The golden winged bull (griffins) images in ancient religions

Abstract

The article analyzes images of fantastic animals accidentally discovered on the territory of the Lerik district in southeastern Azerbaijan. These noteworthy discoveries are currently stored in the valuables collection of the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan. These objects testify to the high development of art in ancient times. Considering the resemblance of these images to those in West Asian regions, it is evident that Azerbaijan's ancient metalworking and jewelry art had extensive connections. This can be linked to religious beliefs, cultural-ethnic ties, and longstanding trade relations. Nevertheless, in the South Caucasus, particularly in Azerbaijan, the origins of these bull images are more ancient, primarily represented by clay and bronze figurines. This underscores the continuity of traditions in ancient art, with these finds likely dating back to the Mannean period (9^th–8^th centuries BC).