1st Millennium AD Research Articles

The production technology of mineral soda alumina glass: A perspective from microstructural analysis of glass beads in Iron Age Taiwan.

Mineral soda alumina (m-Na-Al) glass is a common glass production group found around the Indo-Pacific region. In Iron Age Taiwan, its presence dates back to the early 1st millennium AD. This research discusses m-Na-Al glass beads excavated from Iron Age sites in Taiwan. No production sites for m-Na-Al have been found, but microstructural analysis suggests m-Na-Al glass appears to originate around South Asia and is exchanged widely. SEM-EDS and EPMA were used to analyse red, orange, yellow, green and blue m-Na-Al glass. The microstructure of the glass shows the presence of plagioclase and alkali feldspar relics in the glass, suggesting a low manufacturing temperature. Copper-based colourants are identified in red, orange, blue and green glass, while lead tin oxide is used in yellow and green glass. It appears that various types of copper-containing raw materials were procured by craftspeople, and a self-reduction process for producing red and orange glass is tentatively proposed. Additionally, the microstructure of yellow glass reveals different colouring paths were used. These results increase our understanding of the selection of raw materials, and provide an impetus for further research on the cross craft interaction between glass and copper production.

Handles of Early Iron Age Cauldrons from Southwestern Siberia

Handles of Early Iron Age bronze cauldrons from southwestern Siberia are described with reference to their ritual meaning. Typological features, such as knobs, arcuate, or square shape, are relevant for dating. Two chronological groups are established: the Tagar (second half of the 1st millennium BC) and Xiongnu-Xianbei (late 1st millennium BC to early 1st millennium AD). The interpretation of handles depends on the context. At settlements (Turunovka-4) and in certain hoards (First Dzhirim) of the Late Bronze Age, they can belong to foundry scrap. However, handles occur in long-term ritual sites such as Aidashenskaya Cave, suggesting a different interpretation. Indeed, at Eastern European forest-steppe sites of the Xiongnu era, handles of cauldrons had been intentionally buried, most often near water sources, where the summer camps of nomadic herders were situated. A similar situation is observed in southwestern Siberia, from the Baraba forest-steppe to the Middle Yenisei valley.

Large-Scale Mining and Smelting of Specularite Ores in the Altai Mountains During the 1st Millennium AD

Large-Scale Mining and Smelting of Specularite Ores in the Altai Mountains During the 1st Millennium AD

ТЮРКСКОЕ ПОГРЕБЕНИЕ КОМПЛЕКСА АК-ДАГ (ЗАПАДНАЯ ТУВА): ПО МАТЕРИАЛАМ РАСКОПОК М.Х. МАННАЙ-ООЛА

The article presents an early medieval burial excavated in the Ak-Dag complex by an expedition led by M.Kh. Mannai-ool in 1963. This site is located 4 km northwest to the Aldan-Maadyr village, in the Sut-Khol district of the Tyva Republic. The studied object was a burial mound of a man with a horse. The fixed common features of this complex (a small rounded mound; a shallow grave; the orientation of the deceased to the east, accompanied by an animal laid in the opposite direction), as well as rarer characteristics (intra-grave structure in the form of a stone box made of thin slabs; the position of the horse on the back) indicate on its belonging to the circle of sites of the early medieval Turks. The absence of dating finds makes it possible to determine the chronology of the burial within the broad framework of the second half of the 1st millennium AD with a possible narrowing within the second half of the 6th - 8th centuries AD.

Результаты спасательных раскопок на могильнике Курайка в 2015 г.

The paper presents the results of emergency excavations at the Kuraika burial ground (Kosh-Agach district of the Altai Republic) in 2015. Four burials were studied, located on a high cliff of the eroded edge of the terrace on the right bank of the Kuraika River. Two objects were burials of adults, made in relatively deep pits under rectangular ground structures. Two more small objects with children's burials were attached to these objects. According to their characteristics, the studied mounds correspond to other objects excavated at this site. The closest analogies to the burials of the Kuraika burial ground are found at the Ak-Kol-1 and Kaldzhin-6 sites, explored on the Ukok Plateau (Southern Altai). Common features of the funeral rite are also recorded at the Kok-Pash burial ground in Eastern Altai. Burials under ground structures of a rectangular shape of the second quarter belong to the Kok-Pash type of sites of the Hunno-Sarmatian time of Altai. They dated back to the second quarter of the 1st millennium AD.

