Nomadic Groups Research Articles

SEROPREVALENCE TO SCHISTOSOMA SOLUBLE EGG ANTIGEN AMONG NOMADIC PASTORALISTS RESIDING IN NORTHERN SENEGAL.

Urinary and intestinal schistosomiasis are endemic in Senegal, with prevalence heterogeneous throughout the country. Because of their way of life, nomadic pastoralists are not typically included in epidemiological surveys, and data on the prevalence of schistosomiasis in Senegalese nomadic populations are largely non-existent. The purpose of this study was to determine the seroprevalence of schistosomiasis in Senegalese nomadic pastoralists. A modified snowball sampling survey was conducted among 1,467 nomadic pastoralists aged 6 mo and older in 5 districts in northern Senegal. Dried blood spots from participants of all ages and data regarding demographics were collected to assess IgG antibody responses against Schistosoma mansoni soluble egg antigen (SEA) using a bead-based multiplex assay. Out of 1,467 study subjects, 1,464 (99.8%) provided IgG serological data that cleared quality assurance. Of the participants with appropriate data, 56.6% were male, the median age was 22 yr, and 31.6% were under 15 yr of age. The overall anti-SEA IgG seroprevalence was 19.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 17.1-21.1%) with the highest estimates observed in Dagana (35.9%) and the lowest observed in Podor nomadic groups (3.4%). Antibody responses increased significantly with age except for the oldest age groups (>40 yr of age), which saw lower levels of antibody response compared to younger adults. When controlling for age and location by multivariate regression, the male sex was associated with a 2-fold greater odds of anti-SEA IgG seropositivity (aPOR: 2.0; 95% CI: 1.5-2.7). Serosurveys for anti-SEA IgG among nomadic peoples in northern Senegal found a substantial percentage of individuals with evidence for current or previous Schistosoma spp. infection with the highest levels of exposure in the district adjacent to the Diama dam along the Senegal River. With IgG prevalence increased by age except in the older adults, and the male sex significantly associated with seropositivity, these data point toward sex-associated behavioral practices and human environmental modification as risk factors for Schistosoma exposure.

«Сарматские» элементы в вооружении черняховской культуры? (Некоторые дискуссионные вопросы в изучении оружия позднеримского времени и начала эпохи переселения народов в Восточной Европе)

The paper deals with issues related to the spread of weapons of “nomadic” origin among population of the Сhernyakhov culture. The features of the funeral rite of this community have been considered. Burials with weapons are absolutely not characteristic of the Wielbark culture foundation. The majority of the cremations can be attributed to the Przeworsk element, especially those with ritual damage to weapons. In the burials of the Chernyakhov culture, according to the burial rite, the following finds are known: swords, “cut-out blades”, spears, darts, arrows, bow parts, axes, umbo, fragments of chain mail and helmets. Usually, the finds are single in the burial. The burial grounds with catacomb burials in Budzhak, burials in pits with a southern orientation of the head, individual burials in catacombs along the border of the forest-steppe and steppe zones on the left bank of the Dnieper, accompanied by Chernyakhiv imports, can be considered Sarmatian. A number of burials with weapons made in pits with a northern orientation of the head are possibly associated with the Late Scythian tradition. The swords in the inhumations known to us belong to the Eastern European tradition, i.e. they do not contain a metal pommel of type 3 according to A.M. Khazanov. Distinguishing between locally produced type 2 swords and Roman Germanic swords requires additional extensive research. In the two burials on the territory of Romania, the remains of plates were found, possibly related to the plate helmets well known among the Sarmatians. Apparently, the so-called “blades with cutouts” can be attributed to ritual weapons. Simultaneously, in the zone of the Przeworsk culture and on the Sarmatian monuments, “sword-shaped” spearheads appear. On the territory of the Chernyakhov culture, they are recorded in the zone bordering the steppe, but so far only in the form of random finds. Both types of weapons are possibly associated with the cult of the sword known among the nomadic Scythian-Sarmatian population. At the same time, the designs and decor of spearheads in some cases are possibly related to Roman ceremonial spearheads. Judging by the available archaeological data, the development of weapons among the forest-steppe tribes of Eastern Europe in the first half of the 1st millennium AD was largely associated with Central European and the Roman Empire influence, and to a lesser extent, with the steppe nomadic population, which begins to play an important role closer to the end of the Chernyakhov culture. But the presence of various nomadic groups and the influence of their traditions on the military environment are undoubted.

