Tasmola Culture Research Articles

M. K. Kadyrbaev’s Archive as a Source for Studying the Stone Monuments of Kazakhstan

The article describes the unpublished archives collected by M. K. Kadyrbaev from his field work in Central Kazakhstan in 1955–1979. It provides information on eight stone statues and structures. The authors attributed and dated them in line with the contemporary rules of archeology. One of the statues appeared to belong to the Saka period of the Tasmola culture. Another monument had no obvious analogies but, possibly, was part of a Qipcaq sanctuary. The authors also touched upon some challenging or debatable issues raised by M. K. Kadyrbaev and other expedition members, e.g., the validity of correlating statues without sings of sex with images of women; the secret Polovtsian sanctuary, which have to be studied in the context of similar Qipcaq sites, etc.

Кинжал иссыкского типа из Темирши, Центральный Казахстан: результаты металлографического, химического и трасологического анализов

One of the most widespread types of weaponry of the Scythian-Saka period in Eurasia are daggers with a pommel in the form of opposing griffin heads. D. Topal recently combined this type of weapons into a special group of “Issyk-type akinakes” (2021), which includes a specimen found near MountTemirshi in Central Kazakhstan. The date of the dagger is the second half of the 6th — the first half of the 5th centuries BC. Special studies showed that the dagger from Temirshi was made from a piece of iron by forging when heated to a temperature of 700—750 °C. The final short-term annealing took place at a temperature not exceeding 900 °C. Such operations as cutting and bending the neck of griffins, preparing the shape of the hilt and guard, were carried out after the metal had cooled. When making relief details on the hilt, guard and head of the griffin, the ancient master used a variety of cutting and grinding tools. Master’s skill at iron-working, as well as some features of his tools show a high level of blacksmithing among the population of the Tasmola culture of Central Kazakhstan.

TASMOLA CULTURE: THE FIRST RESULTS OF THE STUDY OF THE COMPOSITION OF PAINTS ON THE OBJECTS FROM BARROWS

In a modern study of the issues of Tasmola culture the settlement materials made it possible to begin the developing aspects of population economic activity. The work with materials from the settlements showed the need for a new approach concerning the barrow finds. Among them the grave goods with remains of paint have survived. In the previous period the use of paints among the Tasmola population did not become the subject of special studies.
 In 2013—2015 three burials were excavated on the territory of the Karaganda region: barrows 3 and 7 in the Baike 2 burial ground and barrow 4 in the Kiziltu 3 burial ground. All burials have been looted in antiquity. A bone hairpin was found in barrow 3 of the Baike 2 burial ground, a bone case was found in barrow 7, and a small stone altar was preserved in barrow 4 of the Kiziltu 4 burial ground. There are red paint residues on the side ledge and the top of the hairpin. Figures of 16 animals are carved on the surface of the bone case. The composition is made in the Saka animal style and painted with red and green paint. The oval stone altar has four legs. On the back side of this object, between the legs, remains of yellow-red paint have survived.
 According to the results of chemical (elemental) analysis these paints were obtained from mercury sulfide or cinnabar as well as ocher and malachite. The barrows belong to the early Saka period and date back to the 7th—6th centuries BC. The discovered burial mounds are made of earth and stone. The diameters of the mounds are 8.5—12.5 m, the height is 0.35—0.4 m. These mounds are undoubtedly the burial places of the ordinary population and are not related to aristocrats. The authors believe that these are the female burials. All these minerals were found in the depths of Kazakhstan and there is reason to believe that these paints were made locally. Paints from ocher, cinnabar and malachite have been known in different parts of the world since ancient times. The available materials show that starting from the early Saka period these paints were widespread among the population of Kazakhstan and the Sayan-Altai.

Barrow of the Early Saka Time Ulkensor

In 2020 on the shore of Lake Ulkensor (in the Burabay district of the Akmola region) a single barrow was discovered and then studied, there was a burial of the early Saka time. This paper presents an analysis of the results of a practical study of the obtained materials and their interpretation. The burial was performed in undercut, at the bottom there was a full skeleton of a man in an extended position, on his back, with his head oriented to the west with a deflection to the south. Accompanying goods are represented by a composite belt, a bronze dagger in a case with a chape, a grindstone, a quiver with bronze arrowheads, a whip, a antler clasp and an iron knife. The burial rite and set of items allow the authors to attribute the site to the Ulubai-Tasmola archaeological culture of Northern Kazakhstan and date it to the 7th–6th centuries BC. The most important archaeological find for the region is a composite belt, its details are made of antler (presumably, of deer antler). The shape and type of individual elements of this specific decoration, its decor and design features reflected the position of the owner on the social ladder and also find analogies in the Tasmola culture of Central Kazakhstan and in the circle of early Saka sites from the Urals to the Altai-Sayan.