ПЛАНИГРАФИЯ ГОРОДИЩ КОМПЛЕКСА МАЛЫЙ ГОНЬБИНСКИЙ КОРДОН-2

The article is devoted to the research of the Malyi Gonbinskiy Kordon-2 settlements complex. The complex belongs to the terraced settlements with an open system of fortification. We can mark regularity in planigraphy - the buildings are located along the ditches and terraces in one row. An analysis of the excavation materials of the MGK-2/6-2 settlement revealed that in the center of the fortified site there are nine poorly preserved building pits destroyed by a modern road. As a result of the study, it was determined that these were destroyed dwelling pits. Mapping and planigraphic analysis, carried out on the basis of archival materials and literature, indicated the relevance of the work on compiling a topographic plan for the MGK-2/11 site. As a result, three- and four-row buildings of the settlements were revealed. The depth of study of the considered objects makes it possible for a comprehensive study of the sites, as well as supplementing the available information about the settlements of the 1st millennium AD with the new data.

Орудия труда из объектов сяньбийского времени комплекса Карбан-I (Северный Алтай)

The article presents the analysis of the tools found in the burials of the Bulan-Koby culture of the Karban-I necropolis. Research on this site, located in the Chemal region of the Altai Republic, was carried out by an expedition of the Barnaul Pedagogical Institute (now Altai State Pedagogical University) in 1989–1990. The source base of the work is composed of the materials from eight undisturbed burials of adults (mounds No. 9, 11, 14, 25, 27, 30, 33, 39). They are represented by four knives, five awls, two whip handles, one adze, one oselok. The authors analyzed the general, special and individual morphological signs of these objects to determine their relative chronology, taking into account dated analogies from other necropolises of the Bulan-Koby culture, as well as archaeological sites of Central and North Asia of the last quarter of the 1st millennium BC — the first half of the 1st millennium AD. It has been established that most of the recorded tools have an initial period of existence among the population of Altai no earlier than the 2nd century AD. A significant standardization of the location of knives and awls in the graves, in almost all cases at the right thigh of a deceased person, was revealed. The results of the study of materials from the excavations of the Karban-I necropolis allow us to conclude that all the categories of tools discovered were an attribute of the accompanying equipment of men.

NEW DATA ABOUT THE HOARDS OF ROMAN COINS FROM THE HRODNA REGION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BELARUS

The article provides information on five new locations of Roman coins from the Hrodna region of the Republic of Belarus: three hoards, as well as two collective finds that can be interpreted as parts of hoards. All of them are represented by denarii of the Roman Empire. Only in one of the deposits – from the village of Bačancy – there is a hybrid barbarian imitation of the imperial denarius. Another of the hoards, found near the village of Varanki, contains, in addition to denarii, fragments of cut silver items, which dates to the beginning of the Migration Period, which makes it possible to determine the date of hiding of this complex in the 5th century.
 All these finds were made in the course of illegal searches and, unfortunately, only one hoard (Bačancy) almost entirely ended up in the museum collection. The rest of the deposits went to private collections, which hinders their detailed study.
 Along with new finds in the Hrodna region, there are from 9 to 13 hoards of antique coins. Most of them consist of denarii of the Roman Empire (sometimes along with barbarian imitations). Of the other deposits, the most interesting are the hoard of Roman Republican denarii from under the village of Luckaŭliany, a complex of bronze Alexandrian tetradrachms from under the village of Turec and a hoard (?) of perforated aurei from under the village of Ambileŭcy.
 Most of the hoards of Roman coins from the Hrodna region can be associated with the East Germans (Pszeworsk and Wielbark archaeological cultures), who penetrated into the Neman River basin inhabited by Baltic tribes in the first half of the 1st millennium AD. It is with the Germans that the vast majority of the hoards of Roman Imperial denarii found on the territory of Barbaricum are associated. It is also possible that some of the hoards could have been deposited by the Balts, which are under powerful East German influence.

