Bolshekaraganskaya Valley – a Proto-Indo-European boundary of ancient civilization

Abstract

The object of this research is the territory of formation of fortified settlements of the Bronze Age in Southern Ural – Bolshekaraganskaya Valley and adjacent territory within the Chelyabinsk Region. The subject of this research is the territorial-geographic complexes and historical-theoretical approaches towards studying the fortified settlements of ancient Ural in dynamics of their development. The author explores such aspects of the topic, as the formation of the center and core of resettlement of the Bronze Age in the basin of Bolshaya Karaganka River, which joins Ural River in southern part of Chelyabinsk Region, the territory also known as Arkaimskaya Valley. Special attention is given to localization and layer-wise fixation of the fortified settlements, as well as typology of their morphogenesis. Research methodology is built on the theory of historical-architectural comparativism and comparative analysis of patterns of the fortified settlements in their layer wise fixation. The main conclusion is defined by the most comprehensive review of the typology of fortified settlements of South Ural of the Bronze Age. The analysis of planning analogues determined the typological and morphological similarity of the objects, succession of construction traditions in territories with the advanced urban development systems of Middle Asia. The results of analysis provided certain clarifications in determining the unique morphology of the plans of fortified settlements related to multi-functionality of the objects, virtually first known in history at the moment of research, living and industrial fortified structures with the dominant metallurgical function. The research results allow suggesting the origin of Sintashtinsko-Petrovsky city-forming fortification system in compliance with the ancient architectural and urban traditions in Middle Asia at the early development stages of Indo-European states.