Kama Region Research Articles

Palaeoenvironment of the Upper Kama Region during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene (Novozhilovo Lake Sediments Case Study)

Palaeoenvironment of the Upper Kama Region during the Late Glacial and Early Holocene (Novozhilovo Lake Sediments Case Study)

Contact zone of European (Meles meles Linnaeus, 1758) and Asian (M. leucurus Hodgson, 1847) badgers (Mustelidae, Mammalia) in the rightand left-bank districts of the Saratov region

DNA studies of badgers (Meles sp.) from the right-bank and left-bank areas of the Volga river in the Saratov region are described. Asian badgers (Meles leucurus Hodgson, 1847) inhabit the Left Volga Bank of the Saratov region, while European badgers (M. meles Linnaeus, 1758) inhabit the Right Volga Bank districts of the region, but Asian badgers were found in Khvalynsky district of the Saratov region, besides the European badger. Despite a sufficient number of publications devoted to the Asiatic badger distribution in the Vyatka–Kama region and the Volga region, and studies devoted to the development of systematics of the genus Meles in Russia, the question of the boundaries of the ranges of European and Asiatic badgers and the zones of their sympatry (parapatry) in the Volga–Kama region has not been fully investigated to date. Our work is devoted to the study of this question. As a result of analyzing the biological material collected by us, it was found that all five studied individuals of badgers from the Saratov Volga region phenotypically looked like Asian badgers, but our DNA analysis showed that only two of them were M. leucurus, whilst three ones were heterozygous individuals carrying genes from both species and were identified as hybrids. The remaining 29 individuals were captured in the right-bank areas of the region. Badgers were sampled from individuals from the northern to southern borders of the region in areas located along the Volga river on the Volga upland and in the Oka–Don plain. Of these, one individual from Khvalynsky district turned out to be an Asian badger, one individual from Krasnoarmeysky district was a hybrid of the two named species, and three individuals, one from Tatishchevsky, the second from Volsky and the third from Khvalynsky districts showed introgression of Asian badger genes into the genotype of the European badger. Thus, we have managed to find out that at this stage of development of the phase of the climatic cycle in the Lower Volga region, characterized by warming winters, the Volga river, with its two reservoirs within the Saratov region, is not an absolute zoogeographical boundary, and badgers, whose species are characterized by winter sleep, can in certain conditions overcome, most likely on ice, both the river itself and the lake parts of the Volgograd and Saratov reservoirs. According to the revealed introgression in some individuals from different areas on the Volga upland of the right bank of the Saratov region, it can be assumed that such traveling across the Volga river took place earlier, possibly before its flow was regulated by dams.

Житие святого Трифона Вятского как исторический источник сведений о Перми Великой XVI-XVII веков

The article deals with the works of researchers, whose sphere of interest is the biography of the Russian saint, the Monk Tryphon of Vyatka – a monk of the Pyskor Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery, a hermit, the founder of the Dormition Monastery on the Chusovaya River and three monasteries on the Vyatka River. Special attention is paid to the analysis and interpretation of the peculiarities of ethnic history and migration processes that took place in the territory of the Kama region in the 1617th centuries with hagiographic works about Trifon of Vyatka, among which the leading place is occupied by the hagiography of the saint, written by an unknown monk of the Vyatka Trifon Monastery. Based on the saint's hagiography and other written sources, the authors describe his enlightenment activities in the Perm fiefdoms of the Stroganov salt producers, and trace Tryphon's desire to fulfil the ideal of a Godpleasing existence through his enlightenment pilgrimage in the Perm lands. The obtained results of the study of the texts of the hagiography of Tryphon of Vyatka may be of interest in the study, analysis and comparison of various historical stages of the formation of Perm the Great within the Russian state.