Миниатюрные изделия из глины именьковской культуры VI –VII вв. н.э.

The article deals with miniature clay products of the Imenkovo culture. They are often mentioned in publications of finds both from the Imenkovo hillforts and from the settlements. At the same time, they are not found in the Imenkovo burial grounds. The research was based on a representative collection of miniature items from the Tetyushy-II hillfort in the Tetyushy district of Tatarstan. In addition, published materials from excavations of other Imenkovo settlements both in the Republic of Tatarstan and in the neighboring regions — Ulyanovsk and Samara were used. The author studied 124 miniature objects. They were grouped into four divisions. The first one includes geometrical objects (balls, cones, etc.), accounting for 22.5% of all finds. The second includes jewelry (9.8%). The most numerous (42.7%) is the third section — household items. Most of them are miniature vessels. The last section includes miniature images of animals (25%). All products are made of pure clay. They are well burnt. Moreover, almost all of them are either broken or have the loss of individual parts. Since the crafts were very durable, it is obvious that they were smashed on purpose. By their functional purpose, they were: 1) cult objects related to production activities (miniature figurines of animals); 2) magic crafts; 3) elements of ritual procedures; 4) household items (for example, drinking bowls); 5) shells for weapons (sling). In the latter case, natural nodules were used for the same purpose. The origin of most of the miniature vessels is associated with the Volga region. In the decorations and a number of types of miniature vessels, the connection of these artifacts with the antiquities of the Dyakovo archaeological culture can be traced. There are analogies in the antiquities of the Kiev culture. Miniature vessels with a round bottom are associated with cultures of the 1st millennium AD in Southern Cis-Urals. Some of the items of this complex were formed under the influence of the Sarmatian culture. All considered items are dated to the 6th–7th centuries AD. Thus, for the first time, the systematization of miniature items of the Imenkovo culture, their attribution and dating has been carried out.

Iron Age construction and Early Medieval reuse of crannogs in Loch Awe, Argyll

Despite its influence on Scottish crannog studies, absolute dating evidence for activity on the crannogs of Loch Awe has been lacking. This paper presents previously unpublished radiocarbon dates from six crannogs in the loch. Of these, five sites have provided dates within the 1st millennium BC, confirming the existence of Iron Age crannogs in the loch – four of which may have been occupied contemporaneously. The dates fit in to the now widely appreciated pattern of occupation in the 1st millennium BC and later reuse in the 1st millennium AD. Using Bayesian statistical analysis, dating of the early medieval phase at Ederline Boathouse crannog was improved, with modelling suggesting occupation could have been limited to just a few decades of the second half of the 6th century AD. No evidence for activity after AD 900 was recovered, though the current number of samples analysed is small and high medieval activity is well attested on a number of islets on the loch through historical references and surviving structural remains. This broad chronological pattern is discussed and ide-as that promise avenues for future research in light of new, high-precision, chronological techniques are highlighted.

Finds of ornitomorphic images of the End of the Early Iron Age in the Lower Angara region

