Srubnaya Research Articles

Burial of the Khazar Time on the Territory of the Archaeological Site of Malyachkino IV

In 2021, an archaeological team of Interregional Centre of Archaeological Studies LLC carried out a series of rescue excavations in Malyachkino IV ancient settlement located in Shigonsky District, Samara Region. The main cultural layer represents the Srubnaya culture dating the Late Bronze Age. The settlement was found with a subsoil grave field of the Golden Horde period. The graves are nearly rectangular in shape and slightly deepened into the natural ground. The deceased are buried with their heads facing west and mostly lacking grave goods. The archaeologists also found a single subsoil grave of the Khazars period. The rectangular grave hosts a grown person (anthropological material is in a poor condition). The person is slightly crouched on the right side with the head facing west. Among the grave goods, there were a redware amphora, two moulded earthenware pots, a round jug, a piece of a bronze mirror and ironware fragments. One of its kind for the Middle Volga, the burial ground dates back to the second half of the 8th century – first half of the 9th century. The paper provides equivalents to the finds: a Pontic amphora with partially ribbed surface, a Saltov round jug made of gray clay, a bronze disk-shaped mirror with a small rim around it, moulded ceramics. It is concluded that the studied burial ground is associated with the Saltovo-Mayaki culture, possibly with Khazar nomads in particular. Based on the equivalents from other burial sites in the region, it is likely that the graves were once topped with a small kurgan mound. Later, the kurgan mound was smoothed down as the territory was in economic use. It is assumed that the people who left behind the Malyachkino grave field were migrating to the Middle Volga from a Saltovo-Mayaki steppe.

Bronze age paleosols in the steppe area of the southern Cis-Urals in solving the problems of paleopedology and archaeology (a case-study of the Tashla IV site in the Orenburg region)

The aim of the study. To study the Bronze Age paleosols (Yamnaya and Srubnaya cultures), perform paleoclimatic reconstructions and comparison with previously studied synchronous paleosols in the Cis-Urals steppe. Location and time of the study. The studied site is located in the Orenburg region in the steppe area of the Southern Cis-Urals. In July 2019 and 2021 together with researchers from the archaeological laboratory of the Orenburg Pedagogical University, rescue excavations were carried out at the Tashla IV kurgan cemetery, located near the Tashla village. Kurgans 1 (Yamnaya culture) and 2 (Srubnaya culture) were studied. Methods. A comprehensive morphogenetic analysis of the soils buried beneath the kurgans and surface soils of the studied site was carried out; the soils were described in detail and classified in the field. Soil samples were analyzed for particle size distribution, loss of ignition, pH of the water extraction, content of organic and carbonate carbon, exchangeable bases and magnetic susceptibility. To carry out the paleoclimatic reconstructions, the chronosequence and comparative geographic methods were used. Results. It was established that the studied soils were buried under the kurgans at the beginning of the development of both cultures, when the stages of climatic aridization were close to their ending or ended in the first half of the 4th millennium BC (Yamnaya culture) and at the turn of the 3rd and 2nd millennia BC (Srubnaya culture). The climatic aridization during the Early stage of the Srubnaya culture was more significant than in the Early (Repinsky) stage of the Yamnaya culture, and this conclusion was made for the first time for the studied region. Conclusions. The studied soils properties could be grouped according to the characteristic times of their response to changes in external conditions: magnetic susceptibility, associated with microbiological activity, refers to rapidly changing properties, i.e. in the first decades, whereas changes in other studied properties require from several decades to hundreds of years. Comparison of the Srubnaya paleosol buried under kurgan 2 in the studied site with other soils of the same culture in the region made it possible to place it more accurately on the time scale, attributing to the very beginning of the 18th century BC, and additionally to characterize in detail the climate change within the time span of the Srubnaya culture of the Cis-Urals steppe.

