Rossijskaâ arheologiâ

This paper presents the analyses of human remains from Neolithic deposits from the Tutkaul (Hissaro-Alay) and Kaylu (Caspian region) sites. The Tutkaul site is located on the territory of modern Nurek reservoir and was excavated by V.A. Ranov in the 1960s. Tutkaul has yielded three burials attributed to the Hissar Neolithic technocomplex. Part of the human remains were lost such as fragments of the postcranial remains from burials 2 and 3. Our recovery of the faunal collection of the site identified new human remains in the immediate vicinity of the burials. The taphonomic analysis demonstrates the intervention of a medium size carnivore on some of the fragments. Recent AMS-dating attributed burial 3 to 8.4-8 ky BP. Two palaeogenomic analyses identify the presence of Hepatitis B (infectious liver disease) in the individual from burial 3. From the tooth found in burial 2, the mychondrial genome was isolated and a comparative analysis of haplogroups, including those from the Y chromosome, was performed. Genetic analysis showed similarity of the mitochondrial genome of this individual with the Ancient North Eurasian population, especially with the genomes of the earliest population of Siberia, as well as with the Neolithic population of Iran. In addition, the Y-chromosome haplogroup analysis revealed the presence of haplogroup Q1b2a, which was isolated for the first time in the series of the ancient population and has never been described before. In addition, some genetic links were investigated between individual 2 and the ancient North Eurasian population and the Neolithic population from Iran. Finally, some cultural similarities were found that the Tutkaul burials shared with synchronous remains from the Sai-Sayod and Bulyoni-Poyon sites (Hissaro-Alay). Re-examination of the human remains from the Kaylu burials has identified the presence of one young and one mature adults (Adultus and Maturus). The sex of the individuals (male and female) was determined using chromato-mass spectrometric analysis of dental enamel peptides. Radiocarbon dating was also performed for these materials – 6 ka BP. The burials find analogies in synchronous burials of the Kelteminar Neolithic culture.

The paper traces through several consecutive periods of the development of bronze foundry production in the Ob-Irtysh interfluve during the Bronze Age. At the first stage, copper-bronze products appeared in the area as imports. The local foundry emerged no earlier than the beginning of the III millennium BC on the sites of the Odino and Krotovo cultures. At that time, the technological base was being formed, including thermal facilities and developed foundry equipment (crucibles, ladles, molds, and nozzles). This process is largely synchronized with the emergence and development of Seima-Turbino technologies in the Ob-Irtysh forest-steppe. A sharp change in this line of development was taking place since the beginning of the II millennium BC as a result of increasing expansion of the Andronovo (Fyodorovo) population. Their arrival led to the modification of part of the production process associated with the metal melting (hearths and crucibles). At the same time, it should be noted that all molding processes have retained the features of local foundry production developed by the Krotovo people. The production technology developed as a result of this synthesis formed the basis for the foundry of the Irmen culture in the Late Bronze Age. A sharp change in a number of production techniques occurred only at the end of that period and is associated with the penetration of the Ural-Kazakhstan production traditions into western regions of the Baraba forest-steppe.

The article summarizes the study of the layouts of houses built on the northwestern coast of the Crimea in the last quarter of the 2nd century BC – early 2nd century AD. Particular attention is paid to changes in the main layout patterns, as well as the search for their analogies. The author analyzes 28 layouts of the best preserved Late Scythian houses. All of them are multi-chamber structures, most of them have courtyards. The main layout patterns differ in the location of the premises with respect to the courtyard. It was possible to determine periods of dominance of certain patterns. The layouts of Late Scythian houses in the North-Western Crimea become more complicated with time. However, in addition to the “internal evolution”, residential construction also experiences a strong influence of classical architecture, which manifests itself at different stages. There is also a connection with other regions of the Crimean Scythia.