1777. Yellow Fever Dynamics in Ghana During the Past Century

Abstract Background Although West Africa has the largest burden of Yellow Fever (YF) cases globally, less is known about YF dynamics in this region. YF virus is thought to circulate via three transmission cycles in Africa: the sylvatic, savannah/intermediate, and urban cycles. Understanding the relative contribution of each cycle and the populations at risk could inform allocation of YF diagnostics and vaccines. Therefore, we analyzed the history of YF in Ghana over the past century to inform preparedness for future outbreaks. Methods We reviewed the primary literature for all YF outbreaks in Ghana as well as WHO YF documents, including the Disease Outbreak News and Weekly Epidemiology Record. We investigated the epidemiology of each outbreak to determine the most likely regions and populations involved. We also reviewed the epidemiology, vectors, and seasonality of outbreaks to determine the most likely cycles. Results From 1910-2022 there were 2378 cases and 872 deaths reported due to YF in Ghana (Figure). The first confirmed outbreak of YF in Ghana occurred in 1910, and for 50 years the majority of outbreaks occurred in coastal regions via the urban cycle, with outbreaks beginning early in the year during the dry season. Following this period, there were large outbreaks of urban YF in multiple regions (including the Upper East, Upper West, Eastern, and Volta regions). In 1992 childhood YF immunization became routine in Ghana and smaller outbreaks occurred in northern regions where immunization was less complete. Twelve reactive vaccination campaigns occurred from 1951-2021. Since 2005, outbreaks of YF in Ghana have been due to the sylvatic/savannah cycles. A mass preemptive vaccination campaign was conducted in 2020, followed by a sylvatic/savannah outbreak in 2021 among largely unvaccinated nomadic groups. Conclusion The dynamics of YF in Ghana have changed over the past century. Initial outbreaks of YF in Ghana were characterized by the urban cycle. Following multiple vaccination campaigns, recent outbreaks reflect the sylvatic and savannah cycles. Regions currently at highest risk for future YF outbreaks are those with unvaccinated populations and suitable habitats for the vectors and non-human primates that propagate the sylvatic and savannah cycles Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

The perception of the ethnic identity of the Irish Travellers

This article examines the changing ethnic identity of Irish Travellers, an indigenous, traditionally nomadic group in Ireland with unique linguistic and cultural characteristics. Using fieldwork and unstructured interviews, the study reveals how their identity is adapting amidst social and cultural change. It highlights the fluidity of Traveller identity as it is affected by globalisation, societal integration and efforts to maintain traditional values. Historically, their identity has been suppressed by the state, which has tended to categorise them as a social group. The research highlights the incomplete assimilation of Travellers and the eventual recognition of their ethnic identity in 2017, driven by advocacy groups and international organisations. Despite the loss of their nomadic lifestyle, informants express a strong sense of belonging to the Traveller community. The study concludes with the wider implications of these findings for understanding the dynamics of ethnic identity in minority groups.

Vnímání etnické identity Irských kočovníků

This article examines the changing ethnic identity of Irish Travellers, an indigenous, traditionally nomadic group in Ireland with unique linguistic and cultural characteristics. Using fieldwork and unstructured interviews, the study reveals how their identity is adapting amidst social and cultural change. It highlights the fluidity of Traveller identity as it is affected by globalisation, societal integration and efforts to maintain traditional values. Historically, their identity has been suppressed by the state, which has tended to categorise them as a social group. The research highlights the incomplete assimilation of Travellers and the eventual recognition of their ethnic identity in 2017, driven by advocacy groups and international organisations. Despite the loss of their nomadic lifestyle, informants express a strong sense of belonging to the Traveller community. The study concludes with the wider implications of these findings for understanding the dynamics of ethnic identity in minority groups.