Особенности продольного роста у скотоводческого населения Южного Урала и земледельцев Средней Азии эпохи бронзы: анализ стандартизированных оценок

Introduction. In this paper, we compared patterns of longitudinal long bone growths of the Late Bronze Age population from Southern Urals, representing pastoral communities, predominantly cattle breeders, and the relatively synchronous agricultural population from Central Asia using standardized z-scores. Materials and methods. The analyzed sample comes from two cemeteries of the Srubnaya culture in Pre-Urals (Karanayevsky and Chumarovo-1), and two cemeteries of the Srubnaya-Alakul cultural type in Trans-Urals (Nepluyevsky and Yulaly-8). The comparative sample represents data from Gonur Depe, a Bronze Age proto-urban center in Southeastern Turkmenistan. The sample sizes were 32 and 56 individuals respectively, aged between 2 and 12 years old. The measurements of all six long bones and updated reference Maresh standards (mid-20th century, USA) were used to calculate z-scores. The obtained z-scores were analyzed using both parametric methods and nonparametric statistics. Results. Z-scores for the diaphyseal lengths differed significantly between the two analyzed samples. The distribution of z-scores for the Gonur Depe sample was more noticeably shifted towards lower values. In the Southern Ural sample, 6.7% of children had z-scores no lower than those in the reference group, while in the Gonur Depe sample this value constituted only 0.6%. Z-scores for the upper limb bones in both groups were significantly higher than those for the lower limb bones. In the Southern Ural sample, children under 6 years of age had significantly higher z-scores compared to 9–12-year old children. No such differences were found in the Gonur Depe sample. Discussion. The pooled Bronze Age sample from Southern Urals showed overall less stunting from the reference group compared to the Gonur Depe sample. This is consistent with the hypothesis of a smaller long bone lengths and shorter stature in agricultural compared to pastoral populations. In both groups, the lower limb bones had lower z-scores compared to the upper limb bones, indicating that growth stunting relative to the reference values is more expressed for the lower limbs.@ 2023. This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license

Age and sex structure of the population of the Srubnaya culture in the late bronze age (on the materials from the Samara Volga region)

The demographic structure of the population is reconstructed on the basis of 866 sex and age definitions of the skeletons of the late Bronze Srubnaya culture of the Samara Volga region. The historiographical information on this aspect of paleopopulations life in the region is given. The analysis of the materials of the early and developed stages of this culture is carried out both on the basis of traditional approaches and using the principal component analysis of multidimensional statistics. There is a high mortality rate of the childrens share of the population of the Srubnaya culture, approximate equality in the maintenance of representatives of both sexes, a somewhat longer life expectancy of the male part of the population. These characteristics are relatively close to those of the carriers of the Potapovka culture type who lived in the region in the previous time and sharply differ from the demographic indicators of the Yamnaya culture tribes of the early and Middle Bronze Age, leading a mobile cattle-breeding type of economy. In this line of historical ties, the early Srubnaya culture groups by gender and age structure, taking into account the presence of their settlement monuments, already represent a relatively settled population, with the development of domestic cattle breeding. At the developed stage of the existence of the Srubnaya culture, there is a slight decrease in the overall infant mortality, and especially among adolescents, the overall demographic indicators are more stable. Apparently, this is the time of the maximum adaptation to the natural conditions of the forest-steppe Volga region, the time of the use of their resources for the life support of the population.

RESULTS OF ARCHAEOZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH ON KARTAMYSH

The paper is devoted to the analysis of archaeozoological collections from the excavations of the Kartamysh archaeological microdistrict of Donetsk Mining Center of Late Bronze Age. The results of the carried out research to a certain extent may indicate the vectors of trade relations between miners and metallurgists, since, as it is known, livestock was the main element of their exchange. Among four main types of domestic animals, the quantitative ratio of three species as sheep or goat, pig and horse on the Kartamysh monuments of the Donetsk Mining Center (DMC) occupies a middle position relating to the same animals from the settlements of the Pokrovsko-Mosolovskaya Timber Culture (PMTC) of the Severskiy Donets Left Bank and Berezhnovsko-Mayevskaya Srubnaya culture (BMSC) of Donetsk ridge. On our opinion, data obtained can be considered as one of the manifestations of trade and exchange operations of DMC miners-metallurgists both with the inhabitants of the BMSC of the Donetsk ridge and with the inhabitants of the PMSC of the Severskiy Donets Left Bank.
 Comparing the Kartamysh to the Kargaly collections of osteological material indicates significant variations in both, which consist in the life support features of the two mining and metallurgical centers of the Timber Community — BMSC and PMSC. The above fact, as far as we could see, affected the animal they chose for ritual ceremonies. On Kargaly, the main sacrificial animal was cattle (a bull), and on Kartamysh — small cattle (a goat or a sheep).