To the study of economic activities of the population of the Saka period in Central Kazakhstan (on the materials of traceological studies)

The Tasmola Culture of Central Kazakhstan, dated to the 8th–5th centuries BC, was discovered more than half a century ago by M.K. Kadyrbaev. He studied dozens of kurgans, on the materials of which he characterized the mortuary rites and funerary equipment of the new culture at a high professional level. On the basis of the materials from the burial sites, he for the first time considered the features of the economic activity of the population of the Saka period in Central Kazakhstan. Recent materials, including those obtained from the settlements, make it possible to largely extend the existing conclusions and assumptions of those years. At the settlement of Abylai, located in the territory of the Karaganda Region of the Republic of Kazakhstan, six seasons of archaeological excavations were carried out in 2016–2021. First results of the traceological analysis of stone tools from this site have already been published by the authors. In this paper, we report the results of the traceological study of a new series of stone tools from the Abylai settlement. In 2021, 254 stone objects were examined, functions of 202 of which were determined. As the analysis showed, 185 tools were used in various economic areas. The remaining 15 items were identified as kitchen utensils; there was also one mortar for grinding paints and one small altar (‘credence’), which is very often found in the burials of this culture. The 185 tools are divided into 5 classes, each of which belongs to a certain area of economic activity (ancient industries). Among those, 92 articles (49.73 % of the total number) are tools for the earthworks. Fifty articles (27.03 %) belong to the class of grinding tools. These are pestles and upper and lower grindstones, which were used for grinding plant products. Next 26 tools (14.05 %) were used in the processing of skins (tanning industry). Thirteen tools (7.03 %) were used in metalworking, including the work with iron products. Four tools (2.16 %) were used to process bone and wood. Among the results obtained, of a particular importance are the finds of numerous hoes and grating tools, as well as tools for metalworking, on which traces of iron surface are clearly identified. In addition to the whetstones, used for dressing knives and other iron objects, the new series of tools contains stone anvils, on the working surface of which some iron scale preserves.

Керамика из новых курганов тасмолинской культуры

According to available archaeological materials, there is no earthenware pottery in the Tasmola graves. This feature of the funeral rite was specifically noted in early publications of materials belonging to this culture discovered in 1966. In the 21st century, the available sources of the material significantly expanded, new categories of monuments, including the kurgans of the elite and settlements were discovered. The increased interest in Tasmola ceramics can be explained by the fact that some ceramics were found in the new mounds, and the possibility of comparing them with pottery from earlier settlements arose. New studies have confirmed the absence of earthenware pottery in the graves. At the same time, available data on “kurgan ceramics” are currently increasing. Occasionally whole vessels but more often their fragments were found in the course of excavations in the upper part of the kurgan. This situation is typical for the burial sites of the early Saka time of the Sayano-Altai. period, where fragments of earthenware pottery were also found in the upper part of the structure. The report presents the results of a technical and technological analysis of ceramics from the two kurgans of the Tasmola culture. Sixteen fragments belonging to 8 vessels were found in kurgan 1 of the Kyzylzhartas burial ground. There were 40 fragments from 7 vessels in kurgan 1 of the burial ground Karazhartas-2. Both burial grounds are located at a distance of 2.6 km from each other on the territory of the Shet district of the Karaganda region. The studied burial mounds date back to the 7th–5th centuries BC. According to external features, the ceramics from the two burial mounds are very close to each other. The results of technical and technological analysis showed that, in terms of manufacturing methods, this ceramics is similar to pottery from the settlements of Central Kazakhstan.

