baba, kumir - the ancestor

[oldeuropeanculture]

"Baba" stones are a type of stone statue, an idol. Their meaning and purpose is still debated. It is presumed that they are associated with the cult of the ancestors. These stone images, anthropomorphic stone sculptures, range in height from 1 to 4 m.


The earliest anthropomorphic stelae date to the 4th millennium BC, and are associated with the early Bronze Age Yamna Horizon, in particular with the Kemi Oba culture of the Crimea and adjacent steppe region. The simple, early type of anthropomorphic stelae are also found in the Alpine region of Italy, southern France and Portugal. Examples have also been found in Bulgaria at Plachidol, Vezevero, and Durankulak. The example illustrated above was found at Hamangia-Baia, Romania. The Cimmerians of the early 1st millennium BC left a small number (about ten are known) of distinctive stone stelae. Another four or five "deer stones" dating to the same time are known from the northern Caucasus. From the 7th century BC, Scythian tribes began to dominate the Pontic steppe. They were in turn displaced by the Sarmatians from the 2nd century BC, except in Crimea, where they persisted for a few centuries longer. These peoples left carefully crafted stone stelae, with all features cut in deep relief. The tradition was continued by Slavs and Prussians.


If we look at the iron age baba stones and anthropomorphic crosses, we find thousands of them in the Slavic lands of Central Europe and in old Scythian lands of Eurasia. It seems that the only other place where they are found in Europe is Ireland.


Who were the people who built Scythian Baba stones and anthropomorphic crosses in Ireland? How and when did they arrive there, and how come not a word can be read about them in any modern history of Ireland? The old histories of Ireland are not so silent. The old histories talk about Scythians who came to Ireland from the Caspian sea, but these old histories are ignored by modern historians as "fanciful" and "ridiculous". Maybe it is time to look at the old Irish histories again.


http://oldeuropeanculture.blogspot.ie/2014/05/baba.html

If anyone knows of any other baba stones or anthropomorphic crosses from western Europe (apart from Ireland) please let me know, so that I can update my blog page.

 

[bicicleur 2]

i've read there were such stones near Sion , Switzerland in a Bell Beaker context.

do you know the age of the oldest such stones in Ireland?

i know, stones are not easy to date ..

 

[oldeuropeanculture]

No one knows. Plus they were all moved from their original places so no one knows their original context. But we know Baba stones are restricted to Ulster, while anthropomorphic crosses are found in few places around the country. And when no one knows Celts arrive as an "obvious" makers...Everything in Ireland is Celtic, including Newgrange....

Which makes you ask yourself what is the link between the Celts and Scythians....We know that they did mix in the Balkans. Did they mix in other places? How much? Was there actually difference between them? Did they arrive to Ireland together from south Baltic? Ulster is the only place where we find significant LaTene presence and the only place where we find Scythian baba statues. Coincidence?....Lots of questions....