The paper concerns the ornithomorphic images found at the Pinchuga VI burial ground. The site is located in the lower course of the river Angara (Middle Siberia). The chronological boundaries of the study span the second quarter of the 1st millennium AD (end of the Early Iron Age). All burials at the burial ground were performed ac-cording to the rite of cremation outside the cemetery. Two intact objects and fragments of the third image of a bird were found at the necropolis. Figures were found in different contexts. One of them was found in the filling of a grave pit, the second item within an assemblage of various articles in the inter-grave space. The third item was broken and lost as the result of illegal excavations. All articles share similar characteristics. These are realistic images of diurnal birds of prey “frozen” in a diving flight; the images are shown en face, with a high-relief head, with the tucked wings and feet pulled up with talons. A geometric decor conveys their feather, and a stylized mask is present on the chest of one item. The images are slightly convex, their front side is polished. The closest analogies to the Angara images of birds are known in Western Siberia, including the Tomsk burial ground, the Kholmogory treasure, the Ishim collection, and materials from the Parabel cult place. All this makes it possible to attribute the analyzed items to the Kholmogory stylistic group of the Kulai cult casting. Products of this group be-came widespread in Western Siberia in the second quarter of the 1st millennium AD. The ornithomorphic images found at the Pinchuga VI cemetery extend the geographical range of the items of this style to the territory of Mid-dle Siberia. Apart from the figurines of birds, the necropolis also yields other items of the Western Siberian cult casting, including disks with concentric ornaments, a hollow image of a fish head, and a bird-head belt applique. Bronze items were imported, and in the course of exchange they were spreading over considerable distances. This proves the existence of established cultural ties between the populations of the Lower Angara region and Western Siberia at the End of the Early Iron Age.

Turkic burial accompanied by horses from the Upper Irtysh River region

The second half of the 1st millennium AD is associated with the development and formation of the culture of ancient Turkic peoples, who repeatedly developed several large ethnopolitical associations in the steppe zone of Central Asia. Political and cultural influences of the Turkic state formations were perceived not only by the seden-tary population of the states that existed in the territory of East and Central Asia, but also by further north peoples who lived in the steppe and taiga zones. Under the Turkic influence, or with their direct participation, the Kimako-Kipchak proto-state association began taking shape in the Upper Irtysh River region in the 7th century AD. The initial stage of this process, features of the funeral rite, and characteristic elements of the material culture of the population living in the region are almost unknown due to insufficient exploration of the monuments of the devel-opmental stage of this polyethnic formation. The paper describes the materials of the barrow cemetery of Menov-noye XII, located in the territory of the Upper Irtysh River, 2.1 km southeast of the village of Menovnoye, Tavrichesky district, East Kazakhstan Province. Under the barrow mound, there was a fence with outbuildings containing burials of a man, two horses, and two dogs. The central burial was robbed. The sacrificial pit, located north of the main grave, contained the burial of two horses, laid on their stomachs with their legs tucked under their bodies and with their heads oriented to the east. The buried person was accompanied by two dogs: one was laid across the ceiling of the grave, while the other was buried in a separate pit in an additional annex. The grave goods found with the deceased represented by astragali, a bronze ring, and a fragment of an iron arrowhead. The horse harness included stirrups and iron bits. The bridle belts were adorned with bronze items: bells, triplet plaques, bronze onlays, and belt tip ends. Bronze buckles with iron tongues, which were tucked into clips, were used to adjust the tension of the headband straps. The funeral rite features and analysis of the materials collected during the study of the memorial complex make it possible to associate the burials of the 3rd barrow of the Menov-noye XII with the Early Kimak antiquities within the framework of the Turkic era and to date them to the second half of the 7th — 8th century AD.

Iron metallurgy of the Xianbei period in Tuva (Southern Siberia)

We present results of the complex investigation of large-scale iron production at the site of Katylyg 5 (Tuva, Southern Siberia) dating to 3rd-4th c. AD. The excavations have uncovered nine trapezoid underground smelting furnaces, a tonne of smelting slag, smithing remains and a charcoal production zone. The investigation of slag by Optical microscopy, SEM-EDS and ICP-MS confirms the performance of smelting and smithing operations at the site, and also suggests that the smelted ore was magnetite, associated with quartz. The presence of copper (bronze) prills in most of the smithing slag indicates that copper was worked alongside iron in the smithing hearths. The spatial division of the site into three different production zones (smelting, smithing and charcoal-production) suggests a well-organized and self-sufficient industry, that was probably tightly controlled throughout all stages of the chaîne opératoire. The trapezoid furnaces identified at Katylyg, are also known from Cis-Baikal region where they date from the end of the 1st millennium BCE and throughout most of the 1st millennium AD. This suggests that the technology of trapezoid furnaces, along with the Kokel culture to which they are attributed, likely emerged in Tuva with the migrations from the Baikal region due to the westward Xianbei expansion during 1st-3rd c. AD.

