Archaeology of the Eurasian steppe belt

Review of John Boardman, The Relief Plaques of Eastern Eurasia and China. The ‚Ordos Bronzes', Peter the Great's Treasure, and their kin. BAR S2146. Oxford: Archaeopress, 2010 and Ulf Jäger/Sascha Kahnsteiner. Ancient Metalwork from the Black Sea to China in the Borowski Collection. Ruhpolding/Mainz: Franz Phillip Rutzen, 2011.

Some findings on the territory of ancient Britain, such as the "tamgas" of oriental origin used by nomads of the steppes, attest to the presence of Sarmatian Cavalrymans in antiquity. Tamgas are very peculiar elements of the steppe populations, emblem of a particular tribe, clan or family. They were common among Eurasian nomads during antiquity and in the Middle Ages also among populations of Iranian origin (Alani, Sarmatians, Scythians), Mongols and Turkish peoples and reflect "the heraldry of the steppe".

Bilder sind weitaus vielschichtiger, als der Begriff „Bild“ es zu vermitteln vermag. Ausgehend von dieser Feststellung beschaftigt sich die vorliegende Arbeit mit dem Aussagepotential, das Bilder aus schriftlosen Kulturen heute noch haben. Postuliert wird, dass Bilder eine wertvolle Quelle fur den Archaologen sein konnen - dies jedoch unter der Voraussetzung, dass nicht ihre ursprungliche Bedeutung zu ergrunden versucht, sondern stattdessen die Strukturen ihrer Nutzung, die „Bildpraxis“, untersucht wird. Dies ist uber eine Einordnung in den archaologischen Kontext moglich. Die Vorgehensweise wird anhand von figurlich verzierten Gurtelplatten erprobt, welche vor allem vom 5. Jahrhundert v. Chr. bis zur Zeitenwende im nordchinesischen Steppenraum auftreten. Deutlich wurde dabei, dass die Bildobjekte eindeutig intentionell und bestimmten Konventionen folgend genutzt wurden. Klar zu unterscheidende Motivgruppen traten regional begrenzt auf und waren sowohl alters- als auch geschlechtssp...

Одной
из
самых
малоизученных
отраслей
хозяйства
у
жителей
Горного
Алтая
в
раннем
же
-
лезном
веке
является
земледелие
.
Жители
Алтая
традиционно
воспринимались
как
скотоводы
-
кочевники
,
подобно
населению
горно
-
долинных
ландшафтов
Тувы
и
Монголии
.
Действительно
,
природно
-
климатические
условия
на
большей
части
Горного
Алтая
не
благоприятны
для
выращи
-
вания
зерновых
,
и
не
случайно
,
что
после
расп
    ада
СССР
и
крупных
хозяйств
,
имевших
государст
-
венную
поддержку
,
пашни
в
скотоводческой
засушливой
зоне
Горного
Алтая
были
заброшены
или
стали
засеваться
многолетними
травами
на
корм
скоту
.
Тем
не
менее
,
при
наличии
соответст
-
вующих
навыков
и
посевного
материала
земледелие
могло
быть
рентабельным
не
только
в
увлаж
-
ненных
предгорьях
с
более
мягким
кли
    матом
,
но
и
в
некоторых
долинах
Центрального
Алтая
.

Sur les marges arides du Croissant fertile, la Badiya syrienne, domaine de steppe aride, a été occupée par l’Homme depuis le
néolithique. Mais l’expansion maximale du peuplement et de la mise
en valeur correspond à la période byzantine, avec une prise en compte exceptionnelle des contraintes d’aridité spécifiques à la région. Est alors développé un réseau complexe de qanats (galeries drainantes souterraines) vouées pour l’essentiel à l’irrigation. La réoccupation de la région à l’époque contemporaine se fondera sur ce réseau antique qui en assurera la prospérité jusqu’à l’introduction des pompes à moteur. Celles-ci, exploitant les mêmes ressources en eau que les qanats, sonneront le glas de ces dernières tout en permettant une meilleure rentabilisation de la ressource.