Limits of doctrinal identification of a religious group – the сase of two religious communities in the Kama region

The article aims at the identification of new religious groups with a specific focus on local religious communities. Various sources were utilized in the research, including audio recordings of seminars held within one of the groups, interviews, participant observations, photographs, personal correspondence with former members, and sacred literature. The primary objective of the study was to determine the group’s place within the established classification of religions. The analysis revealed that relying solely on self-identity and cult practices is inadequate for establishing the religious identity of the community. To address this, the author opted to analyze the doctrines of the groups as the basis for identification. The most stable and frequently mentioned categories were selected for consideration. The findings indicated that while the groups claimed affiliation with the Christian tradition, this association was formal and limited to traditional imagery and narratives. Both teachings examined contained a significant number of elements borrowed from other religions, particularly in terminological aspects. Additionally, they extensively employed mythological principles to describe the world and acknowledged the use of magical practices. The incorporation of non-religious techniques and forms of activity, along with secular terminology and popular scientific data, led the author to conclude that these groups cannot be defined as religious solely. Instead, they occupy a liminal position in the social space and represent a new model of people’s consolidation.

Properties of psammozems of the Kama terraces above the floodplain and assessment of their sustainability to pollution by Cu and Cd

Pine forests growing on psammozems, found on sandy Kama terraces above the floodplain within the territory of Perm, encompass roughly 2 thousand hectares. The study was conducted on psammozems under the influence of advancing pollution caused by heavy metals, highlighting the significance of soil’s buffering capacity in preserving the ecosystem’s stability. It is of great interest to investigate the morphogenetic properties of psammozems and evaluate the risks linked to the accumulation of Cu and Cd in these soils through the analysis of changes in soil enzyme activity (catalase, urease, and invertase) and the occurrence of phytotoxicity. The psammozems found in the Kama region originated from periglacial sandy alluvium, which was deposited during glacial melting in the Mesozoic era. The variety of humus psammozems includes typical, podzolized, illuvial-ferruginous, and pseudofibrous subtypes. These soils are highly acidic, have a very low absorption capacity, low base saturation, and reduced activity of soil enzymes. The contents of Cu, Cd, Zn, and Pb in psammozems are notably lower compared to the regional soil clarks; however, in the underdeveloped humus horizons, the concentrations of these metals are slightly higher than in soil-forming sands. The experiment was conducted to determine the ecotoxicological load, where mixed soil samples from a 0–20 cm layer of humus psammozems were treated with solutions containing copper acetate and cadmium acetate. The application of solutions was done individually, with Cu and Cd ranging from 2.5 to 250 mg/kg of soil. Upon introducing Cu and Cd into the soil at the rate of 2.5–10 mg/kg, a decrease in invertase activity, deterioration of the physiological and biochemical parameters of the test crop (Lepidium sativum L.), along with the inhibition of Cd catalase activity, were observed.

Results of petrographic analysis of stone assemblage from the Kosa Mesolithic sites (Northern Kama region)

In this paper, the results of petrographic analysis of stone materials from the Mesolithic sites of Kosa 1–3 in the northern Kama River area (Perm Region) are discussed. The sites of Kosa 1 and 2 are located on the second terraces of the Lolog and Kosa Rivers, and Kosa 3 — on the first terrace of the Kosa River. Kosa 1 and 2 are considered chronologically similar and belong to the Late Mesolithic period. The site of Kosa 3 is younger, and it marks the transition from the Mesolithic to the Neolithic. For the analysis, aimed at determining the ancient raw material strategies, selected were five stone artifacts from Kosa 1, five stone artifacts from Kosa 2, and eight samples from Kosa 3. Polarised microscopy was used for the petrographic study of stones in thin sections. This method allows the precise diagnosis of minerals and rocks based on their optical characteristics. The results indi-cate that flint and jasper were applied as main raw materials at all analysed sites. The choice of material for the stone industry at the sites was limited. Sandstone and siltstone were used for production of stone macro tools. The difference in raw source materials was determined for the Kosa 1 and Kosa 2 sites on one hand, and Kosa 3 on another — the main raw sources at the Mesolithic sites were flint and jasper, while at the Kosa 3 transitional site coloured pebbly flint was used. The comparison of the results with petrographic data from other Mesolithic sites of this region demonstrates similarity in the main principles of the strategy of raw source choices such as using flint and jasper. Furthermore, a larger variety of source raw materials has been determined for the sites of the Middle Kama River basin. The comparison with the results from the Late Stone Age sites also revealed a greater variety in the materials used in comparison with the Kosinsk sites (platy flints, cherts, tuffs, gabbro, and others). All raw materials were of local origin such as alluvial deposits of the Lolog and Kosa Rivers. The results of the petrographic analysis suggest the situational choice of materials for the manufacture of tools by the local population, with the main factor being their easy accessibility.