ABYLAI SETTLEMENT — SITE OF THE EARLY IRON AGE IN CENTRAL KAZAKHSTAN

The Abylai settlement was discovered by the author in 2006, and in 2016 the excavations of this site began. This settlement is located in the Karkaralinsky district of the Karaganda region of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 2016-2021 six field campaigns headed by the author were carried out, the total area of which is more than 1200 m2 (fig. 1). The materials of the 2020 excavation, as well as the overview of the main multidisciplinary studies are published in the paper.
 Excavation area 5 was 185.5 m2. In this area, the remains of five structures with stone foundation walls, as well as household pits were discovered (fig. 2, 3). One pit has large dimensions: 5.9 × 3.45 m along the top, 5.3 × 2.9 m along the bottom (fig. 4). It was filled with three layers of ash and the soil mixed with ash. Perhaps this pit was used to drain the rain and melt water. The burial (fig. 5, 6), which does not belong to the inhabitants of this culture, was found in the excavation area. Such burials belong to the «Korgantas type» and date to the 4th—5th centuries BC.
 Fragments of ceramics (fig. 7), numerous stone tools (fig. 8), among which there are objects for grinding grains and other plant residues, hoes, graters, etc., were found in the excavation area.
 Materials, found in 2020, supplement the information previously received about this site. A large amount of data has now been accumulated. In this regard, the complex of multidisciplinary studies has been launched in recent years. Archaeozoological and traceological analyzes have yielded important results. Based on more than 11,000 animal bones found at the settlement, the composition of the herd, having consisted of sheeps, cows and horses was ascertained. A more important result is the determination of the slaughter season: it turned out that the entire mass of livestock was slaughtered in the period from late autumn to early spring. This conclusion proves the author’s hypothesis about the winter character of such settlements. Part of the bones (over 6000) was found in a large pit measuring 8 × 4 × 0.9 m. These were the bones of sheep and cows, thrown into the pit and covered with ashes. Analyzes showed that all the bones were thrown into the pit at the same time and belong to animals that died in the early spring. This fact is the first case in Kazakhstan of finding the remains of animals that died as a result of spring starvation or epizootic. The entire results of the archaeozoological analysis are now preparing for publication.
 More than 500 stone tools were found at the site of Abylai. In 2020, 150 items were subjected to trace analysis, as a result of which the functions of 139 tools were determined. Of these, 130 turned out to be tools that were intensively used in various cases: earthworks, vegetation processing, work with livestock products, as well as the processing of metal surfaces (whetstones). Moreover, all bars have traces of iron objects (Beisenov, Gorashchuk, Duysenbay 2021). In 2021, a new group of stone tools was covered by traceological analysis. Out of 250 items, 202 had a function determined. Thus, there is a good prospect to study the economic structures of the Abylai settlement. The few grains of cultivated cereals found by carpological analysis, including millet, barley (fig. 9) and wheat, provide additional information about the life of the ancient inhabitants of the settlement.
 The Abylai settlement, like other sites of the Tasmola culture, dates back to the period of the 8th—5th centuries BC (Beisenov et al. 2016; Beisenov 2017). Terminus ante quem of the settlement is additionally confirmed by the burials of the Korgantas time. These burials are dated within the period of the 4th—2nd centuries BC. The presence of them proves that closer to the 4th century BC the Abylai settlement had already been abandoned. A more accurate dating of the settlements of the Saka Age of Central Kazakhstan should be expected in future studies.

Бронзовый наконечник стрелы из позвонка мужчины, погребенного в тасмолинском кургане Койтас

In 2011 excavations of the Koytas emergency burial mound in Central Kazakhstan (in Karkaraly district of Karaganda region) recorded features of a burial structure characteristic of the early stage of the Tasmola culture. It turned out that the studied site had been repeatedly exposed to looting. The mound contained a dromos leading to a burial mound. The parameters of the embankment (diameter 22.5 m, height 2.5 m) are reconstructed, a circular crepice and a ditch are identified. In the burial chamber, some bones from a human skeleton have been preserved. The body of the only surviving vertebra, belonging to the lower thoracic region, was found to contain a trapped metal petiole arrowhead. As previous studies have shown (Tur et al., 2016), the severe wound did not immediately result in death. The signs of healing are clearly visible. This represents a very rare case for the ancient era. X-ray fluorescence analysis showed that the arrowhead was made of a quality bronze alloy, which contributed to a certain extent to prolonging the man’s life. According to the funerary rites and the features of the arrowhead, as well as on the basis of radiocarbon dates, the Koytas barrow dates back to the period of the 8th to 6th centuries B.C.