Import of weapons came to the steppes in various ways. One of them was to pass on as diplomatic gifts that testified about the concluded covenants and emphasized the status and prestige of the donors and the donees. Such a ceremonial weapon was made to order at the rulers' court, often taking into account nomads’ sense of aesthetic. Another way of transfer was the purchase. Therefore, in border areas and near riverbanks, craft settlements were created. They often specialized in the production of weapons preferred by nomads. In addition, part of the collected weapons was undoubtedly the spoil of war.
The main centers of production and delivery of weapons for nomads were Ruthenia, Volga  Bulgaria, Caucasus, Byzantine, Central and Western Asia. Weapons from the Baltics and Western Europe territories were less likely to reach the Black Sea steppes.
A ceremonial weapon, buried in the grave, was not only meant to testify to the bravery and prestige of its owner but also indicated a warrior's social position and military rank. Also, funeral rites, related to the preparation of the deceased for the journey into the afterlife, in community awareness were to emphasize the ethos of the horse warrior.

The report is devoted to the analysis of invariant features of deer stones. These features include: the front on a narrow vertical side of a stone; the tiered composition formed by the image of a belt and a necklace; the image of an arms set; the inclined line at the top of the front. It is concluded that the composition of deer stones models not a human figure, but a wooden pole, on which a belt with of the deceased warrior’s arms and other elements of individual equipment are fixed. Over time, the custom of using original items was replaced by their image on a pole, and this composition was transferred to a more resistant and prestige material – a stone. The tradition of installation of wooden poles, on which clothes and arms were hung to create a conditional image of a
human, was recorded in rock art of the Sayan-Altai and Khangai as far back as in the early Bronze Age. The earliestin the region images of the inclined line on a face are connected with the same epoch.

The article presents the silver gilt phalerae found in the course of earthworks in the area of Kuban stanitza Uspenskaya in 1866 and now kept in the State Museum of Georgia. The central part of two large phalerae is decorated with rosettes framed with garland, the sloping middle part — with curly rosettes, the edge bent outwards — with guilloche pattern. The small phalera bears a bull protome with small curly rosettes on the forehead and on the shoulder. The compositional and stylistic analysis of the large phalerae causes doubts in M. Pfrommer’s attribution considering the Uspenskaya phalerae to have been later specimens (2nd century BC) made after some earlier prototypes. Their most probable date may be restricted to the period of the last quarter of the 3rd — first quarter of the 2nd century BC. It is evident that the large shoulder phalerae from Uspenskaya (Figs. 1–4) like that from Fedulov Treasure having similar dimensions (ca. 30–31 сm in diameter) (Fig. 7) belong to the earliest finds of that kind in the North Pontic area as it was suggested by V.I. Mordvintseva. The high level of their execution differs greatly from that of the speci
mens dated to the 2nd — early 1st century BC. The phalerae from Uspenskaya had been probably long time in use, judging by the losses and remains of careful restoration, as a result of which the tornoff part of one of the phalerae was «sewn» to its main
part (figs. 1; 3. 3; 4). A bull protome on the Bosporan coins similar to the one on the small phalera can hardly be a decisive argument in favour of its attribution as a Bosporan article. It is rather an ornamental ropelike border, which speaks in favour
of such a hypothesis. The character of the surface treatment suggests manufacturing of the large phalerae with rosettes and the small one with the bull protome in different workshops. Having in mind the suggested dating of the phalerae, with all the reservations against the total attribution of imports uncovered in the Sarmatian complexes as booty captured by the Sarmatians in Asia Minor, in the given case one cannot exclude the possibility of the large phalerae being a diplomatic gift received during concluding a treaty between the King of Pontus, Phranakes I and the states of Asia Minor, one of the guarantor of which, according to Polybius (Polyb., XXV, 2), was a Sarmatian King Gatal.

There are tons of options for 2” by 72” knife making belt grinders. Fewer reliable and well-reviewed options exist for one-inch wide belt grinding alternatives. For this reason, we have discovered three hardcore, reliable options for one-inch belt grinding.