Cremated Burial of the Middle of the 1st Millennium AD in Zhytomyr Polissia

Cremated Burial of the Middle of the 1st Millennium AD in Zhytomyr Polissia

TO THE ORIGIN OF THE GRIVNA

The article is devoted to the problems of the Old Slavonic grivna. The word is present in all Slavonic languages and associates with decoration, weight and monetary unit. Many researchers link word a grivna as derived from animal mane. Study of the Persian, Caucasian and some other East writings and archeological sources of the 1st millennium BC to the 1st millennium AD (T. Nцldeke, H. Hьbscmann, J. Harmatta, A. Manandyan, W. Hinz, A. Bivar, H. Martirosyan and other) has allowed to select many variant off this word, how corn measure and land measure. This measure is fixed in Old Persian, Middle Persian, Armenian, Georgian, Parthian, Arabic and other languages (grb, grbn, grϊβa, griv, grїw, garib, jarib and other). Grb (graβi, basket) is present in Aramaic-Egyptian document and is dated near 310 BC. How corn measure, the word was wide-spread in the Achemenid and Sasanian Empire. Attested as Armenian corn measure in the Anania Sirakaci, 7th century (9.782 kg, 1.5 modius, a unit of measurement), links with garw-o-y, barley. However, in Greek version inscription of Љāpur I (240—271), the word can be correspond to 9.32 litres (A. Bivar). Griv as corn measure is fixed on Caucasus in the end of the 1st millennium — beginning of 2st millennium AD. Special attention is spared to geographical terminology, in East Europe word griva are spread for mountain territory and area of land. Obviously, griv-modius how a corn measure preceded to grivna-decoration, to grivna-weight and to grivna-monetary unit in the Slavonic territories. The Eastern Europe in the end of 1st millennium BC and the 1st millennium AD was a territory of agrarian economy, and corn measure defined all others: capacity, length and square, weight measures and monetary units.

IRON AGRICULTURAL TOOLS FROM REVNE

Iron agricultural tools from the Revne agglomeration of Slavs of the 8th—10th centuries is analyzed in the paper. The complex is one of the outstanding sites of the Eastern Croats Slavic tribal group in the Ukrainian Carpathian region (fig. 1). During ca. 50 years of stationary and supervisory explorations almost complete set of agricultural tools for primary and secondary tillage and for harvesting has been accumulated.
 The paper provides detailed description of the tools. Comparative analysis of the materials in geographical environment was carried out both in the area of Raiky culture and synchronous and chronologically close cultures and sites. Iron parts of plow-type tools certify a high level of technical equipment for tillage. Asymmetrical heads are inherent in bow ard. This plow-type tool had the head with iron wide-bladed tip posed horizontally to the ground and also knife coulter and mouldboard. Arable tools of this type cutted and turned the soil. Their use indicates the highest level of development of technical capabilities of tillage in the area of Raiky culture and synchronous archaeological cultures (fig. 2—4, 9). Hoes of two types are presented: the socketed items with a vertical open socket and those with a horizontal solid socket. Both types are well-known (the first type is much more common) but functionally there is no difference between them. Their analogies are common in the area of Raiky culture and synchronous surrounding (fig. 5, 6, 9).
 The harvesting process can be considered traditional for the people of Raiky culture. However there are insignificant differences comparing to the aggregate data. Thus, scythes with a curved handle (mainly used for haymaking and possibly for harvesting cereals with a tight ear) have not yet been occurred in Revne. However, such findings are generally much less common than sickles (fig. 7—9).
 The complex of iron agricultural tools shows the highest level of development of agriculture in the people of Raiky culture. Comparative analysis with other cultural and ethnic groups of the late 1st millennium AD in Central and Eastern Europe also shows that the level of agriculture is close to the achievements of the Saltiv culture.