Traceological Study of Stone Tools in the Settlement of Saka Time Abilay, Central Kazakhstan

According to modern data, about 60 small settlements have been discovered on the territory of Central Kazakhstan, dating back to the time of the Tasmola culture (VIII–V centuries BC). Since 2016, annual excavations have been carried out at the Abylai settlement, which is located in the Karaganda region. In the excavation area, in addition to fragments of pottery and animal bones, over 480 stone tools were found. In the fall of 2020, for the first time, traceological studies of stone tools were carried out, the results of which are reflected in this article. Of the 150 copies, 139 were identified as functions. Of these, 130 tools were used in various industries. According to quantitative data, tools for cultivating the land are in first place – 57.3%, followed by tools for processing vegetation (24.5%), leatherworking (10.2%), for straightening metal products (whetstones, 8%). It is planned to continue the ongoing research on stone tools.

Новые данные в исследовании поселений сакского времени Центрального Казахстана

The article is devoted to an overview of the results of new studies of the Saka era settlements discovered in the eastern regions of Central Kazakhstan. The source base of modern research was made up of over 70 settlements found over the past 20 years. The author attributes these settlements to the tasmola culture of Central Kazakhstan and dates them within the framework of the 8th — 5th centuries BC. Archaeozoological, traceological, and carpological analyzes are being carried out based on the materials from the excavations of the Kulzhan-1 and Abylai settlements and other sites carried out in recent years. According to the author, the settlements of Central Kazakhstan of the Saka era were the winter habitats of the tribes of the Tasmola culture. Materials from over 50 Kazakh wintering sites make it possible to draw ethnographic data. A comparative study of these sites has shown that the topography of the Kazakh wintering grounds and Saka settlements coincide. Keywords: Central Kazakhstan, tasmola culture, Saka era, settlements, Kazakh wintering grounds, multidisciplinary research

Typology and Cultural-Chronological Interpretation of Kurgans with ‘Moustache’

The paper addresses the typology and a debatable issue of the chronology of kurgans with ‘moustache’ in the Ural-Kazakhstan steppes. Several concepts were proposed over the period from 1966–2017 reflecting the different viewpoint of researchers on these issues (M.K. Kadyrbaev, A.Z. Beysenov, S.G. Botalov). The reason for disagreement is that kurgans with ‘moustache’ could have been constructed near earlier sites, which influenced their incorrect dating within the framework of the early nomadic Tasmola culture. The complex of items, which has dating capabilities from the viewpoint of typology, has received an ambiguous interpretation. Thus, the supporters of the Tasmola ‘version’ are convinced that the items of the 1st Millennium AD were added to the kurgans with ‘moustache’, and the supporters of the late (Early Medieval) affiliation presume that the kurgans with ‘moustache’ were constructed near and at the site of early nomadic monuments. Besides, both parties note the small number of well-dated finds. The presently accumulated materials, stratigraphic observations and the latest radiocarbon dating results have allowed the author to propose a typology describing the central structure of the complex kurgan with ‘moustache’ depending on the number and location of the central structure’s mounds and the presence/absence of earlier barrows. This approach gives grounds to attribute the kurgans with ‘moustache’ to the period of the 4th –7th centuries AD and to rule out earlier dating.

Tasmola Kurgans in Aiyrtas Valley in Central Kazakhstan

The report introduces study materials of new kurgans dating back to the early Iron Age of Central Kazakhstan. Monuments are located in the eastern part of the Karaganda region. Geographically, this territory is part of the Kazakh Upland’s eastern region. In three cemeteries located at the area of Mount Aiyrtas, 8 kurgans were excavated. Mounds of 5–13 m in diameter and 0.2–1.2 m tall are built of earth and stone. Eachmound contains one grave. Dead bodies are placed head to the northwest. Despite the fact the kurgans were heavily robbed, the data about the funeral rite demonstrate important aspects of the of the ancient population culture of this region, as well as the found objects do. According to archaeological data, the monuments belong to the Tasmola culture of the Saka tribes time period. The materials obtained indicate that representatives of the ordinary population are buried at the studied sites. Monuments are dating back to VII–V centuries BC. The study of monuments left by the lower class is a poorly researched aspect of tasmol culture’s population, so it is very important. The data accumulated by now have been obtained from burials being widely scattered over a large area. Studying small mounds in places of their accumulation is more promising, though. One of such places is Aiyrtas valley, where large number of small mounds is located, as parts of nearby cemeteries. There are still some unexcavated kurgans in Aiyrtas-2 kurgan cemetery remaining. As it is known, a complete study of burial grounds makes it possible to draw more substantiated conclusions about the social structure of ancient society. There are other burial grounds in the area, including elite kurgans.

