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Representations of the stag motif in Anatolian material culture of the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BCE
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613948831858688 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Van Wyk, Marlo |
| author2 | Van Dijk-Coombes, Renate M. |
| author_browse | Van Dijk-Coombes, Renate M. Van Wyk, Marlo |
| author_facet | Van Dijk-Coombes, Renate M. Van Wyk, Marlo |
| author_sort | Van Wyk, Marlo |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132330 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | en_ZA |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:15.221Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132330 Representations of the stag motif in Anatolian material culture of the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BCE Van Wyk, Marlo Van Dijk-Coombes, Renate M. Cornelius, Izak Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Ancient Studies. Decorative art -- Turkey -- Bronze Age c.3000-1200 BCE Anatolia -- Culture (Civilization) -- Bronze age c.3000-1200 BCE UCTD Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. Van Wyk, M. 2025. Representations of the Stag Motif in Anatolian Material Culture of the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BCE. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/89107efc-ee56-4463-babc-6adbbe9ad0cc ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The iconography of the stag (Cervidae) was prevalent in Anatolian material culture during the 3rd and 2nd millennia BCE. Recognised by its ornate antlers, the male cervid can be found depicted as a recurrent motif on objects that range from monumental reliefs and bronze standards, to rhyta and cylinder seals. However, despite its prevalence in ancient Anatolian iconography, the stylistic and symbolic value of the stag’s image remains poorly understood due to its underrepresentation in scholarship. Therefore, this study aims to analyse different representations of the Anatolian “stag motif” from an iconographic standpoint, and evaluate its potential symbolic value in the context of 3rd and 2nd millennia material culture. Furthermore, as recent scholarship is taking a more active interest in ancient human-animal relationships, the goal of this thesis was also to shed light on the lesser-known dynamics of human-cervid relationships of ancient Anatolia from an iconographic perspective. Although visual culture does not provide an accurate or precise account of real-life events, it remains an integral piece of evidence that can help us to some degree to reconstruct ancient perceptions of society and the natural environment. Presented in the form of a comprehensive catalogue, this analysis draws upon a range of primary sources from across central and eastern Anatolia (modern-day Tu rkiye) which depict representations of the stag — examples mainly include small objects such as bronze figures and cylinder seals, as well as monumental examples such as orthostats and stelae. This study found that the stag motif was mainly used in religious and hunting scenes, thus indicating that the stag’s symbolic value was multifaceted. For example, from a religious perspective, this analysis shows how the stag’s image was imbedded with apotropaic power during the 3rd millennium. During the 2nd millennium, the stag was closely associated with the Hittite Tutelary God of the Hunt and Countryside. In the context of hunting iconography, there are representations of two hunting methods which were specifically used to hunt stags, namely decoying and coursing. Where these two hunting methods were mostly used by elite members of society, the stag’s image becomes interconnected with ancient Anatolian perspectives of power, skill, intelligence, and identity. This thesis also proposes that the ancient Anatolian perspective of the stag was not only connected to the stag’s gentle character and regenerative abilities, but was greatly revered as a symbol of divine protection throughout the 3rd and 2nd millennia. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ikonografie van die takbok (Cervidae) kom algemeen voor in Anatoliese materie le kultuur gedurende die 3de en 2de millennia v.C. Die hert, uitgeken deur sy sierlike gewei, kan gevind word as ‘n herhalende motief in voorwerpe wat wissel tussen monumentale relie fs en bronsstandaarde, tot ritons en silindersee ls. Alhoewel die takbok sterk voorkom in antieke Anatoliese ikonografie, bly die stilistiese en simboliese betekenis daarvan swak verstaan, grootliks omdat dit onderverteenwoordig is in die akademie. Daarom is die doel van hierdie studie om verskillende uitbeeldings van die Anatoliese “takbokmotief“ vanuit ‘n ikonografiese oogpunt te ontleed en die potensie le simboliese betekenis daarvan in die konteks van 3de en 2de millennia materie le kultuur te ondersoek. Verder, waar die onlangse akademie tans 'n meer aktiewe belangstelling in antieke mens-dier-verhoudings neem, was die doel van hierdie tesis om ook ‘n bydrae te maak tot die minder bekende dinamika van mens-takbok-verhoudings van antieke Anatolie vanuit 'n ikonografiese perspektief. Alhoewel visuele kultuur nie 'n akkurate weergawe van die werklikheid bied nie, kan dit steeds tot 'n mate help om antieke beskouings van die samelewing asook die natuurlike omgewing te rekonstrueer. Hierdie analise, aangebied in die vorm van ‘n omvattende katalogus, maak gebruik van ‘n reeks prime re bronne vanuit Sentraal– en Oos-Anatolie (hedendaagse Turkye) wat uitbeeldings van die hert verteenwoordig — voorbeelde sluit in hoofsaaklik klein voorwerpe soos bronsfigure en silindersee ls, asook monumentale voorbeelde soos ortostate en stelas. Hierdie studie se bevindinge wys hoe die takbokmotief hoofsaaklik in godsdienstige en jagtonele uitgebeeld is. Hierdie tesis het bevind dat die takbokmotief hoofsaaklik in godsdienstige- en jagtonele gebruik is, wat aandui dat die hert se simboliese waarde veelvlakkig was. Byvoorbeeld, vanuit 'n godsdienstige perspektief, toon hierdie analise hoe die takbok se beeld verbind was met apotropaïese krag gedurende die 3de millennium. Gedurende die 2de millennium was die hert geassosieer met die Hetitiese Beskermingsgod van die Jag en Platteland. In die konteks van jag-ikonografie is daar voorstellings van twee jagmetodes wat spesifiek gebruik was om takbokke te jag, naamlik die lok- en koersmetode. Waar hierdie twee jagmetodes meestal deur aristokratiese lede van die samelewing gebruik was, word die takbok se beeld verbind met antieke Anatoliese beskouings van mag, vaardigheid, intelligensie en identiteit. Hierdie tesis argumenteer ook dat die antieke Anatoliese perspektief van die takbok was nie slegs gekoppel was aan die hert se saggeaardheid en hernuwende vermoe ns nie, maar was grootliks beskou as ‘n simbool van goddelike beskerming gedurende die 3de en 2de millennia. Masters 2025-06-04T06:32:28Z 2025-06-04T06:32:28Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132330 en_ZA Stellenbosch University x, 136 pages : illustrations application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Decorative art -- Turkey -- Bronze Age c.3000-1200 BCE Anatolia -- Culture (Civilization) -- Bronze age c.3000-1200 BCE UCTD Van Wyk, Marlo Representations of the stag motif in Anatolian material culture of the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BCE |
| title | Representations of the stag motif in Anatolian material culture of the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BCE |
| title_full | Representations of the stag motif in Anatolian material culture of the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BCE |
| title_fullStr | Representations of the stag motif in Anatolian material culture of the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BCE |
| title_full_unstemmed | Representations of the stag motif in Anatolian material culture of the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BCE |
| title_short | Representations of the stag motif in Anatolian material culture of the 3rd and 2nd Millennia BCE |
| title_sort | representations of the stag motif in anatolian material culture of the 3rd and 2nd millennia bce |
| topic | Decorative art -- Turkey -- Bronze Age c.3000-1200 BCE Anatolia -- Culture (Civilization) -- Bronze age c.3000-1200 BCE UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132330 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vanwykmarlo representationsofthestagmotifinanatolianmaterialcultureofthe3rdand2ndmillenniabce |