Минералого-геохимический анализ металлических украшений погребения № 59 Кокпомъягского могильника вымской культуры перми вычегодской* XI—XIV вв.

The article is devoted to the archaeological and mineralogical analysis of metal products from burial No. 59 from the Kokpomyag burial ground of the Vym culture in Vychegda Permian, dating from the mid-12th to the first half of the 13th century. The chronological framework of the burial is determined, a description of the grave goods is given, and imported silver jewelry from the Perm Kama region and Volga Bulgaria is found. Using analytical SEM, 13 artifacts of copper, bronze, brass and silver composition, the phase and chemical composition of the objects have been studied in detail. The results of the research indicate that Perm foundry workers from Vychegda possessed not only the technology of bronze foundry production, but also silver jewelry making.

New anthropomorphic figurines from the forest-steppe Trans-Urals

Two villagers from the Kunashak region of Chelyabinsk oblast donated the State Historical Museum of the Southern Urals (Chelyabinsk) two anthropomorphic figurines. They were found near Karino Village, Kunashakskiy District, on the right bank of the Sinara River. Besides, there is another anthropomorphic figurine probably originating from this area. The exact location of it discovery is not known. All three figurines were cast by an ancient master using the same model, but different sand-clay (earthen) molds. The model was a standing male warrior. A quiver hangs on his belt. The man’s legs are spread wide, his arms are spread and down. A long, slightly curved object extends upward from the warrior’s right shoulder. A bird sits on the left shoulder. After casting, the figurines were not further processed. The properties of the molds material and the metal determined the differences in the details of the figurines. The figurines from Karino are closest to the anthropomorphic figurines from the Sapogovskiy treasure, Elevator Village and the outskirts of Dalmatovo. The authors of the article combine them into the Sapogovskiy type of anthropomorphic metal-plastic art of the forest-steppe Trans-Urals. The anthropomorphic figurines of the Sapogovskiy type were compared with anthropomorphic metal-plastics of the second half of the first millennium BC from the neighboring regions (Middle and Lower Ob region, Kama region, Middle Volga region) and show their outstanding authenticity. The anthropomorphs of the Sapogovskiy type also differ from the anthropomorphs of the Itkul culture of the Trans-Urals. The research analyses the locations of the anthropomorphic figurines finds. It concludes that the warrior figurine from Elevator village is an isolated find that is in no way connected with the Sapogovskiy treasure. All figurines of the Sapogovskiy type were found in the area of the Gorokhov archaeological culture. All of them were created by bearers of the Gorokhov archaeological culture. The figurines represent various strata of the Gorokhovsky society. These figurines bear the peculiarities of the worldview of the Gorokhovskaya population. These peculiarities are determined by the genesis of the Gorokhov culture and the mixed Ugro-Iranian roots of its bearers.

ВЛИЯНИЕ ОТДЕЛЬНЫХ ЭЛЕМЕНТОВ ТЕХНОЛОГИИ ВОЗДЕЛЫВАНИЯ КАРТОФЕЛЯ СОРТА ГАЛА НА УРОЖАЙНОСТЬ КЛУБНЕЙ В УСЛОВИЯХ ЗАКАМЬЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАТАРСТАН

