On deer stones (mainly of the Sayan-Altai and Eurasian types), a stable feature is the motif of inclined parallel lines located in the upper part of the site. Two or three lines are most characteristic. Embossing with polishing, bas-relief, and painting were used for their application. It is believed that the motif conveyed a tattoo, coloring or scarification of the face of a warrior. The researchers deciphered its meaning as a symbol of the belt in the constellation Orion, a reflection of the cult of Heaven and Earth, an ideogram of otherworldly spheres, a magical sign that blocks the passage to another world. Based on ethnographic materials, another assumption can be made. The stripes on a person's face signified their ethnic, clan, social, and gender group in African and American cultures. In a military environment, lines often indicated the number of battles and killed enemies, or they played the role of a talisman. Drawing lines was often used in rites of passage, such as initiation. Initiation had a close relationship with death. Apparently, this motif on deer stones conveyed the mark that appeared on the face of a teenager during initiation. It marked a full-fledged warrior.
Key words: archeology, ethnography, deer stones, funeral rite, initiation, iconic symbolism
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