayat in the 80s of the XX century.

In those Turkmenistan and Russia were one state at that time, so everything discovered by the archaeological expeditions was exported to research and development centers in Turkmenistan and Russia. archaeological expeditions were exported to scientific research institutes in Moscow, St. Petersburg (Leningrad). Institutes in Moscow and St. Petersburg (Leningrad), because they were the ones which financed excavations on Soviet territory. In the future it so it happened that all artifacts discovered on the territory of Turkmenistan legally went abroad although they never actually moved anywhere. At At this moment the legislation does not allow for returning the objects to the countries where they were found. At the moment the legislation does not allow for the objects to be returned to the country of origin - the legal mechanism of their return is still being developed. is still being developed. However, modern technologies such as 3D modeling. And the gift of the delegation from St. Petersburg is a vivid example of this. The altar, created in the Bronze Age, has got its 3D-copy, which can be legally exported outside Russia. Legally can be exported outside Russia. The copy repeats the original even in the smallest the smallest details. The only difference is the weight, the original product much heavier.

According to N.F. Solovyeva, the most expressive altar from the two dozen similar artifacts found during excavations of the Bronze Age burial grounds (Parhay I and II) was chosen to make a gift copy. There are four legs on the edges of the tank, as well as cups on the walls and very plausibly made sculptural images of animal heads. Most likely, it was used as an altar altar for rituals on the eve of the beginning of agricultural work. It was supposed to "beg" for a good harvest. Although this is only one guess about the purpose of this artifact.

Source: turkmenistan.gov.tm