An assessment of the impact of various areas and food conditions on potato yields in the Kama region of the Republic of Tatarstan has been carried out. It was found that on leached chernozems, as the number of tubers planted on different nutrient backgrounds increased from 30 to 60 thousand pieces/ha, the yield of potato tubers of the Gala variety increased on average over 2 years from 25.2 to 29.2 t/ha in the control, against the background of the use of fertilizers from 31.0-34.8 and 32.4-38.7 tons/ha . However, the maximum yield minus the weight of the planting material of 25.2...31.1 and 35.1 t/ha had a clear, pronounced maximum at a certain optimal planting rate of 50 thousand tubers/ha. The effect of the nutrition background on the number of stems of one bush was insignificant, however, in terms of unit area, the number of stems against the background of N60P60K90 with a planting density of 50 thousand tubers exceeded the control (without fertilizers) by 3.41 thousand pieces, and against the background of N60P60K90 - by 100 thousand pieces. + When applying 60 tons of manure, this difference amounted to 4.38 thousand pieces, which ultimately affected the formation of the tuber harvest. The largest assimilation surface – 44.6...46.7 thousand m2/ha was noted in the fertilized variants of the experiment with a planting density of 60 thousand tubers per 1 ha. The excess compared to the control was 6.3...8.4 thousand m2/ha. The use of fertilizers in potato cultivation led to a slight decrease in the starch content in tubers by 1.4...2.1% with a planting density of 50 thousand tubers per 1 hectare. As the planting density increased, regardless of the nutritional background, the starch content increased by 1.1% on the control and by 0.8...0.9% on the fertilized backgrounds.

Perceptive area and coordinating management in inter-refessional relations

This paper reveals the perceptual field of interfaith contacts, its content, functions, forms, scope. The relationship between traditional and non-traditional religious communities is empirically verified at different depths of church formation. The field work, which served as the basis for further generalization, was carried out in Moscow, the Kama region, Bashkortostan on a sample of about 3,000 believers. Among the studied confessional groups there are Orthodoxy, Islam, Finno-Ugric paganism, Jehovah's Witnesses, Adventists, Pentecostals, Vaishnavs (Hare Krishnas). The methodological position is grouped through a compilation of Kant's transcendental, socio-cultural and structural approaches, dialectics, cultural anthropology and social phenomenology. The study was conducted by means of included observation, with full immersion in the everyday life of the studied confessional groups, as well as the use of semantic, projective, and survey methods. Thus, the paper analyzes the specifics of social attitudes at the emotional, cognitive and behavioral levels, as well as the semantic fullness of perceptual images. Moreover, it also illustrates the specifics of reactions in conflict situations and touches upon the problems connected with revealing the discourse on the potential danger and real threat in the confessional sphere of public relations, the impossibility of abandoning these processes in the sphere of free and uncontrolled pluralism, the need for state mediation. Finally, the research discusses the means of containing interreligious antagonisms.

The mouse, the snake, and the devil’s collar: Soviet symbols in the memory of Old Believers of the Upper Kama region

The Soviet project of creating the “new man” included the construction of a collective memory which was not only a legitimate version of the past, but also a repository of cultural values, and the background or space for celebrating Communist rituals. The project itself was rather uniform, but had multiple local incarnations that were determined mostly by the ethnic and religious identity of the local population. The Old Believers’ communities of the Russian North shared with the rest of the country symbols of the past, sites of memory, and commemorative rituals. Still, local perceptions of the Communist regime and its symbols depended in this milieu on a variety of factors: first, the high literacy rate of the deeply religious Old Believers, as well as their erudite knowledge of Christian, and specifically Old Russian literature; second, the very critical attitude toward Soviet power; and third, local beliefs. This article analyzes the process of adaptation of the Communist project to Old Believers’ persistent religious and cultural traditions and seeks to explain how Communist symbols symbiotically coexisted with hostile local attitudes and why they even survived the collapse of the regime. Mutual adjustment of the imposed Communist project and the local symbolic language took many decades, yet finally, by the end of the Soviet era, when three or four generations had seen no other reality than that they were surrounded by, the strong rejection of this reality was smoothed out, everyday tensions mostly disappeared, and the earlier alienation itself became part of collective memory on both family and community levels. The article is based on interviews with Old Believers of the Upper Kama region (Verkhokamie), conducted by the author in 2011 and 2013.

