Famous Perm animal style (shaman images, images of the Chud people and cult casting) is one of the most mysterious cultural phenomena of the ancient Urals. Perm animal style artifacts are made of bronze, wood and bone (carving), figures are engraved on metal and bone. Scientists still can’t tell exactly who created those amazing objects and when it happened.

The first findings date back to the 4th century BC. «Golden Age» of animal style was from the 7th to the 9th century. Complicated cast compositions of those ancient times combine human, animal, and bird images, not to mention fantastic creatures, that, as many people put it, look like aliens. Hybrid of man and elk is unique to Perm animal style. Intricate images are the main feature of this authentic cultural phenomenon. The most common images are those of water, forest and birds, bears, sables, horses and elks. The most interesting depict creatures that don’t exist in reality: a fantastic bird with an animal face, a flying bird with a mask on its chest, fantastic creatures with human, bird and elk features.

Places where Perm animal style objects were found are very different - treasures, sanctuaries, burial grounds, sacrifice altars in necropolis and metallurgical works sites. Animal style objects were designed for different purposes. Some of them were used as pendant-amulets, and were part of the costume. Others were part of religious ceremonies. Perm animal style exhibitions are available at the Hermitage (St. Petersburg), State Historical Museum (Moscow), Perm Krai Museum, Regional Museum in Cherdyn and Komi-okrug museum in Kudymkar. Perm animal style motives can be found in folklore and rich ornament crafts such as embroidery and leather articles i.e. bracelets of the Komi, Udmurts, Mansi and Khanty.