Могильник сабатиновской культуры в кургане 3 группы «Рыбхоз» у с. Глиное на левобережье Нижнего Днестра

The papers addresses the graves of the Sabatinovka time, discovered in barrow 3 of the “Rybkhoz” group near Glinoe village, Slobodzeya district, located in the basin of the Krasnaya river on the left bank of the Lower Dniester. In total, 13 burials of the Late Bronze Sabatinovka culture were recorded in the mound, which were sunk into the large mound of a Yamnaya (Pit Graves) cultural and historical community, 12 of them concentrating in a compact group in the southern sector of the mound. Burial 96 is of the greatest interest, accompanied by a deep bowl with an S-shaped profile, combining features of the Komarov and Berezhnovka-Maevka Timber-grave culture. All burials were dated by radiocarbon dating. The Sabatinovka cemetery in barrow Glinoe/Rybkhoz 3 can be dated within 1620—1535 BC according to the combined radiocarbon date, which is quite consistent with the supposed dating of the vessel from grave 96.

Раскопки кургана у села Каиры в верховьях Тилигульского лимана

In 2020, in the area of the village of Kayry (~ 65—70 km to NE from Odessa), one barrow was excavated, in which 15 graves were discovered. The earliest burials were 4 burials of the Yamnaya culture. One of them (the central grave) was accompanied by several processed stones (stelae). Two graves belonged to the Catacomb culture of different variants, or cultures (Ingul, for sure, and Donetsk, perhaps). In one grave (plundered) there was a vessel of Berezhnovsko-Mayevsky Srubnaya culture. Two graves of the Early Iron Age are the latest ones. One of them belonged to the Scythian culture (6th—5th centuries BC), the other — to the era of Late Nomads (11th—12th centuries AD). The construction of a medieval grave destroyed the central burial of the Yamnaya culture. In turn, the medieval tomb was looted. Almost all burials of the Bronze Age were built by the using of stone slabs. In the burials of the Yamnaya and Catacomb cultures, these were massive slabs that covered the grave pit (or catacomb).

ОСОБЕННОСТИ ИЗУЧЕНИЯ МЕТАЛЛИЧЕСКИХ ОРУДИЙ И ОРУЖИЯ СРУБНОЙ КУЛЬТУРЫ В САМАРСКОМ ПОВОЛЖЬЕ

The article is devoted to the analysis of metal tools and weapons from burials and settlements of the timber-grave culture in the Samara Volga region. The author considers approaches to attributing tools and weapons made of metal as remnants of the early (Pokrovsky) or classical (developed) stages of the timber-grave culture. Jewelry items, ceramics and bone implements are not considered in this work. The research is based on the study of burials and settlements of the timber-grave culture, as well as random finds. In total, the author takes into account materials obtained from the 1920s until 2023 as a result of studying 120 burial mounds, 329 burials of the early (Pokrovsky) stage and 34 burial mounds, 387 burials of the classical (developed) stage of the timber-grave culture, as well as materials from the settlements of both Pokrovsky and developed stages, and sites with uncertain periodization on the territory of the Samara Volga region. The author used methods of comparative analysis, mathematical data processing, and mapping.

Преемственность и новации в металлокомплексах конца средней – начала поздней бронзы юга Восточной Европы

The paper represents an analysis of metal complexes of the Late Middle – Early Late Bronze Age of the steppe and forest-steppe zones of Eastern Europe within the framework of the three-stage periodization. In the system of radiocarbon dating, this period covers 2300/2200 –1800/1700 cal BC and a number of the Post-Catacomb, the Post-Corded ware, the Chariot and the Srubnaya cultures. The source base of the study is the metal objects of the burial complexes. The most variable widespread numerous and chronologically significant categories of objects in the alterability of which new trends in shaping (fashion) are clearly traced (bladed tools, temple rings, string of beads, bracelets) were subjected to a detailed comparative morphological analysis. The analysis is carried out at the levels “territory – chronology – culture” in the context of data for metal production standards of the previous and subsequent periods. The author comes to conclusion that the metal complex of Post-Catacomb cultures is based on the traditions of the Middle Bronze Age with innovations of the Central European origin, mainly in the west, in the Babino cultural circle, and of the Caucasian origin, mainly in the southeast, in the Lola cultural circle. Metal inventory appearance in the chariot cultures was determined by innovations that spread from the north and east, while maintaining a number of archaic stereotypes of the Caucasian-steppe. At the early stage of the Srubnaya culture, metalworking continues this path of development taking into account actual trends of forming.