Land-Use Conflicts and an Alternative Wildlife Management Option for the Loliondo Game-controlled Area, Tanzania: Insights from a Community Survey

Summary This tourism case study pays attention to natural resource management conflicts surrounding the Loliondo Game-controlled Area which encompasses 4000 km 2 adjacent to Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area in Tanzania. Maasai, the largest nomadic pastoralist ethnic group in Tanzania, accounts for the overwhelming majority of the population residing in the Loliondo Game-controlled Area. The Loliondo Game-controlled Area has suffered from land-use and property-right conflicts among stakeholders despite establishing a series of wildlife management policies concerning the area. Trophy-hunting tourism has been operated in the Loliondo Game-controlled Area by a transnational private corporation with the Tanzanian government’s exclusive permission. Trophy hunting conflicts with other land uses in the Loliondo Game-controlled Area, including non-consumptive tourism, pastoral livelihoods, and crop farming. Although the Village Land Act 1999 recognizes customary rights vested with local villages to wildlife management in the Game-controlled Areas, the Maasai communities in the Loliondo Game-controlled Area have yet to reap benefits from trophy hunting or photography tourism. To identify an alternative wildlife management option preferred by the Maasai communities, a community survey was conducted in 2018. A sample of 330 households was surveyed, with 55 in each of the six selected villages in the Loliondo Game-controlled Area. The survey confirmed that the Maasai communities were not involved in the decision-making process for wildlife management. This study has found that the Maasai communities strongly support establishing a Joint Venture Wildlife Management Area of 1500 km 2 within the Loliondo Game-controlled Area, with the remaining 2500 km 2 being allocated to grazing, farming, and human settlements. Under the Joint Venture Wildlife Management Area scheme, local villages would jointly manage wildlife and be entitled to rights to manage and use wildlife and other natural resources in the region. The overwhelming majority of the participants in the community survey were optimistic that the co-management scheme would help enhance natural resource management efficiency and social equity. Information © The Authors 2023

Barriers to the hospital treatment among Bede snake charmers in Bangladesh with special reference to venomous snakebite.

Snakebite envenoming is a potentially life-threatening global public health issue with Bangladesh having one of the highest rates of snakebite cases. The Bede, a nomadic ethnic group in Bangladesh, traditionally engages in snake-related business such as snake charming. The Bede relies on their own ethnomedicinal practitioners for snakebite treatment while there is a lack of concrete evidence on the effectiveness of such ethnomedicinal treatment. To identify the barriers to the utilization of biomedical treatment for snakebite we conducted interviews with 38 Bede snake charmers, who have experienced snakebite, and six family members of those who died of snakebite. Our results show that four critical barriers, Accessibility, Affordability, Availability, and Acceptability (4As), prevented some of the Bede from seeking biomedical treatment. Moreover, we found that a few Bede died of a snakebite every year. There are survivors of snakebite who were able to receive biomedical treatment by overcoming all of the 4As. Our results provide insights into the current state of snakebite treatment in Bangladesh and can inform the development of more effective and accessible treatment options for those affected. Partnership between the public sector and the Bede community has the potential to make a significant impact in reducing snakebite morbidity and mortality in Bangladesh.

Of nomads and khanates: heteronomy and interpolity order in 19th-century Central Asia

Scholars of International Relations (IR) and Global Historical Sociology alike have recently become more and more interested in Eurasian order(s). Yet, most recent works on Eurasian historical international relations approach the subject from a long durée perspective, mostly focusing on “big polities” from a “high altitude.” Central Asia, or “Turkestan,” and its constitutive polities such as the khanates of Bukhara, Khiva, and Khoqand and the vast array of nomadic groups surrounding them are yet terra incognita in IR, specifically with respect to the pre-Tsarist period. By relying on both primary and secondary sources, this inductive research reveals how precolonial Central Asia was an interpolity order on its own, premised on heteronomy and based on the institutions of sovereignty between the khanates and suzerainty between khanates and nomads; territoriality; Sunni Islam; trade and slavery; diplomacy; and war and aq oyluk. This paper contributes to filling this gap, and to the broader literature on Eurasian historical orders, in three respects. First, it adds granularity, detail, and specificity to current IR knowledge on Eurasia by looking at smaller polities as opposed to empires, which as noted have been the main analytical focus so far. Second, the paper adopts an emic approach to uncover local practices, institutions, and norms of precolonial Central Asia, thus adding to the recent “Global IR” debate. Third, by focusing on a case where heteronomy was the rule, this paper adds a new case to the literature on the entrenchment and durability of heteronomy in historical IR and contributes to its theory-building.