ОЦЕНКА МОРФОМЕТРИЧЕСКИХ ПАРАМЕТРОВ ОЗЕР БОЛОТНЫХ КОТЛОВИН СЕВЕРА ПЕРМСКОГО ПРИКАМЬЯ

The lakes of bog depressions in the north of the Perm Kama region are relatively inaccessible and insufficientlystudied. The interest in studying these lakes is due to the relict character of their formation in the bowls of glacial lakes as well as themodern climatic instability. On the basis of direct field studies (bathymetric surveys in 2021 and 2023) and remote sensing data processing, we studied 12 lakes of bog depressions. This paper is the first to provide a calculation of a set of morphometric data of thewater bodies: length, maximum and average width, area, extent, shoreline sinuosity coefficient and others. For lakes Adovo,Chelvinskoye and Nyukhti, the maximum and average depths and the total volume of the water body were also determined. It is notedthat the pronounced climatic features of 2023 (hot and dry year) could lead to a noticeable decrease in water level, especially in LakeNyukhti. In this case, the obtained values of the water body depths and volume are reduced relative to the norm. It was also found thatin the data of the State Water Register, used as reference, the water area for Lake Bolshoi Kumikush is significantly underestimated(by 3.2%), while for lakes Chusovskoye and Tundra – significantly overestimated (by 22.2% and 34.2%, respectively). The study hasestablished the place of the water bodies in question in the rows of lake classification by area, depths, elongation index, and the shorelinesinuosity.

The Kungur and the Ufa Tatar Women in Illustrations by G. F. Müller and Texts by I. G. Gmelin: Tatar Women’s Costumes of the Kama Region and the Urals in the Eighteenth Century

The Kungur and the Ufa Tatar Women in Illustrations by G. F. Müller and Texts by I. G. Gmelin: Tatar Women’s Costumes of the Kama Region and the Urals in the Eighteenth Century

Становление татаро-мусульманской общ­ности в Икско-Бельском междуречье в XIII–XIV веках

To identify and define a complex of historical, archaeological and linguistic materials representing information about the population of the Ik-Belaya interfluve in the 13th–14th centuries. Research materials: The article uses materials of archaeological research, as well as written and epigraphic sources from the territory of the Ik-Belaya interfluve of the 13th–14th centuries. Novelty and results of the study: During the period of the Golden Horde (Ulus of Jochi), the agricultural and Muslim population from the Bulgarian ulus began to actively penetrate into the territory of the Ik-Belaya interfluve (Agidel-yurt) while the steppe zone was inhabited by a nomadic population. Earlier, only the Tatar military aristocracy penetrated into the Bulgarian ulus, but nomadic tribes did not do so. Later, the border between the settled agricultural and nomadic populations became dynamic due to the crisis in the Late Golden Horde period. The northern part of the Eastern Kama region remained exclusively developed by the Muslim agricultural population which later became the basis for the formation of the Tatar people.

New/Old Idea of Man in Urban Religious Communities of a New Type

The purpose of the article is to establish the specificities of the formation of ideas about a person within the framework of the activities of the new urban religious communities of the Kama region, namely the Intercession Monastery and the Family of God. These communities combine features of folk religiosity, new religious movements, and the so-called historical sects. Such eclecticism makes it impossible to apply to the communities the established research apparatus for new religious movements (NRMs), formed by Western (B. Wilson, D. Stone, A. Barker) and Russian (L. N. Mitrokhin, E. A. Balagushkin, I. Kanterov and others) researchers and substantiates the need for this study conducted from both a different perspective and involving new research methodology. Both communities act as a closed community, which is expressed in the territorial and communication isolation of the residents of the communal estate, the practice of internal labor duties, and the idea of the group as a family. The study is based on interviews and correspondence with former members of both communities, analysis of materials from a closed group on a social network, and recordings of classes conducted by one of the group leaders. The theoretical basis of the work was K. Dobellard’s concept of the so-called patchwork religiosity, characteristic of an individual’s attitude towards religion in modern culture. The image of a person in both communities is constructed at two levels: through making changes to the traditional Christian idea of a person and at the level of religious and near-religious activities. It has been shown that innovations related to faith include the idea of a special status of community members compared to other people, as well as provisions about their special role in the struggle to save the world. The religious activities of the groups involve conducting adjusted Christian rituals (baptism, wedding), elements of mystical experience (mental struggle with evil and enemies in the Intercession Monastery), training seminars and sermons justifying the special role of followers of the teaching in society. Social interaction within communities is built on a strict selection of monks, leader control over the behavior of group members, a system of specific penalties, including ignoring offenders, public repentance, burial alive and expulsion from the brotherhood. The study concludes that the so-called new religious movements are in reality examples of traditional religious sects observed in Russia over the centuries. Their values, behavior, and the image of the person are archaic, however they also include additional external elements of secular culture.