During the Early Bronze Age, populations of the western Eurasian steppe expanded across an immense area of northern Eurasia. Combined archaeological and genetic evidence supports widespread Early Bronze Age population movements out of the Pontic–Caspian steppe that resulted in gene flow across vast distances, linking populations of Yamnaya pastoralists in Scandinavia with pastoral populations (known as the Afanasievo) far to the east in the Altai Mountains1,2 and Mongolia3. Although some models hold that this expansion was the outcome of a newly mobile pastoral economy characterized by horse traction, bulk wagon transport4,5,6 and regular dietary dependence on meat and milk5, hard evidence for these economic features has not been found. Here we draw on proteomic analysis of dental calculus from individuals from the western Eurasian steppe to demonstrate a major transition in dairying at the start of the Bronze Age. The rapid onset of ubiquitous dairying at a point in time when stepp...

The article introduces the results of the study of kurgan 4 of the burial Abakan-24, contained 4 graves built in one line. Evidence of the burial rite and equipment indicate a combination of tradition of Podgornovo and Saragash stages of the Tagar culture and allow it to be dated as the transitional time. Possible dating is about 6-5 centuries BC. The most important finding is the petroglyphs found on the covering slab of the burial 1. The anthropomorphic figures carved on it correspond to the number and the age of people buried in the grave itself. The hypothesis is proposed that these images were created during funeral and memorial ceremonies by relatives of those buried in the grave 1. The context of this finding allows us to date the existence of a number of stylistic features of anthropomorphic images of the Tagar culture on rocks and tombstones.

On having referred to the ancient arts of the divination, the prediction or the knowledge of the fortune we remember the famous oracle of Delphi or the well-known sibylline books. Nevertheless in that epoch numerous cultures were provided with rituals, places of worship, mystic centers and personages who were devoting themselves to these tasks with big reputation and not minor benefits. Between these controversial figures, the classic sources mention briefly the existence of a few important personages who were a part of the scythia culture and who were famous for revealing the fortune and the future to whom they wanted to know his future. It is a question of the acquaintances as aneraeans, priests or prophets that, by means of arcane arts they were offering his services and who attracted attention of the Greeks for his aspect and effeminate clothing that has led to thinking that it was a question of eunuch. Legends and myths on his origin have been described without very much detail and for this motive scarcely we know nothing on a caste which importance between the nomads of the steppes provided to them a high position and the social recognition. It is told that long ago, warriors scythians profaned the temple of Aphrodite Urania in Ascalon, receiving the anger of the goddess but it provided to them the power of the prediction. In this exhibition we will explain to these fortune-tellers whose talent exceeded the mistrust that his appearance was reflecting between the Greeks.

The Black Sea lies at the junction of three major cultural areas: Europe, Central Asia, and the Near East. It plays a crucial role in enduring discussions about the impact of complex Near Eastern societies on European societies, and the repercussions of early urbanization across Eurasia. This book presents the first comprehensive overview of the Black Sea region in the prehistoric period. It penetrates artificial boundaries imposed by traditions, politics, and language to encompass both the European and Asiatic coasts and both Eastern European and Western scholarly literature. With a critical compilation and synthesis of archaeological data, this study situates the prehistoric Black Sea in a global historical context. By adopting the perspective of technology and innovation, it transcends a purely descriptive account of material culture and emphasizes society, human interaction, and engagement with the material world.

A narrative history of Central Asia after the Greek dynasties and before Islam

Central Asia is commonly imagined as the marginal land on the periphery of Chinese and Middle Eastern civilisations. At best, it is understood as a series of disconnected areas that served as stop-overs along the Silk Road.
However, in the mediaeval period, this region rose to prominence and importance as one of the centres of Persian-Islamic culture, from the Seljuks to the Mongols and Timur.

Khodadad Rezakhani tells the back story of this rise to prominence, the story of the famed Kushans and mysterious ‘Asian Huns’, and their role in shaping both the Sasanian Empire and the rest of the Middle East.