THE SETTLEMENT OF VYSHENKY 1 ON DESNA RIVER

In 2013, the Livoberezhna Archaeological Expedition made the rescue excavations at the Vyshenky 1 settlement near the Vyshenky village Korop district of Chernihiv region. The settlement is located on the edge of the high right bank of the Desna River. In the excavation area of 120 m2 more than 20 ancient household pits, a number of post-holes and the part of building 1. In addition to some finds of the Bronze Age and Kyiv Rus the main materials date to the 1st millennium AD.
 The lower horizon (building 1, pits 4, 12, 20, 21, 23) belongs to the Kyiv culture of the Late Roman period. The building was probably square semi-dwelling house with a central pillar. Pottery is represented mainly by pots of weakly profiled and ribbed forms. The flattened biconical spindle whorls with a large hole, as well as single fragments of pottery were occurred in the objects. In addition to fragments of typical Chernyakhiv pottery, the fragment of a red slip bowl of the second half of the 4th and the beginning of the 5th centuries, unique for Desna basin region, was found. Obviously, this is t the possible final date for the layer of Kyiv culture.
 The upper horizon of the settlement belongs to the sites of the Sakhnivka-Volyntsevo circle. Pits 6, 17—19, 22 contained the fragments of convex-sided pots with bent rims, usually ornamented with finger impressions on the edge, and frying pans. The flattened-rounded spindle whorls and fragments of clay ovoid blocks belong to the same period.
 The hand-made pottery from sites of the Sakhnivka type is practically indistinguishable from significant part of the ceramics of the Volyntsevo culture, so the pottery of different types which often occurs in complexes with the hand-made ceramics usually becomes the diagnostic sign. In Sakhnivka sites there are sometimes pottery of the Pastyrske type, and in the Volyntsevo sites dating a little later there are so-called “pots of the Volyntsevo type”. However, in the settlement of Vyshenky 1 the household pits of this horizon contained only hand-made pottery, so it is difficult to draw a final conclusion about its cultural and chronological identification.

Population of Pripyat Polesie in the 1st millennium AD

The article is devoted to the history of the settlement of the Pripyat Polesye in the 1st millennium AD. The main attention is paid to the monuments of the first half of the 1st millennium AD, their dating and cultural identity. It is noted that at present the source study base does not allow to reliably “make ancient” the Slavic Prague culture in the Pripyat Polesie until the IV century. and associate it with the monuments of the post-Zarubinets circle. At the end of the III century BC tribes of the Zarubintsy culture came to the territory of Pripyat Polesye. This is the period of decline of the previous Milograd culture (VIII – III centuries BC). The “Milograd” features undoubtedly gave their specific features to the material culture of the Polesie Zarubintsy. By the middle of the 1st century. Zarubinets culture in Pripyat Polesie ceased to exist. It was believed that between the Zarubintsy culture and the Prague Slavic culture of the 5th–7th centuries there is a chronological gap.

Образ зайца в мировоззрении населения Прииртышья и Приобья в I-II тыс. н.э.

Образ зайца в мировоззрении населения Прииртышья и Приобья в I-II тыс. н.э.

Fortification of Multi-Shaft Hillforts in the Perm Urals During the Migration Period: theory and interpretations

The article discusses about reasons for the emergence of tradition to build multiple ramparts to the hillforts. The authors offer their own fundamentally new view and criticize existing concepts. The research based both archival materials and field study in 2019–2020. Application of method by A.V. Korobeinikov the simulation modeling by archaeology data, made it possible to reveal the logic and the algorithm of building the fortifications to the hillforts of the 1st millennium AD. In the paper the foundations of the theory of fortification are presented, as applied to archaeology. An algorithm the transformation of fortifications on hillforts of the 1st millennium AD has been shown from simple to more complex. Information about a series of hillforts in the Perm region have been involved into the scientific discurs. Including, specificities of the geomorphology and hydrology of the location of hillforts with multiple ramparts and their link with ore deposits (copper sandstone and sederite) were revealed.