Закавказье и степной мир в эпоху железа: сравнительное краниологическое исследование

Introduction. An attempt to divide, according to the territorial origin, a single data array made up of the sizes of the skulls of the Iron Age series using multidimensional statistics has become the goal of this work. Materials and methods. Individual data on male skulls from the territory of the South Caucasus (Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan) and the Steppe region of Eastern Europe (Srubnaya culture of the South Russian steppes, Moldavia and the Lower Don, the Saka of Turkmenistan) were used in the work. Materials from Armenia were measured by the author, data on other series were obtained from literary sources. The sample size was 187 individuals. Statistical data processing was carried out by the method of discriminant canonical analysis based on a common covariance matrix. The results of the analysis are presented graphically. Results and discussion. In the coordinate field of the first and second canonical variables, the skulls were distributed so that the polarization of the two worlds was revealed. The skulls of the Srubnaya culture and Saka occupy mainly the area of positive values of the first canonical variable, and the materials of the Iron age from Transcaucasia are shifted to the area of negative values. Within these two aggregates, the skulls are grouped according to the territorial principle. Conclusion. The first canonical variable separates the materials of the Iron Age from Transcaucasia and the materials of the log culture and Saka. The series from Transcaucasia are characterized by a combination of a low skull arch and a high face. The skulls of the Srubnaya culture and Saka have a high arch and a low face. The second canonical variable can be considered a factor of broad-face and narrow-face. It distinguishes between the broad-faced groups of Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan and the relatively narrow-faced ones from Moldova and the Lower Don.

Краніологія жінок скіфської культури з території України

У статті охарактеризовано рівень неоднорідності представниць жіноцтва скіфської культури з території лісостепу та степу України, з’ясовано їх місце серед синхронних жіночих скіфських, сарматських груп та серій епохи пізнього енеоліту, бронзи, зрубної культури Євразії. Мета статті – ввести в науковий обіг нові краніологічні дані. Методологія. В основі дослідження лежать принципи історизму та об’єктивності, використано загальнонаукові (аналіз і синтез), історичні (порівняльно-історичний), антропологічні та статистичні методи. Також застосовувалися три стандартні методики: краніометрія (за Р. Мартіним), етнічна краніоскопія (яку запропонував О. Г. Козінцев) та краніофенетика (за методикою А. Беррі, Р. Дж. Беррі, яку апробувала А. А. Мовсесян). При інтерпретації даних використано комп’ютерні програми Б. О. та О. Г. Козінцевих. Наукова новизна. Вперше досліджено череп жінки із поховання 12 у с. Медвин Богуславського району Київської обл., датований VII–VI ст. до н. е. Висновки. Загалом після залучення всього масиву жіночих поховань як степової, так і лісостепової Скіфії (71 череп) з території сучасної України, на черепах із котрих збереглося 12 краніометричних ознак та один індекс за Р. Мартіним (1, 8, 20, 9, 45, 48, 55, 54, 51, 52, 77, zm, SS:SC), виявлено неоднорідність жінок скіфської культури з лісостепу України. Досліджуваний череп жінки 30–40 р. із поховання 12 у с. Медвин Богуславського району Київської обл., датований VII–VI ст. до н. е., за своєю морфологією потрапляє до третього, мезокранного, широколицього краніологічного варіанта з дуже низьким склепінням, який після канонічного та кластерного аналізів виявляє подібність до жіночої мезокранної серії катакомбної культури з території України, а також мезокранної, широколицьої вибірки скіфської культури зі Східного Криму – Фронтове-І, які археологи датують V–IV ст. до н. е. Східний напрям зв’язку незначний і проявляється подібністю четвертого, мезокранного (або суббрахікранного) краніологічного варіанта з високим склепінням до сарматських поховань, що датуються III–І ст. до н. е. Методом аналізу головних компонент і канонічним багатовимірним аналізом не виявлено морфологічних розбіжностей між степовими та лісостеповими жіночими черепами.

