Weiner Mihályné szerk.: Az Iparművészeti Múzeum Évkönyvei 6. (Budapest, 1963)
HOPP FERENC MÚZEUM - MUSÉE FERENC HOPP - Ferenczy, László: Daghestan Bronze Cauldrons
Fig. 4. Daghestan, bronze cauldron from the Ethnographical Museum in Budapest (from the collection of Jenő Zichy) other hand it is very likely that the population of Albania and that of the neighbouring Transcaucasian areas possessed ancient artistic traditions which were, to a large extent, common. In the later centuries low relief, figurai decorations are supplanted by surface decorations consisting of floral ornaments. Later cauldrons show vegetal patterns, already characteristic of recent Kubachi metallurgy; the latest products either entirely lack decoration or have only extremely simplified floral patterns. The fact that the portrayal of figures was supplanted by floral motifs is largely due to religious considerations. We might establish a connection between this fact and the spread of Islam's Sunnite school in the Caucasus. In contrast to the Shiite customs prevailing in Iran, Sunnites forbade the depicting of living creatures, and even mutilated earlier works of art accordingly. Orbeli mentions embossed works in which the figures were later decapitated, while in the case of relief portraits the necks were cut through by a line. 14 The decorations on the early cauldrons are most closely akin to the portrayals of the contemporary stone reliefs of Albania. In this area stone carving was raised to a high level, especially with the Darghins and the Avars. Early stone reliefs and tombstones frequently depict beasts, birds and scenes from the life of the feudal lords, such as hunting scenes and warriors. Almost without exception the figures seen on the cauldrons are also found on these monuments. The ornamental development of the stone reliefs corresponds to that of the decorations on the cauldrons: to a greater extent the figurai portraits are supplanted by purely floral ornaments; they are based on the various forms of flowers, mainly on the trefoil pattern typical of Kubachi, the tendril ornament etc. Unfortunately we do not yet know of a casting mould belonging to early cauldrons. Orbeli states that the founders of the cauldrons made use of techniques developed and usual in other branches of industrial art. As an example he mentions an interesting early cauldron the surface of which reveals the use of a casting mould made of wooden plates. Portrayals made of leather or other materials were fastened to these plates. Among them we find a sitting figure of Mongolian character and a rider with a Mongolian cap. Griffins were depicted on the brim of the cauldron. 15 On the basis of the portrayals on cauldrons and stone reliefs the costumes and arms of the contemporary warriors can be reconstructed.
