CAVE — SANCTUARY — MYTH: INTERPRETATION CRITERIA FOR THE UPPER PALEOLITHIC DECORATED CAVES IN THE URALS

Caves with the Upper Paleolithic wall paintings are known in Southern Urals — Kapova (Shulgan-Tash) and Ignatievskaya (Yamazy-Tash). They represent largest karst cavities their areas lots of figurative non-figurative motifs. In many respects, Urals’ decorated caves similar to those Western Europe: terms structural organization space, pictorial assemblages context. The European often referred as “deep sanctuaries”. Within framework this article, authors address works foreign experts, who have been developing subject for more than a dozen years, order identify criteria such an interpretation. Due kinship Ice Age cave art from Atlantic Urals, interpretations also applicable Ural sites. Archaeological, phenomenological mythological stand out most important ones. Archaeological were formulated by C. Renfrew: focusing attention; border zone between other worlds; presence deity; participation offering. Phenomenological relied on person’s sensory experience which is based main sense organs sight, hearing, smell, touch. It they provide indicators hierophony, constructing, according M. Eliade, collective sacred space. Of all characteristics myth relation art, Groenen considers composite anthropomorphic creatures, animals surreal, fantastic animals. Comparing unreal hybrid creatures regions Franco-Cantabria shows close similarity. Together considered archaeological ancient man underground cavity, we can assert that sanctuaries Age, preserving fragments mythology distant time.