Children’s Burials of the Srubnaya Culture in the Southern Urals. Research in the Age Groups and Stages of Children Socialization

The study concerns children’s burials of the Srubnaya culture (Bronze Age, the South Urals). The assumption that grave goods are related to the gender and age of the dead and may also reflect the stages of growing up of children and their inclusion in economic life (gender and labour socialization) was the theoretical basis of the research. A sample consisting of 178 anthropologically identified individuals who died before the age of 15 years was analyzed. This sample was divided into three age sub-groups in order to catch the dynamics in distribution of the grave goods in accordance to age and in order to identify the different stages of children’s life course. The author’s study demonstrated that children before 2 years old were mostly accompanied by gender-neutral grave goods (ceramic vessels) or were buried without any items. After this age grave goods become more diverse and numerous. It is possible to suggest that gender socialization in the Srubnaya society started around the age of two-three but female gender was marked more often than male. The study of age dynamics demonstrates that as the children grew older, the number of jewelry increased, while other items were still few in number. Labour socialization was not reflected in burial rite. The perspective of the study is seen in the extension of the source base and further analysis of artifacts, including ceramic material.

Troitskoye 5 - a new archaeological site of the Stone-Bronze Age in the Samara Volga region

In the course of an exploratory survey of the left bank of the Chapaevka River on the territory of the Bezenchuksky District in the Samara Region in 2020-2021, a multilayer archaeological site of the Stone and Bronze Ages Troitskoye 5 was discovered. The archaeological site is located not far from the previously studied sites of Troitskoye 1 and Troitskoye 2. On the territory of the archaeological site, stratigraphic pits were laid, the boundaries were determined, and lifting material was collected. The main cultural layer of the Troitskoye 5 site belongs to the Stone Age. On the territory of the stone age site a settlement of the Srubnaya culture of the Bronze Age arose later. The paper deals with the analysis of the resulting collection of flint tools and ceramic material. It is concluded that the surveyed settlement contains cultural layers of two eras: the Stone and Bronze Ages. The absence of typical labor tools, clear stratigraphic references, and bone remains make it difficult to determine the time of the early settlement. Preliminarily, its existence can be assumed within the broad framework of the final Paleolithic-Neolithic. It is possible that the existence of at least part of the complex of stone artifacts from the settlement of Troitskoye 5 is associated with the Mesolithic era. In general, the complex of material from the Troitskoye 5 site corresponds to the materials obtained earlier during the survey of the Troitskoye 1 and Troitskoye 2 sites. The finds of the Bronze Age are represented by fragments of pottery typical of the Srubna culture of the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. The technical and technological analysis of ceramics was carried out within the framework of the historical and cultural approach, the main provisions of which were developed and introduced into scientific circulation by A.A. Bobrinsky.

The Ceramics Production of the Cis-Ural Srubnaya Culture: A Case Study of the Kurgan Cemetery I Near Tverdilovo Village

The article analyzes the ceramics of the Timber culture, recovered from a kurgan cemetery near the village of Tverdilovo (excavated in 2017 in the Western Orenburg region). Under embankment of kurgan 1, 30 vessels were found in 21 burials, made in a narrow chronological interval. When considering these vessels according to one methodological system, which includes morphological and technical and technological analysis, the peculiarities of the production of pottery were highlighted both for a single group of the population and for the region as a whole. The analysis of the technological traditions of ceramics production from the Tverditovo kurgan cemetery shows that the population that left these ceramics was not homogeneous. There are two different traditions even at the stage of selection of plastic soft raw materials: one of them used silty clay for making dishes, the other applied natural clay. So, it is difficult to explain an isolated case of using sludge and low-grade ferrum clay. Using comparative analysis we can assume that the nearest burial monument according to its ceramics products is the Bogolubovskiy kurgan cemetery where we also can find silty and natural clay and the receipt of molding mass as “clay+ chamotte+ organic materials”. Pottery traditions of the population that left the presented vessels were heterogeneous, which is recorded both in terms of morphological and technological characteristics. A similar picture is typical for other settlement and burial sites in the Orenburg Cis-Urals. The monument was dominated by the pottery traditions of the Timber culture with a slight influence of the Alakul elements.