Contextualises Persian history in relation to the history of Central Asia
Extends the concept of late antiquity further east than is usually done
Surveys the history of Iran and Central Asia between 200 and 800 bc and contextualises the rise of Islam in both regions

(in Hungarian with English abstract)

Hajdúnánás-Tedej – Lyukas-halom: archaeological assessment and scientific examination of a typical kurgan from the Great Hungarian Plain

Kurgans are special man-made flatland formations of the endless steppe of Eurasia. The multidisciplinary excavation of Hajdúnánás-Tedej – Lyukas-halom, one of the typical Pit Grave kurgans in the Great Hungarian Plain region is presented in the paper. For centuries, archaeology has been the primary science to examine these  objects. The buried soil profiles under burial mounds (kurgans) are the messengers of ancient landscape forming factors, soil generation processes and palaeobotanical patterns. Results from palaeopedology, soil micromorphology, geochemistry, palaeobotany (phytolith analysis and palynology) and archaeology are summarised in order to understand the evolution, construction and the former palaeoenvironment of the kurgan and its close vicinity. Based on the results gained from the various disciplines and the archaeological findings excavated at the kurgan the study gives an insight into the Late Copper Age and Early Bronze Age 1-2 periods including the Boleráz / Baden, Coţofeni, Pit-Grave, Makó and Nyírség cultures in north-eastern Hungary. Geochemical analysis underlines that the kurgan was built in several, separate stages. Palaeobotanical results have underlined the existence of a central ridge inhabited by (semi)xerofi l steppe vegetation and lower microrelief depressions around it. Although phytoliths have shown the possible existence of a grove-like habitat, arboreal pollen is underrepresented in the samples. This is complemented by the palaeopedological analysis of the buried soil profi le under the formation, which was identifi ed as a Chernozem soil. Palynological analysis has drawn the attention on the probable human impact in the outer skirts of the later kurgan as weed species have occurred in higher concentrations in the examined samples.

Семененко А.А. О недопустимости распространения псевдонаучных данных через систему образовательных учреждений школьного и профессионального образования (на примере тиражирования псевдоколесничного «арийского» мифа в учреждениях образования Челябинской области) // Современные аспекты образования, развития, воспитания в образовательном процессе: проблемы и пути решения: материалы Всероссийской научно-практической конференции (АНО ДПО «Институт повышения квалификации и профессиональной подготовки», 25 марта 2022 г.) / ред. колл. Т. Ю. Хабарова, Н. С. Махина, Д. Н. Припутневич, М. Н. Гребенникова. — Воронеж: Воронежский государственный педагогический университет, 2022. — С. 235–238.

The so far known largest Avar period cemetery of the Carpathian Basin, covering a 5-5.5 hectare large area, is situated within the territory of the city of Zamárdi located on the southern bank of Lake Balaton. Nearly 2700 graves of the cemetery have been excavated until now, and almost the same amount is uncovered yet. Although onetime robbers ravaged and looted 95% of the graves, the cemetery is one of the richest find places of the period. Its various grave goods attest to the multi-rooted material culture of the community once using the cemetery, their ethnical complexity, and diverse commercial connections, as well as the cultural influences that arrived from various directions. Apart from eastern, nomadic cultural roots, local, Late Antique Byzantine and Germanic elements also formed the culture of this community.
The scientific processing and publication of the find material recovered from the 2368 graves until 1997 is finished already. However, only a few information have come to light so far regarding the results of the excavation restarted in 2015, since the restoration and the processing of the finds is still in progress. Even so, we decided to give a foretaste of our recent results by presenting some new phenomena and interesting find assemblages. Our observations fit well with the results of the earlier research, therefore we selected artefacts and groups of artefacts from the material of the previous excavations too, thus aiming to offer an overview of the most important characteristics of the cemetery. We infused life into our professional results by colourful reconstruction drawings.
The excavation of the cemetery continues, and we hope that the uncovering of each and every new grave contributes to our effort to show an even more precise and authentic image to laymen and professionals about the Avar period community that once used the cemetery in Zamárdi-Rétiföldek.

