Ranosrednovekovnata bronzena raka od Romanija i nejzinite relacii so slovenskite paganski tradicii<br>Romanian Bronze Hand from the Early Middle Ages and Its Relation to Slavic Pagan Traditions</br>

Abstract

The article analyzes a bronze hand from Romania found at an unknown site. The hand, which was dated between the 6th and the 7th centuries, was placed on auction in New York in 1989. With the help of artistic, stylistic and iconographic comparisons it has been established that it belongs to the so-called Early Medieval pagan-Slavic iconographic system. By employing the symbolic and iconographic comparative analysis, the first part of the article focuses on the identification and interpretation of the mythical pictures depicted on the hand (zoomorphic, anthropomorphic and geometric). These pictures indicate former affiliation with cosmological iconography.

The second part of the study analyzes the role of hands and palms in traditional Slavic culture. The author writes about the Thracian-Phrygian god Sabazios and compares the hand from Romania with other similar bronze hands that were connected with the cult of god Sabazios and widespread between the 2nd and the 4th centuries.