HLYBOKE OZERO 2, BONDARYKHA, SUBOTIV: THE COMPARISON OF CERAMICS ASSEMBLAGES AND SOME METHODICAL PROPOSALS

The paper provides an approbation of the procedure of structuring and comparison of prehistoric ceramics assemblages.
 The proper tasking in the development of typology of ancient pottery, from the «etic» position of analysis, as the author argues, lies in the search of any non-accidental patterns within artifacts assemblages, which could be most likely regarded as a manifestation of a «meaning». These ones could be revealed by analysis of general morpho-functional classes (which enable to investigate real categories, meaningful within past cultures) and by applying the «data mining» techniques (for finding out hidden patterns in arrays of continuous numerical attributes). Statistical and multivariate methods are also crucial in comparative analysis of bulk arrays of artifacts.
 To solve this tasks, it is proposed to apply: (1) measures of assemblages diversity (richness, entropy, effective number of species and evenness); (2) Pearson’s χ2 association test and correspondence analysis; (3) tests on morphological homogeneity of assemblages, procedures of separation of morphologically homogeneous groups; (4) statistical characterization of morphological groups; (5) comparison of morphological groups by means of multivariate analysis of variances (MANOVA), canonical discriminant analysis and regression «decision trees».
 The analysis of three assemblages of the Late Bronze Age final stage from the Dnipro-Dinets’ rivers interflew (Hlybore Ozero 2, Bondarykha and Subotiv) allowed to formalize their characteristics and dissimilarities. This creates a base for further researches, particularly in the field of pre-historical reconstructions.
 It has been revealed that the Subotiv’s ceramic assemblage is typologically more diverse than assemblages of Siverskiy Dinets’ region sites. On the other hand, specificity of the Hlyboke Ozero 2 (site arose on re-worked Timber-Grave Culture traditions) is evident in quantitative parameters of morphological classes, while the Bondarykha and the Subotiv are rather similar in this measure.
 Analysis of pot-like vessels indicates specificity of Subotiv’s pottery production: local pots are distinctive by relative neck height and heaps height. Comparison of the Hlyboke Ozero 2 and the Bondarykha Culture assemblages shows much the less dissimilarities between these groups than between them and the Su­botiv’s one.
 Pots from the Hlyboke Ozero 2 and the Subotiv show slight morphological heterogeneity within the class.

THE LATE AND FINAL BRONZE AGE SETTLEMENT NEAR ZYMOGIRIA IN THE VALLEY OF THE LUGAN RIVER

This article is devoted to the publication of the results of excavations of the Late Bronze Age settlement Zymogiria 4 in the basin of the Lugan river. The indication of the culture is a debatable question that has led to the involvement of habitations in to different archeological cultures: bilozerka, Srubnaya, boguslav- bilozerka, ivanovka, otradnenska cultures. Observation of the inheritances of the population of the Berezhnovka-Maevka Srubnaya culture and the population of the Final Bronze Age is proceed with materials from the settlement. Problem of vagueness criteria for the identification post-Zrubna settlements and their clear extraction from Berezhnovka-Maevka Zrubna culture settlements necessitated the importance of research according to the new sources. The problem of the identification of the post-Zrubna horisont will be solved with Late Bronze Age settlement Zymogiria 4 stratigraphy observation. Analysis of the stratigraphic horisonts enables to extract the horisont of the late stage Berezhnovka-Maevka Zrubna culture and horisont post-Zrubna settlements. Presence of the periodization for burials Berezhnovka-Maevka Zrubna culture give possibility of the synchronization with settlements. The system of the settlement placement, organization of the inner space, traditions of the house building continue the line of development the Berezhnovka-Maevka Zrubna culture. At the same time, masonry wall technique of the Final Bronze Age horizon changes, pottery from the Final Bronze Age horizon of the settlement has its own characteristics, which are different from Berezhnovka-Maevka Zrubna culture. The new form of vessels are appearing, the ornamentation changes. New stone objects appear, that was not present in previous period: whetstone with tray or hole for hanging. In this work is made an attempt to separate the horizone of the Final Bronze Age of Zymogiria 4 settlement from the Berezhnovka-Maevka Zrubna culture horizones, which have many common features.

