Hairstyles of the Early Medieval Sogdiana (by the materials of carved wood from Kafirkala)

Abstract

One of the unique archaeological finds is represented by a charred tree with carved images, found at the set-tlement of Kafirkala in the Samarkand Oblast. It consists of a panel itself and several parts. The panel of a rectan-gular shape (measuring 124×141 cm) is composed of two boards fastened together with iron brackets. On the front of the panel, a composition of 46 human figures arranged in four tiers is carved, whilst more than 20 other characters have been identified on the other parts of the surviving fragmentary wooden elements of the decora-tive design. In the centre of the two upper tiers of the panel, a large figure of a goddess seated on a throne in the form of a lion couchant was placed, which all the other characters are pivoted to. According to researchers, the panel depicts worship of the goddess Nana-Anahita or a gathering of Sogdians to conduct ceremonies. This pa-per is aimed at the study of hairstyles of the characters of the wooden décor of Kafir-kala as indicators of the cul-ture and living of the Sogdian population. The craftsman depicted about ten types of hairstyles which were known in Sogdiana in the Early Middle Ages. Previously, finds related to hair care (scissors, hairpins, comb) were re-corded in the territory of Central Asia, but evidence of the development of this practice from sites and art objects was a rare exception. The analysis of the characters in the composition of the carved wood from Kafirkala showed a variety of hairstyles that existed amongst the population of Sogdiana. The ten types of hairstyles identified origi-nate from ancient cultures of the Hellenistic world of Middle East, Ancient Egypt and Rome. This signifies the peculiar assimilation of different cultures in Sogdiana. At the same time, differences in the haircut styles of the characters of the Kafarkala panel from the hairstyles of the people of the Afrasiab and Penjikent murals of the 7th–8th centuries suggest that they were created relatively earlier. The fact that no long hairstyles, characteristic of the Turkic groups of the 7th–8th centuries, are shown in the Kafirkala panel provides the reason to attribute it to exam-ples of pre-Turkic Sogdian art.