When the connectivity is lost: infrastructural uncertainty and reaction to it amongst the tundra nomads of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug

The present paper contributes to the study of ‘infrastructural failures’ as one of the rapidly developing in re-cent times areas of the anthropology of infrastructure. In the focus of the research is a ‘failure’ of the satellite tele-phone communications in Russian Arctic, which occurred as a result of the decision of one of the providers, Globalstar inc., to withdraw from the Russian market in March 2022. This provider was particularly popular amongst the groups of the native population of Russian Arctic due to low prices for the service and equipment. In the paper, the ethnographic data collected during a fieldwork amongst reindeer herding nomads of Nadym District of the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia, are used, on the basis of which the study is carried out on how the tundra nomads were adapting to the failure and overcoming its consequences. The paper starts with a short historical review of the development of long-range communications in tundra and the social norms, strategies, and behavioural patterns formed at different times amongst the reindeer herders in respect to these communications. This review, the materials for which comprised published literature and fieldwork records of the author collected in the late 1990s — early 2000s, demonstrates that up until the arrival of mobile and satellite telephones in tundra during the second decade of the 21st century, radiocommunications of the reindeer herders were, firstly, public and, secondly, relied in messaging on the social networks and mutual obligations of the nomadic groups with regard to transferring information. The review is followed by the description and analysis of the field data collected by the author during the fieldwork in August 2022. It is shown that the loss of the satellite connectivity in the spring of that year disturbed the reindeer herders very much and even caused a change in the movement routes of some of their groups. However, the herders soon managed to adapt to the new conditions. For that, the mobile phones, which were working on a part of the migration territory of the herders, were employed, as well as, impor-tantly, there were restored the social networks and obligations with respect to the information transfer that allowed reliable and relatively fast communications with the locations where the mobile connectivity was lacking. As the result, the communications once again became public, but the serious problems, which might have been caused by the interruption of the satellite connectivity, were able to be avoided. Meanwhile, the acute feeling of uncer-tainty that the herders were experiencing after the failure of the satellite connectivity, shows that the role of the long-range radiocommunications in their lives has increased significantly over the last two decades. The results of the study are also discussed in the context of the recent hypothesis on the “societies of the failure normality”.

Межгрупповая изменчивость краниометрических характеристик населения Средней Азии в 1500-летней ретроспективе (VII в. до н.э. – VIII в. н.э.)

Introduction. The paper revisits the intergroup craniometric variability in the Early Iron Age, Antiquity and Early medieval Central Asian population. Some new cranial materials are considered within the hierarchical system of the regional populations. Materials and methods. The comparison included 61 cranial samples from all historical and cultural regions of Central Asia with a total of 1100 crania. 12 standard measurements of the facial skeleton were used. First, we conducted Canonical discriminant analysis. Second, the matrix of Mahalanobis D2 distances was obtained using the resulting group coordinates in the space of the canonical vectors. Finally, the distance matrix was subjected to Multidimensional scaling and the Ward’s hierarchical cluster analysis. Results. The first three canonical variates reflect 53.4% of the total intergroup variation and differentiate samples based on bizygomatic breadth, orbit dimensions, nasal bridge height (and width to a lesser extent), horizontal profiling angles and nose protrusion angle. Upper facial height also contributes to intergroup craniometric variability but does not play a decisive role in differentiating among samples of European ancestry in the considered chronological period. Correlation coefficients between canonical variables and multidimensional scaling coordinates suggest similar relative positions of the groups in the scatterplots. Discussion. Considering the mixed nature of the Central Asian population and the difficulty of objective differentiation of morphological types, we caution against unreflective use of terms “East Mediterranean type” and “Pamir-Fergana race”. The results suggest that the Antiquity and Early medieval sedentary populations are difficult to distinguish from nomadic and semi-nomadic groups of the Wusun period. The new materials confirm the morphological similarity between Early medieval population of Sogdiana (ancient Panjakent) and Ushrusana (Kurkat dakhmaks). @ 2023. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Частично разрушенные сарматские погребения Есауловского Аксая (ограбление или ритуальное осквернение?)