Place where neonaticide was committed as a feature of the objective side of the crime

Is devoted to the study of the place of the murder by the mother of a newborn child as a feature of the objective side of the crime. The paper provides a detailed analysis of the crime scene from the legal, criminological and geographical points of view. Consider separately the place of birth of the child, the place of the murder of the newborn, the places of burial and the discovery of the body of the neonate. Text analysis of court decisions in criminal cases incriminated under Article 106 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation is used as the main method of scientific research. Statistical and geographical methods contribute to study the data on crimes under Article 106 of the Criminal Code, as well as comparative-legal method is used in the study of the act from a criminal law point of view. Conclude that most frequent cases of newborns murder are committed by mothers in regions of Russia with high population density - most often in Central Russia, the North Caucasus, the Volga region, the Kama region and Southern Siberia. In almost half of the cases, this crime is committed in rural settlements. The research shows certain consistency between the high number of committed crimes related to the murder of a newborn child by a mother, the level of income of the population and the level of socio-economic development of the regions. Most often, the place of committing the above acts is a dwelling (house, apartment and bathrooms in them), about 1/4 of the crimes are committed in the yard and/or outbuildings located in it. The authors distinguish separately the places where the bodies of murdered neonates are found, since the place of the crime and the place where the corpse of an infant is found differ due to the desire of recently delivered women to conceal the fact of murdering. Apart from the house, the most common places a newborn corpse is found are garbage dumps, containers and garbage cans, as well as pit latrines and abandoned places in the street.

The History of medieval Bashkirs in the ethnogenetic discourse of R.G. Kuzeev

The ethnogenetic concept of R.G. Kuzeev, according to which the Belebeevo-Bugulma upland from the end of the 1st millennium A.D. is the territory of the formation of the Bashkir people, has established itself in historiography, and for several decades various researchers and publicists rely on it in their research. However, its main provisions are not verified. Sources of the 10th–15th centuries do not connect medieval Bashkirs (“bashgart”, “baskart”, “paskatir”) with the territory of the Belebeevo-Bugulma upland, and the sources of the 16th century localize the Bashkirs (“Bashkird”, “Bashkirs”) in the Perm Kama region. The composition and localization of the ethno-tribal divisions of the medieval Bashkirs were established by R.G. Kuzeev on the basis of data from sources of the 18th–19th centuries. But this extrapolation was carried out without taking into account the significant ethno-social changes that occurred in the 17th–18th centuries. Therefore, it is obvious that the concept of R.G. Kuzeev does not stand up to scientific criticism, and the ideas about the ethnogenesis of the medieval Bashkirs that have developed on its basis need to be substantially corrected.
 For citation: Aksanov A.V. The History of medieval Bashkirs in the ethnogenetic discourse of R.G. Kuzeev. From History and Culture of Peoples of the Middle Volga Region. 2023, vol.13, no.3, pp.167–178. https://doi.org/10.22378/2410-0765.2023-13-3.167-178 (In Russian)