The issue of contacts between the ancient Mordvins and the early Slavs has become relevant again after finding a group of early medieval sites in the upper reaches of the Voronezh River that are associated with the Dnieper cultural circle. The paper aims to prove contacts between the ancient Mordvins, who left burial sites with cremations in the middle Tsna region (mid-second half of the 7th century AD), and the population of the Upper Voronezh cultural group of the early Middle Ages. To meet the aims the following tasks were set: to consider the origin of the rite of burning the burial grounds in the middle Tsna region during the mid-second half of the 7th century AD; to determine which of the neighbouring archaeological cultures it shows the greatest similarity with; to analyze the clothing complex of the Middle Tsna burial grounds of the specified period with the view to identify the presence of decorations of the Dnieper cultural circle. The research included a comparative analysis of the body cremation rite of the middle Tsna region burial grounds of phase A stage 1 (according to O.V. Zelentsova) with synchronous antiquities of neighbouring regions. As a result, its similarity to the cremations of the Ryazan-Oka culture was established and the assumption of its Slavic origin was rejected. At the same time, the correlation of jewellery originating from some of the earliest burials at cemeteries in the middle Tsna region with materials from the Dnieper cultural circle made it possible to assume the presence of contacts between the indicated communities and suggest a hypothesis that the Upper Voronezh region could be the territory from which objects of the Dnieper appearance, as well as Byzantine imports, came to the Middle Tsna.

The wooden structures that were part of the manor complexes of the 14th – the first half of the 16th century AD are the remains of above-ground structures and cellars dug into the ground. The latter were log frames placed in a pit dug for them. Most of the log frames were made of oak or young pine and spruce logs, which prevent researchers from obtaining a series of reliable dendrochronological dates. The above-ground (residential and economic) structures have survived in a worse condition, some of them perished in a fire at the end of the 15th century AD. Remains of ovens made of raw bricks are associated with residential buildings. The compact arrangement of the studied structures, the construction of cellars and ovens on the same site testifies to the stable layout of the estate space for a long time – from the 14th to the middle of the 16th century. At the end of the site functioning period, a very large cellar up to 5 m deep appeared on it, which could be related to the temporary court of Ivan III at the end of the 15th century.

The article publishes the discovery of a new cast helmet of the “Kuban type” of the Early Scythian culture. The helmet is considered against the background of other similar cast helmets from the territory of Eastern Europe dating from the 7th–6th centuries BC. The authors discuss an assumption of the origin of East European cast helmets from the prototypes of the Zhou period from Northern China. Special attention is paid to the typological similarity and difference of East European specimens from similar finds from Central and East Asia. The paper proposes a variant for the reconstruction of the technology of mould manufacturing and casting of the product. The authors provide the results of X-ray fluorescence analysis of the metal in the published helmet and compare them with data on other known finds of Kuban type helmets. The comparison shows the difference in the composition of metal which they were made from.

In the eastern part of the Staevo-5 settlement, an estate consisting of a dwelling, two outbuildings, two hearths, and a series of pits has been completely explored. From the south, its territory was limited by a fence resting on massive pillars. The estate belongs to the initial stage of the settlement functioning and dates back to the late 5th–6th century AD (possibly, the first half of this century). Based on the distribution of ceramics in the structures and the cultural layer, it was possible to distinguish three conditionally closed complexes. The first one refers to the period of the estate functioning, the second – to the period of its destruction, the third (the latest) – to the garbage dump that was formed in its place. It is indicative that all three complexes include ceramics of both the post-Kiev and Oka traditions. Thus, from the very beginning of the settlement existence, two main components of the Upper Voronezh cultural group are distinguished in the composition of its population – the Early Slavic and Finnish ones. The estate dwellers were engaged in jewellery and bronze casting. They used a domestic hearth for melting metal. The crucibles, most likely, were made of clay which was prepared for this reason in one of the pits.

The article addresses the question of the need to publish a part of the archive of the renowned 20th century architect-conservator Pyotr Dmitrievich Baranovsky. It is associated with his studying of the regal residence of the 16th–19th centuries in the settlement of Kolomenskoye (now the territory of Moscow). This paper publishes part of the review of archaeological works in Kolomenskoye compiled by the researcher in the 1940s and newly found in his archive. The document contains a brief account of the 1930 excavations at the site of the “Wooden Palace of Tsar Alexei Mikhailovich”, a Moscow’s masterpiece of architecture. So far, no materials recording these works have been known. The found document also includes a description of the restoration of the palace’s stone structures conducted by P.D. Baranovsky in 1923–1928 and presents the context of the archaeological work of 1933 and 1935. Particular attention is paid to the reconstruction of the layout of the palace on the ground and the localization of its stoves, as well as the characteristics of their tiled decor. The article also publishes the analytical graphics by the architect of the 1940s associated with the reconstruction of the remains of the palace and the development of its new model.