Introduction. The article is devoted to the problem of the partial robbery of the high-status Middle Sarmatians burials analyzed in the Esaulovsky Aksai River floodplain. The analysis of the burial complexes near the village named Kovalevka revealed an interesting feature. There was partial destruction of the buried Sarmatians bones, but, at the same time, the parts of the bones and accompanying burial equipment remained undisturbed. Typically, these burials had some status artifacts like bronze cast and forged cauldrons, weapons and horse harness items, and ceramics from the Central Caucasus, Kuban, and Lower Don Valley. Methods and materials. The objects of research were not only burials from Kovalevka but also synchronic burial complexes from Zhutovo, Aksai, Peregruznoe, and Oktyabrsky. The research involves using both traditional general scientific methods, including chronological and spatial analysis, and special archaeological research methods, including formal typological, cartographic, and analogy methods, which describe the scientific facts and reconstruct ethnocultural processes. Analysis. These burials are characterized not only by dead-drops under an individual mound but also by a special inventory, where, except for the swords and arrows, there were also spearheads, two-part bits with rodshaped psalms, and horse bones. At the same time, the synchronic Early Sarmatian complexes found in the burial mounds were left intact. Such partial robbery of the high-status Middle Sarmatians burials is also fixed when expanding the area of the neighboring burial grounds of the Esaulovsky Aksai River basin. This observation suggests that a group of well-armed nomads with slightly different traditions characteristic of the Middle Sarmatian culture appeared on the studied territory occupied by the Early Sarmatian population at the turn of the era. Migrants who founded their cemeteries in the floodplain of the Esaulovsky Aksai River aroused the anger of the local Sarmatian groups, which led to the burials desecration of the aliens. Results. We can assume that at the end of the 1st century BC and the beginning of the 1st century AD, in the Don-Volga interfluve, there was a struggle for control over an important transit zone, as indirectly evidenced by a significant number of prestigious imported items discovered in the burials of the investigated territory. Key words: Early Sarmatians, Middle Sarmatians, burial, robbery of burials, Don-Volga interfluve.

Outbreak Investigation of Cutaneous Lesihmaniasis

Objective: to assess the magnitude, evaluate risk factors and recommend control measures for Cutaneous Lesihmaniasis. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Combined Military Hospital, Landikotal Pakistan, from Jan to Feb 2017 Methodology: Active case finding was conducted amongst entire group of 414 individuals. A case was defined as skin lesion in a person residing in nomadic group of Khar Kamar from October 2015 to January 2017. Age and gender-matched controls were identified at 1:2. Data was collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. Results: A total of 31 cases were identified with mean age of 26.4±6.5 years (range 18-48). Epi curve showed intermittent exposure. The index case had onset of symptoms in January 2016 with a peak in November 2016, 10(32%) while last case appeared in January 2017. Overall attack rate (AR) was 7.5% while most severely affected age group was 18-27 years 21(9.1%). A total of 17(55%) cases had 2-4 multiple lesions with size of 0.5-3.5 cm. Of the 31 cases, 25 reported sleeping on the ground (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.2-9.0, p<0.02), however wearing full clothing and use of repellents showed a protective effect. Conclusion: Most probable cause of outbreak was sleeping on the floor. Awareness lectures were imparted and repellent was issued to entire group.

The Imperial Connections of the Thar Desert: Environment, Power and Political Alliances

In the history of India, the Thar Desert always had a backseat due to its harsh weather conditions and apprehensions flowing from the adverse weather conditions. Ignorance of the region for long in writings of the discipline has pushed the region under the carpet and if any approach has been made to explore its history, it has been mainly in terms of the nomadic (Mer, Rebari, etc.) and professional groups like musicians (Maganiyars, Bhopa, etc.) and folk artists (Kalbeliyas, Dum, etc.). Keeping an insight of all the works done so far around the region of Thar, this study is an attempt to explore the ecological components of the Thar Desert as without taking stock of its resources, it will be impossible to relate with its history. It is significant to explore the ecological ingredients of the Thar Desert as their economic worth led to the formation of political alliances amongst various ruling houses—close and afar—as they all wanted a share in its resources and that too peacefully. Finally, all these associations led to the expansion of the imperial control that was aiming to gain a larger share in the resources and regulate the political moves of this environmentally harsh region.

A Study on the Complexity and Application of Coinage along the Silk Road

Occasionally, coin finds provide insight into daily life and business activities in markets and settlements, as well as some other purposes, including diplomacy, burial, tribute, etc. It is worth noting here that those coins minted from precious metals like gold and silver occupied the vast majority of purposes as described above. The history of the Silk Road began circa the 2nd century B.C. when the Han emperor Wudi of China expanded the territory into the Xinjiang region and inner Asian mountain corridor, considerably enhancing the interactions with the nomadic groups in Central Asia in aspects including commerce, military, and politics. Moreover, India, in another hand, also was part of this nexus and occupied a key position as far as the sea route was concerned, and its correlation with ports of the Roman Empire in the red sea region. In this paper, the role of currencies for local commerce and cross-regional trade will be examined by comparing the circulation of currencies and their application in different regions along the Silk Road.

