Zoomorphic Representations of the Goddess in the Context of Leopard-Lion, Bull-Deer in Ancient Anatolia (Until the End of the 2nd Millennium BCE)

Evin Özgül; Yusuf Kılıç

Makale detayları

Zoomorphic Representations of the Goddess in the Context of Leopard-Lion, Bull-Deer in Ancient Anatolia (Until the End of the 2nd Millennium BCE)

Yazarlar:

Evin Özgül | Yusuf Kılıç

Yayıncı:

Selcuk University

Ana Başlıklar:

Eski Anadolu Tarihi

Dergi:

Selçuk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Issue 53, pp.170-185

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

4/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001316788

pISSN:

2667-4750

Anahtar kelimeler:

Özet:

 The tradition of depicting animals dates back to the Paleolithic era and has persisted through the ages. As part of this cultural continuity, in many societies, either animals were considered sacred or, in some places, worshipped as a sign of a cultural reverence for them. Among the animals worshipped, the leopard, the lion, the bull, and the deer are the most common zoomorphic representations of the goddess. These animals depicted alongside goddesses draw attention to their religious and mythological characteristics. In the Neolithic Age, the spotted fur often attributed to leopards likely signifies a theme related to birth, possibly symbolizing aspects of childbirth. The texts uncovered in Boğazköy imply that the goddesses Tetešhapi and the Sun Goddess were closely associated with leopards. The bull, symbolizing reproduction and fertility, and the deer, believed to have a magical purpose, have been considered sacred beings since the Paleolithic Age. Moreover, the frequent depiction of compositions featuring horned animals as the main theme in Paleolithic cave art heralds the presence of a deep-rooted belief system that continued into subsequent Ages such as the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, and beyond. Thus, the artistic journey that began with the depiction of the bullcow and deer on cave walls has continued for centuries.

 The tradition of depicting animals dates back to the Paleolithic era and has persisted through the ages. As part of this cultural continuity, in many societies, either animals were considered sacred or, in some places, worshipped as a sign of a cultural reverence for them. Among the animals worshipped, the leopard, the lion, the bull, and the deer are the most common zoomorphic representations of the goddess. These animals depicted alongside goddesses draw attention to their religious and mythological characteristics. In the Neolithic Age, the spotted fur often attributed to leopards likely signifies a theme related to birth, possibly symbolizing aspects of childbirth. The texts uncovered in Boğazköy imply that the goddesses Tetešhapi and the Sun Goddess were closely associated with leopards. The bull, symbolizing reproduction and fertility, and the deer, believed to have a magical purpose, have been considered sacred beings since the Paleolithic Age. Moreover, the frequent depiction of compositions featuring horned animals as the main theme in Paleolithic cave art heralds the presence of a deep-rooted belief system that continued into subsequent Ages such as the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, and beyond. Thus, the artistic journey that began with the depiction of the bullcow and deer on cave walls has continued for centuries.

 The tradition of depicting animals dates back to the Paleolithic era and has persisted through the ages. As part of this cultural continuity, in many societies, either animals were considered sacred or, in some places, worshipped as a sign of a cultural reverence for them. Among the animals worshipped, the leopard, the lion, the bull, and the deer are the most common zoomorphic representations of the goddess. These animals depicted alongside goddesses draw attention to their religious and mythological characteristics. In the Neolithic Age, the spotted fur often attributed to leopards likely signifies a theme related to birth, possibly symbolizing aspects of childbirth. The texts uncovered in Boğazköy imply that the goddesses Tetešhapi and the Sun Goddess were closely associated with leopards. The bull, symbolizing reproduction and fertility, and the deer, believed to have a magical purpose, have been considered sacred beings since the Paleolithic Age. Moreover, the frequent depiction of compositions featuring horned animals as the main theme in Paleolithic cave art heralds the presence of a deep-rooted belief system that continued into subsequent Ages such as the Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, and beyond. Thus, the artistic journey that began with the depiction of the bullcow and deer on cave walls has continued for centuries.

 Çeşitli hayvanları tasvir etme geleneği Paleolitik Çağda başlayıp çağlar boyunca devam etmiştir. Kültürel sürekliliğe işaret eden bu durum çerçevesinde birçok toplumda ya hayvanlar kutsal kabul edilmiş ya da bazı yerlerde onlara tapınılmıştır. Tapınılan hayvanlar arasında özellikle leopar, aslan, boğa ve geyik tanrıçanın zoomorf tasvirleri olarak karşımıza çıkmaktadır. Tanrıçalarla ilişkili olarak betimlenen bu hayvanlar, dinsel ve mitolojik özellikleri ile dikkat çekmektedir. Neolitik Çağda genellikle benekli postu ile betimlenen leopar benekleri muhtemelen doğumla ilgili bir konuya işaret etmektedir. Nitekim Boğazköyde bulunmuş metinlerden leoparın, Tanrıça Teteşhapi ve Güneş Tanrıçası ile yakın ilişki içinde olduğu anlaşılmaktadır. Anadoluda genellikle koruyuculuğu simgeleyen ve sık sık tasvir edilen aslan ise Çatalhöyükten leopar benzeriyle başlayarak tanrıçayla özdeşleşen en güçlü hayvandır. Kedigillerin tanrıça ve kadın ile ilişkilendirilmesi süreklilik arz etmektedir. Öyle ki bu süreklilik siyah kedili cadı geleneğiyle günümüze kadar gelmiştir. Üreme, çoğalmayı sembolize eden boğa ve büyüsel bir amacı olduğu düşünülen geyik de Paleolitik Çağdan itibaren kutsal bir varlık olarak düşünülmektedir. Ayrıca Paleolitik Çağ mağaralarında ana tema olarak işlenen boynuzlu hayvan kompozisyonlarının sık sık resmedilmesi, bundan sonraki çağlarda -Neolitik, Kalkolitik, Tunç Çağı ve devamında- tarih sahnesine yerleşen bir köklü inanışın habercisidir. Dolayısıyla boğainek ve geyiğin mağara duvarlarında başlayan sanatsal serüveni yüzyıllar boyunca devam etmiştir.

Makale detayları

Zoomorphic Representations of the Goddess in the Context of Leopard-Lion, Bull-Deer in Ancient Anatolia (Until the End of the 2nd Millennium BCE)

Yazarlar:

Evin Özgül | Yusuf Kılıç

Yayıncı:

Selcuk University

Ana Başlıklar:

Eski Anadolu Tarihi

Dergi:

Selçuk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Issue 53, pp.170-185

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

4/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001316788

pISSN:

2667-4750

Goddess

Leopard

Lion

Bull

Deer

Depiction

RepresentationTanrıça

Leopar

Aslan

Boğa

Geyik

Tasvir

Sayı

Makale detayları

Yazarlar: Evin Özgül | Yusuf Kılıç

Yayıncı: Selcuk University

Ana Başlıklar: Eski Anadolu Tarihi

Dergi: Selçuk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Issue 53, pp.170-185

Belge Tipi: Makale

Yayın Tarihi: 4/2024

Belge Dili: Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.): 2001316788

pISSN: 2667-4750

Sayı

Yazarlar:

Evin Özgül | Yusuf Kılıç

Yayıncı:

Selcuk University

Ana Başlıklar:

Eski Anadolu Tarihi

Dergi:

Selçuk Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Issue 53, pp.170-185

Belge Tipi:

Makale

Yayın Tarihi:

4/2024

Belge Dili:

Türkçe

Document ID (Org No.):

2001316788

pISSN:

2667-4750