Deer stones are massive hewn stone slabs with drawings. Most often, a deer was depicted on the slabs, hence the name. The drawing is embossed on the surface, or applied with ocher.
Dated to the late Bronze Age and early Iron Age. They are found in Altai, Tuva, Transbaikalia, Mongolia and China and other places. Deer stones in Transbaikalia are often associated with cultural monuments of slab graves. The stones were installed in the enclosures of tiled graves, as well as at places of cult celebrations and sacrifices. Deer stones near slab graves are usually oriented with their obverse to the east.
In the mid-1980s, archaeologist Y. Khudyakov revealed the conjugation of deer stones with Khereksurs on the territory of Mongolia and Transbaikalia. Based on this, he proposed to unite them within the framework of one culture, calling it “the culture of the Khereksurs and deer stones.”
A. Okladnikov identifies three main groups of deer stones: round (cylindrical), rectangular and wide slabs, sometimes with an obliquely cut top. According to stylistic features of deer images, N. Dikov distinguishes two types – steles with realistic images and with silhouette figures of deer with beak-like muzzles.
In addition to deer, on the stones there are images of horses, solar signs, weapons, tamga-like signs, ornamented belts, various geometric figures, etc. Deer are depicted in the traditions of the early Iron Age with branched, large horns thrown back.