BETWEEN SEDENTISM AND NOMADISM: LIFEWAYS ON THE FOREST-STEPPE FRONTIER OF THE LEFT BANK OF DNIEPER IN SCYTHIAN TIME

The paper is devoted to the issue of reconstruction of the lifeways and economics of the part of tribes in the forest-steppe region of the Left Bank of Dnieper during the Scythian period. The question of the role of nomads and semi nomads in the ethnic and cultural history of the population is one of the most important, since the correct assessment of the interaction between the forest-steppe agricultural population and the different groups of nomads depends on the reconstruction of ethnic processes in the Left-bank forest-steppe du­ring Scythian time. It can be assumed that the Dnieper Left-bank forest-steppe by its environment and convenient ways attracted both farmers and nomads. This led to the use of several ecological niches, which was reflected in the spread of the settlement structure of farmers in the areas that are most suitable for agriculture (chernozem soils of various types) and rich in resources for life, construction, etc. (access to water, forest areas). The nomadic population that has subjugated farmers has repeatedly penetrated the region several times. Nomads mostly used the steppe areas and floodplains of the region, leaving behind the main type of sites — the mounds, burial rites of which are fundamentally different from the settled agricultural population.
 The study proposes the conditional use of the term «nomads» for groups of mobile pastoralists only at the time of their penetration into the region. In the new conditions, their lifeways significantly changed. The term reflects a transition to mobile stockbreeding within a limited territory of movement, permanent winter houses near the settlements and hillforts of the settled population of the region, prevailing transhumance, etc. At the moment, the term «semi nomads» is the most adequate for those groups of mobile pastoralists who remained in the forest-steppe region of the Left Bank of Dnieper during the Scythian time. Judging by the flat necropolis in Barvinkova Gora tract near Bilsk hillfort, a part of the migrants from the south turned to a sedentary way of life in the 4th century BC. In general, it can be assumed that the migration of nomads into the region significantly impacted lifeways of the local sedentary population.

Sacred objects from the sites of the Sargatka Culture in the context of interaction of the forest-steppe population with the nomads of the Ural-Kazakh steppes

The paper concerns the stone altars, clay dishes, and censers from the sites of the Sargatka Culture of the Early Iron Age. Analysis of their morphological features is carried out, as well as of the dynamics of changes in the forms, the context of their deposition in burials, and specifics of their use. As the result, the reasons for the appearance of these products in the forest-steppe zone of the Tobol-Irtysh and Baraba areas (Western Siberia) are clarified and their subsequent distribution in the given region is traced. Stone altars of types I, II, and IV started appearing in the 5th–4th cc. BC in the Irtysh Basin and Baraba regions as a consequence of the Saka mi-gration. Transformation of the religious and mythological views of the Sargatka population, as a result of the inter-actions of the Tobol-Irtysh communities with the nomads of the Ural-Kazakhstan steppes, led to the appearance of new rituals requiring small stone altars for their performance, due to which there was a growing demand for these products among local communities. However, by the 4th c. BC the production of altars in the Kazakhstan center ceased due to the decline of the Early Saka Culture. From this time, the population of the Sargatka Culture began making local copies of small type I altars from stone, although their production in the Sargatka area was difficult due to the lack of sandstone outcrops, which facilitated the use of more accessible material — clay, as reflected in the appearance of clay dishes of types III–V in the territory of the Baraba and Irtysh Basin. Connection between the local and imported products is indicated by the traces of their similar use. From the 3rd c. BC, scarce altars of type I could make their way into the Sargatka context as a result of close contacts with the population of the Upper Ob Basin, among whom these objects were widespread up until the 3rd–2nd cc. BC. The appearance of type III stone altars and type VI clay dishes in the complexes of the Sargatka Culture of the Tobol and Irtysh Ba-sins in the 5th–4th and 4th–3rd cc. BC might have been caused by the migration of a small group of nomads of the Southern Urals, or by close contacts with the population of the Gorokhovo Culture. Type V altars also were bor-rowed from the bearers of the Gorokhovo Culture. Their appearance may indicate the process of assimilation of the newly arrived Sargatka population in the Tobol Basin. In the 4th c. BC, clay dishes of type I appeared in the Irtysh Basin. From the 3rd c. BC, as a result of the intensification of contacts between the local population and nomads of the Sarmatian origin, these products became more widespread, while ceramic censers and clay dishes of type II also appeared.