METAL KNIVES OF THE BRONZE AGE FROM THE VICINITY OF KAMYANA MOHYLA (WESTERN AZOV SEA REGION)

Metal (copper and bronze) knives is one of the most striking categories of artefacts in the materials of the Black Sea cultures of the Early, Middle and Late Bronze Age. In addition to introducing new archaeological evidences to scientific community, the paper aims to analyze the place of a representative series of knives (8 items) from the vicinity of Kamyana Mohyla (Zaporizhzhya region) in the cultural and chronological coordinate system of the southern part of Eastern Europe Bronze Age. Three knives came from the Yamna culture burials. The one with an oval blade of the Zarechnoe type (kurgan 1, burial 8) is similar to those used on the vast area from the North-Western Black Sea region to the North Caucasus. Knives from Novopilipovka (kurgan 6, burial 5) and Semenovka (kurgan 2, burial 1) introduce some local features and were probably produced by the local metalworking center. Four other knives are related to the Catacomb culture. The one with a sub-triangular blade and an accented handle from Zarechnoe (kurgan 7, burial 1) belongs to the artefacts that occure rarely during the Catacomb time, but was common for the Yamnaya culture in Crimea and in the Dnieper region. Other types of artefacts do not meet the analogies in Yamnaya culture burials. Knives with a leaf-shaped short blade and maximum widening in their upper part (Zarechnoe, kurgan 17, burial 4) are usually attributed to the Catacomb culture of the Seversky Donets basin and to the east of the Don river. Knives of the Kamyana Mohyla 5 type with a leaf-shaped blade and a long handle are also usually found at the Catacomb sites of the Seversky Donets basin. Knives of the Sekiz 3 type with a long handle and a short sub-rhombic blade originated in the Catacomb culture and the final Novotitorovka group. They are localized in the eastern regions (the Don basin, the Lower Volga, and the North Caucasus). A knife from the Terpinnya site is associated with the monuments of the second period of the Berezhno-Mayevskaya Srubnaya culture and is similar to the finds coming from the archaeological sites in the steppe Dnieper region and Azov Sea region in the second half of the second millennium BC. The large number of metal knives found in the studied area during the Bronze Age, which originate both from burials and settlements was probably related to the use of Kamyana Mohyla Hill as a ritual place.

Одонтологическая характеристика населения срубной культуры Южного Приуралья

Одонтологическая характеристика населения срубной культуры Южного Приуралья

Датировка и исторический контекст долбленой лодки ГИМ по данным комплексных исследований

Since 1956, the logboat was exhibited at the State Historical Museum in Red Square in Moscow. It had been discovered two years before in the floodplain of the right bank of the River Don near the village of Schuchye, Voronezh Region, Russia. It was hypothetically attributed to the end of the Neolithic — the beginning of the Bronze Age. The paper presents an integrated study, the purpose and result of which were to establish the chronology, the cultural identity and the possible functions of the Schuchye logboat. Radiocarbon dates from the wood samples are published for the first time and show the logboat age within the range of 1800—1700 BC. It was the period of the Timber Grave (Srubnaya) culture of the Late Bronze Age. The obtained 14C dates are discussed within the historical and geographical background. The archaeological sites in the area of the logboat find were re-analyzed basing on old and recent data, and the paleo-ecological context was reconstructed. The probable ways of the Schuchye logboat use were proposed basing on its dimensions, design, displacement calculation, carrying capacity, and considering the nomadic pastoralism of the Srubnaya culture people in the forest-steppe zone. As a result, the authors came to the conclusion that the Schuchye logboat could serve for the local inter-tribal communication and the wide application range, including the transportation of heavy loads, people and livestock. Now it is the most ancient logboat found in the Southern part of East Europe and the only one that can be reasonably associated with the Bronze Age nomads.

Петрографический и элементный анализ керамики поселения Глубокое Озеро-2 (первые археометрические данные)

The paper highlights the first results of compositional (raw materials and technological) investigation of ceramic pastes from the Hlyboke Ozero–2 settlement of the Late Timber-Grave Culture — Post-Timber Grave Culture type in the middle flow of the Siverskyi Donets river. Petrographic analysis and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy have been applied. This allowed to characterize traditions of ceramic pastes preparation within the site and to start developing the database of petrographic and chemical composition of the Late Bronze Age ceramics of the studied region. Obtained petrographic data (allocation of two petrogroups) have been confirmed by elemental analysis of clay matrix. Elemental analysis showed chemical and mineralogical similarity of the samples of the two first layers of the site and allowed to provide distinction of the third layer samples. Supposedly, this could be explained by the change of the place of raw clay procurement on that stage.