The bone artifact with drilled holes was discovered on the western estate of the Belyaus settlement in 2001. Archaeologists determined that originally it was a bone handle for a hand mirror.
The ancient bronze mirrors of nomadic tribes were significantly different from modern mirrors. At that time, the use of glass was not yet developed, and mirrors were made of polished bronze discs with a diameter of 10–20 centimeters and a thickness of a couple of millimeters. Sometimes, these mirrors had decorative bone handles. Metal mirrors were essential in every Scythian household. It seems likely that each family member had their own mirror.
In the south of Russia, not only small Scythian mirrors with loop-shaped or spherical handles on the back side are often found but also Greek-made mirrors. There are also replicas of Greek mirrors decorated by Scythian craftsmen. Bronze mirrors have been found throughout the history of ancient civilizations. The 5th century BCE saw the emergence of massive mirrors with bronze cast discs and handles decorated with silver appliqué volutes and palmettes with a golden finish. These were highly valued objects that were treasured and passed down from one generation to another. They are mainly found in the graves of the nobility.
In the 3rd–1st centuries BCE, mirrors in the form of a flat disk became widespread. Most mirrors common in the first centuries of the common era were associated with the Sarmatian cultural tradition. These were small mirrors with an eye on the side or a loop in the center and a decorative pattern on the back. Broken mirrors of this type are often found in graves, which is explained by Sarmatian funeral customs. The displayed bone handle of an ancient mirror was made from cross-sawn tubular bone, presumably from a domesticated animal, probably cattle. On one side, the bone was cut off along with the epiphysis, and the spongy material was removed from the inside. This bone fragment with drilled holes features a circular decorative pattern.
The Sarmatians were a confederation of ancient Iranic nomadic peoples who inhabited the Eurasian steppe from the 4th century BCE until the first centuries CE. They lived in the territory from the Danube to the Aral Sea.