Arterial hypertension and its covariates among nomadic Raute hunter-gatherers of Western Nepal: a mixed-method study

ObjectivesTo determine the prevalence of, and understand the factors associated with, hypertension among the nomadic Raute hunter-gatherers of Western Nepal.DesignA mixed-method study.SettingThe study was carried out at Raute temporary campsites...

Subsistence and animal management at Iron Age sites of Quanshuigou and Dumuduebudege in western Xinjiang, China

AbstractXinjiang sits in the northwesternmost part of China and played an active role in facilitating the flow of technologies, cultivars, and livestock long before the Silk Road. While mixed pastoralism was developed in neighboring Central Asia, the local lifeways in Xinjiang, as well as the possible interactions in‐between these regions, have still not been fully understood. Here, we conduct zooarchaeological analyses at two Iron Age sites of Quanshuigou and Dumuduebudege in western Xinjiang, to clarify the local subsistence and animal management strategies. Our results reveal that sheep/goats were the most exploited animals in this region, followed by horses and cattle in the managed herd. Apart from meat and marrow, renewable secondary products such as wool and milk might also be used, suggesting an intensive livestock exploitation managed by the local pastoral communities. Such mixed pastoralism not only continues throughout the Iron Age but also is visible today in Xinjiang, demonstrating its profound and lasting influence for nomadic groups in this region.

The Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir and their changing marriage rituals

The Bakarwals of Jammu and Kashmir are a nomadic pastoral group, notified as a Scheduled Tribe (ST), under the Jammu and Kashmir Scheduled Tribes Act, 1991. Ensuing from ethnographic fieldwork conducted with the Bakarwals in the Jammu and Kashmir region, this paper argues that the traditional marriage practices of the Bakarwals have transformed in the contemporary times with respect to the various processes associated with globalization and the increasing access to the new facilities of mobility. The cultural transactions resulting as a part of liberalization and globalization have led the Bakarwals to associate with modern traditions, rituals and customs, which are essentially non-Bakarwal patterns of life. This paper highlights the new patterns and meanings adopted by the Bakarwals of Kashmir as a mode of their new existence. The exposure to new variants of contemporary culture and shrinking pastures have made many Bakarwals to give up their traditional occupation of rearing livestock —an occupation once seen as sacred. Many of the Bakarwals have started practising agricultural farming, while few have started working as labourers and others have started taking “modern” occupations like driving. In marriages too, the Bakarwals are seen to follow the traditions and rituals followed by the non-Bakarwal groups. The Bakarwals used to have their own traditions, customs and rituals in marriages which were not seen in other non-Bakarwal groups. However, in contemporary times, the Bakarwals are avoiding these ancestral traditions, rituals and customs. This paper is an attempt to document the changes in the marriage practices and rituals, which were once cherished by the Bakarwals but now seem on the verge of extinction.

Хотоны Калмыцкого ханства XVIII в.

Introduction. The article analyzes a little–studied problem in historiography – khotons (nomadic settlements) the Kalmyk Khanate of the XVIII century, which at the same time were the smallest administrative units. Materials and methods. The study is based on an extensive set of archival materials, primarily clerical correspondence, which somehow deposited information about the khotons of the Kalmyk Khanate of the XVIII century, the number of people in them, the degree of kinship, etc. Historical-genetic, comparative-historical, functional and descriptive methods were used in the analysis of source and bibliographic material and in writing the text of the article. Analysis. The analysis showed that a significant part of khotons consisted of 10-15 kibits (families), which were connected with each other by kinship relations, including those who were at different levels of kinship relations. However, archival documents show that in the 18th century, in addition to ordinary khotons consisting of related families, nomadic settlements began to appear in the Kalmyk Khanate, consisting of families or individuals not related by kinship and even belonging to different sub-ethnic groups. Sometimes, for various reasons, several khotons could unite and form a separate group of several dozens of kibits, and in some cases, due to extraordinary circumstances, they could form groups even of several hundred kibits, though for a short period. In addition to the official authorities, khotons and other nomadic groups of khoton type had their own internal public self-government built on the life experience and authority of their managers. Results. Thus, it can be concluded that in the socially stratified Kalmyk society of the XVIII century tribal relations began to deform under the influence of the prevailing circumstances.