МИНЕРАЛЬНОЕ ПИТАНИЕ ЯРОВОЙ ПШЕНИЦЫ ПРИ РАЗЛИЧНЫХ НОРМАХ ВЫСЕВА НА СЕРЫХ ЛЕСНЫХ ПОЧВАХ ПРЕДКАМЬЯ РЕСПУБЛИКИ ТАТАРСТАН

The article summarizes the results of experiments on the study and development of methods for optimizing mineral nutrition for spring wheat on the soils of the Kama region of the Republic of Tatarstan at different seeding rates in order to increase the yield and quality of grain. Field research was carried out in 2022 on the territory of Agrobiotechnopark LLC of Kazan State Agrarian University, located in the Pre-Kama zone of the Republic of Tatarstan. The object of the study was spring wheat of the Yoldyz variety, cultivated in conditions of gray forest soil. For the experiment, a soil of gray forest heavy loam was selected, containing 3.0 (according to Tyurin) units of humus, 176 mg of mobile phosphorus, 109 mg/kg of exchangeable potassium (according to Kirsanov) and 27.3 bases per 100 g of soil in a layer of 0-20 cm. The saturation of the bases was 87.7%, and the pH of the salt extract solution was 5.6. For the experiment, a series of four seeding rates was applied - 4, 5, 6, and 7 million seeds per hectare for each nutrient background. Several plots with different nutrient backgrounds and consistent seeding rates were randomly located. The total area of the plots was 60 m2, and the accounting area was 50 m2. Scheme of the experiment: I background - without fertilizers (control); II background - calculated background for the planned grain yield of 3 tons / ha; III background - calculated background for the planned grain yield of 4 tons/ha. The optimal seeding rate was 5 million/ha for the fertilized variety and 4 million/ha for the natural variety and led to an increase in yield by 1060-1200 kg per hectare compared to the control. With a seeding rate of 6 million/ha on the II and III nutrient background, the gluten content increased by 1.8% compared to the natural background.

Stone Decorations from the Chalcolithic Sites of the Upper and Middle Kama Region (an attempt at complex analysis)

The purpose of the article was a comprehensive study of stone decorations from the Chalcolithic sites of the region. The authors used petrographic description, typological and use-wear analysis. The authors examined 40 items from 6 archaeological sites located in the Upper (2) and Middle (4) Kama region. The jewelry was made of serpentinite of varying degrees of hardness. Serpentinite could originate from the Saranovsky and Moivinsky deposits in the Perm region. The shape of the products was divided into 5 groups, among which the leading ones were oval and teardrop-shaped. Most of the jewelry had a single through hole, which was more often located in the upper part of the product and was drilled on one side. The use-wear analysis made it possible to identify traces from the manufacture of jewelry, traces from use and traces that appeared as a result of the archeologization of objects. Most products were treated as patches on clothing. The shape and quality of jewelry could depend on both the hardness of the raw materials and the skills of the master. They don't create standard groups. The closest analogies can be found in the ornaments studied at the Ust-Kama burial grounds. The population that left these burial grounds could take part in the formation of the Chalcolithic cultures of the Kama forest.

Burial Rite of the Shchukinsky Burial Ground of the Lomovatovo Archaeological Culture

The Shchukino burial ground is located 300 m west of the village of Shchukino, Afanasyevsky district, Kirov region, on a small cape 14 m high on the right bank of the river. Kama. The site was discovered and studied by V.A. Kananin in 1977. A total of 82 burials were studied. The Shchukino burial ground is of interest due to the variety of types of burial rites. At the site, the burials were made according to the rite of cremation and inhumation. There are grave pits without structural features and there are pits with niches, shoulders and ledges. Shoulders and ledges are recorded in burials of the 9th century. In some of them, fragments of wooden flooring have been preserved; probably, the buried person was laid on the floor and covered with earth from above. Based on the analysis of grave goods, the author of the article singled out 5 chronological groups. The presence on the monument of two burials of the 6th century was refuted. Early materials are represented only by belt buckles. The dating of the burial ground should be narrowed down and the time of its functioning of the 7th –9th centuries should be indicated. Late burials survived in the greatest number (the monument was destroyed by natural factors). The author of the article made an assumption that two different cultural traditions existed in the region at the same time based on the clarification of the dating of the monument and the allocation of chronological groups. The burial rite of the Shchukino burial ground is similar to the rite at Averiny II, Agafonova I and II. The burial rite of the Shchukino burial ground differs in a number of ways (the design of the pits, the method of burial, filling the layer of pits, etc.) from the synchronous burial grounds of the Upper Kama region – Pleso, Demenkovsky, Kaneva, Urya.