Пряслица из некрополя жужанского времени комплекса Чобурак-I (Северный Алтай)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the introduction into scientific discourse and interpretation of spindles from the objects of the Bulan-Koby culture of the Choburak-I complex. This multitemporal site, located in the Chemal region of the Altai Republic, has been investigated for several years by an archaeological expedition of the Altai State University. Objects interpreted as spindles were found in the accompanying inventory of two female burials of the Rouran period (2nd half of the 4th — 1st half of the 5th centuries AD), revealed during the excavations of burial mounds 32a and 34. The analyzed items are stone weights in the form of a disc with a through hole. One spindle is ornamented with carved lines that form a pattern resembling a «star», the other — with a closed carved line in the form of a circle with rays radiating from it. The article provides information on the specifics of the location of these specimens in burials, carried out a morphological description of the finds, made a classification, and also presented the experience of comparing them with known objects of this functional purpose from other Altai burial sites of the Xiungnu-Xianbei-Rouran period. It has been established that spindles, similar to those from the Choburak-I necropolis, existed in the subject complex of the population of the Bulan-Koby culture in the period from the 2nd half of the 3rd to the 5th centuries AD.