The Tasmola culture sites in the territory of Novosibirsk Region (on the materials of 2014–2017)

The Tasmola culture sites in the territory of Novosibirsk Region (on the materials of 2014–2017)

Новое в изучении Тасмолинской археологической культуры Сарыарки

The article presents historical and cultural reconstructions of the research results of the last decades of the Tasmola archaeological culture of Central Kazakhstan. Tasmola archaeological culture in the frame work of the VII-III centuries BC was highlighted by M.K. Kadyrbaev in 1966. Currently, the Tasmola culture source data base has been replenished with new types of archaeological sites: “royal” mounds, settlements, stone statues. An analysis of them using new natural-science methods makes it possible to make adjustments to the culturalal and chronological periodization of the Saka era of the Saryаrka, and to consider the canons of the barrower chitecture of then nobility and the compositional structure of the living space of the steppe nomads. The archaeological classification of artifacts, radiocarbon analyzes date the Tasmola culture on the 8th-6th centuries BC. At this time, large elite barrows appear, the architectural style of settled monument sis emerging, which has been preserved until modern times, until the Kazakhs’ wintering (kystau). Study of the structure of the land part of elite memorials confirms the concept of the early Saka barrow tradition as architecturally complex and multi functional religious buildings. The stone sculptures of the Tasmolatribes’ are characterized by a complex of signs that distinguish the min to a separate group of ancient statuary art of the Scythian-Saka era.

TASMOLA MONUMENTS OF CENTRAL KAZAKHSTAN IN THE STUDIES OF THE BEGINNING OF THE XXI CENTURY

According to archaeological researches, in the early Saka period the steppe areasof Central, Northern Kazakhstan and the Southern Trans-Urals were inhabited by the tribes of the great Tasmola historical and cultural community. The tribes of Central Kazakhstan constitute the core of this community. For the first time, Tasmola archaeological culture was discovered and described by M. K. Kadyrbaevin 1966. Today a significant amount of new data has been gathered, which allows us to expand our understanding of the peculiarities of that culture. The article presents an overview of the main content of new studies and publishes data on radiocarbon analyses, first obtained from the monuments of Tasmola culture. More than 60 analyses from the monuments of the Early Iron Age of Central Kazakhstan were made by A. Z. Beisenov in the Kiev radiocarbon laboratory (Kiev, Ukraine), in the laboratories of the Royal University of Belfast, (Northern Ireland, Great Britain), the Russian State Pedagogical University (Sankt-Peterburg, Russia). The article contains data from 41 analyses on Tasmola culture and 6 analyses on the monuments of the Korgantass period. In Tasmolaseries 33 dates were obtained from 31 burials, 8 dates were obtained from 6 settlements. At the present stage of the research the origins of Tasmola culture can be attributed to the middle of the 8th century BC. During the late V — early IV centuries BC there is a change of cultures, there are few burial places of the Korgantass periodin the region. The author believes that further studies are needed for more detailed internal periodization of Tasmola culture. Now we can say that numerous and most vivid monuments are common for the early stage of culture. All present researches are carried out in the eastern part of Central Kazakhstan.

Early indicators to C4 plant consumption in central Kazakhstan during the Final Bronze Age and Early Iron Age based on stable isotope analysis of human and animal bone collagen

In this paper, we present new stable isotope data from central, southern and eastern Kazakhstan (KZ) that date to the Early Iron Age. Our primary data together with results from previously published studies demonstrate that the consumption of C4 plants, possibly millet, started in the Final Bronze Age in central KZ and continued into the Early Iron Age. Data from southern KZ, however, demonstrate that over half the human population consumed C4 crops in the Early Iron Age as opposed to the central regions of KZ, where just a few individuals within the population, often males buried in elite kurgans, have high δ13C values indicative of C4 plant consumption. In this paper we aim first to understand if any dietary changes can be seen in the central KZ population during the transitional period between the Bronze and Iron Ages; secondly, we investigate the extent of C4 plant consumption in central KZ during these time periods. Here we present new human isotopic data from nine central sites of the Tasmola culture (n=11), two eastern KZ sites (n=3) and two southern KZ sites (n=26).

