SYMBOLS AND SIGNS IN THE ORNAMENTATION OF THE ALTAI PEOPLE

Abstract: The ornamental art of the Altai Mountains is an epic encrypted in lines, spirals, and horns, narrating cosmology, faith, and the harmony between humans and nature. It is a code that can only be deciphered by one who touches the spirit of this ancient land. The Altai ornament is fundamentally triune. This triad reflects the foundation of the universe in the worldview of the indigenous peoples: the upper world (sky, deities) – often denoted by solar signs and celestial bodies; the middle world (earth, people, nature) – symbolized by motifs of plants, animals, and mountains; the lower world (subterranean, ancestors) – depicted more geometrically, sometimes with wavy lines. Ornamentation initially served as a talisman; by applying it to clothing, utensils, or dwellings, a person erected a magical boundary between themselves and hostile forces, attracting luck and well-being.