First palaeodietary isotopic data for the Tasmola culture population

The article presents the first results of dietary isotopic analysis of the population of the Tasmola culture (8th-5th centuries BC) of Central Kazakhstan. Samples from 30 objects, including 27 human and 3 faunal bones were used for the analysis. Stable nitrogen (⁵N) and carbon (C) isotope analysis was carried out at the 14Chrono Centre for Climate, the Environment and Chronology, using standard methods of collagen preparation by an ultrafiltration method. The results for humans vary widely in both C and ⁵N. The variety of carbon isotope values in humans suggests that their diet included С₄ plants, apparently millet, which is specifically evident from four humans with the highest C ratios from the sites of Koitas, Taldy-2, Akbeit and Karashoky. This indicates the existence of millet in Central Kazakhstan in the form of a seed culture or an imported product at the beginning of the Iron Age. The data shows that millet was consumed in this period in certain sites of Central Kazakhstan, but not everywhere. For further conclusions, larger sample (including faunal) is needed.

Barrow with «moustache» Zhamahtas

The monument consists of two parts burial construction with the diameter of about 14 m and ritual construction located on its east side with the diameter of 10 m from which two stone arches go to the east. The elements of the complex are badly damaged due to using the stones for building. There is a burial pit under the south construction with the dimensions 2,81,41,4 m, which contains disturbed human skeleton. The skeleton was put with his head to the west. There was found a bronze mirror with side handle near his hip bone. In the east construction a round pit with the diameter of 0,8, the depth of 0,4, was found, at the bottom of which there were poorly preserved fragments from the tubular bones of a animal. Horse teeth were revealed to the north of the pit, and 14 fragments of the stucco vessel lay on its eastern side. Two radiocarbon dates were obtained from bone samples from the western and eastern constructions in the laboratory of the Royal University of Belfast, Great Britain. Common intervals of the calibrated value showed that: human burial in the western structure VIIIV centuries BC, the bones of animals in the eastern structure IIIVI centuries AD. Thus, human burial relates to Tasmola culture, which does not contradict the mirror of the Early Saka image found in the grave. Bones of animals under the eastern structure, iprobably, were left during the Hun period.

New sculpture of the era of early nomads from Turgay

The paper introduces a stone sculpture of the era of early nomads from Turgay into scientific use. This region is the western wing of Saryarka. In 2015-2016 the monuments of the Tasmola culture were researched. The finding is a rather rare case of the location of the statue in the mound complex with stone ridges. Field researches of the construction with a statue have shown an unusual character of its site. Laconism in the transfer of the anthropomorphic image finds parallels in the sculptures of Central Kazakhstan of early nomads. Sculptures from Central Kazakhstan are similar to the sculptures of the Northern Black Sea coast and the South Ural steppes based on their purpose and pictorial techniques. It is assumed that the aspect of military glory, traced in medieval sculptures, originated in the era of the early nomads, and the evidences are the findings of stele and stone sculptures.

Children burials of the Saka times in Central Kazakhstan

The materials on the children burials belonging to Tasmola culture in Central Kazakhstan were studied by M.K. Kadyrbaev and A.Z. Beisenov. As the analysis of available data shows there are only nine studied children burials of Tasmola culture. It is possible that some of the children graves, represented by small mounds, do not contain accompanying subjects and in the early period of research they were not mentioned on the pages of scientific publications and reports. New research shows that, along with small mounds, there are significant ones distinguished by their parameters and structure. Two of the nine constructions have diameters higher than 20 m, one of them is 18 m and particularly notable is the kurgan 7 in the burial ground Akbeit studied in Karaganda Region. Its diameter is 21,5 m, height 2,5 m. A four or five year old child, probably a girl, was buried there. The child was buried in a rich dress, as evidenced by gold torque, worn around the neck, and two gold earrings, a bronze mirror, a bone case for cosmetics. Children burials of Tasmola culture as well as the adult burials indicate social strata of that society.