At the founding of the Avar Khaganate, a large number of Germanic origin communities (Langobards and Gepids) also lived in the western regions of the Carpathian Basin. In the beginning they lived with their own leader, but under the rule of the Avar Khagan. Based on the mixed culture cemeteries of the Early Avar Period, the Germans and Avars really lived together from the beginning of the 7th century.
In this study, these Avar-Germanic relations will be discussed based on the largest and richest Avar cemetery at Zamárdi-Rétiföldek (Hungary) where the excavations began in 1970s have been continue today with some more or less pauses. We will present the specific local material culture that developed as a result of the interaction of cultures and the fusion of Avars origin of Inner Asia and Germans.

During the Early Bronze Age, populations of the western Eurasian steppe expanded across an immense area of northern Eurasia. Combined archaeological and genetic evidence supports widespread Early Bronze Age population movements out of the Pontic–Caspian steppe that resulted in gene flow across vast distances, linking populations of Yamnaya pastoralists in Scandinavia with pastoral populations (known as the Afanasievo) far to the east in the Altai Mountains1,2 and Mongolia3. Although some models hold that this expansion was the outcome of a newly mobile pastoral economy characterized by horse traction, bulk wagon transport4,5,6 and regular dietary dependence on meat and milk5, hard evidence for these economic features has not been found. Here we draw on proteomic analysis of dental calculus from individuals from the western Eurasian steppe to demonstrate a major transition in dairying at the start of the Bronze Age. The rapid onset of ubiquitous dairying at a point in time when stepp...

Yu. V. Boltryk, O. V. Shelekhan

SCYTHIAN BARROWS BETWEEN CHMYREVA MOHYLA AND GAIMANOVA MOHYLA (northern steppe periphery of Velyka Bilozerka)

In 1970 and 1972 there were explored four Scythian-time barrows near Velyka Bilozerka village, Zaporizhia oblast.

Barrow 2/1970. Two graves were explored. One of them was totally robbed. Another one — the tomb of the “archer” dated by the first half of the 4th century BC. It is notable because of the full quiver set where bronze, bone, and wooden arrowheads were combined.

Barrow 1/1972. All Scythian-time graves were looted. Instead of it, this barrow looks interesting due to the dog burial in the ditch. It is supposed that this dog had the role of the guardian or guide between the worlds.

Barrow 2/1972. It is very noteworthy barrow. In the central grave No 3 which is dated by the third quarter of the 4th century BC there were found unusual set of the gold appliqués. There were pictured characters from the Greek mythology (Dionysus?), scenes of torment with lions and deer and scenes of opposed sphinxes on them. Unique appliqués with depicted horned man were interpreted as the picture of the solar god, or master of the beasts. Another unique masterpiece is the pendant in the shape of the female head in the high headwear. One can assume that this is an image of the Greek goddess Hera. In addition in this grave preserved details of the heavy-armored warrior’s equipment: spearhead, javelin, scaly armor, horse bridle. Also, under the mound rare child grave and two cult burrows were explored.

Barrow 3/1972. This late 4th century BC kurhan looks interesting due to catacomb with two dromoses. In addition, there were found gold appliqués with images of the mythological characters that were interpreted as Bellerophon and Pegasus. Unique masterpiece is glass intaglio with image of two fighting cocks. This scene has analogies in the Greek folklore too.

Analyzed kurhans were erected on the ancient trail that was known as Old Chumak Trail (branch of the Muravskyi Trail). Barrows 2/1972 and 3/1972, where most significant grave goods were found, could be interpreted as tombs of the local kin leaders. Expressive materials show strong impact of the Antique culture on the barbarian world in the 4th century BC.

The report is devoted to a comparative analysis of identity marks (tamga-signs) of the Yenisei Kyrgyz and rulers of the Western Turkic Khaganate. The conclusion is made for the similarity of graphic basis and modification rules for tamgas of both states at the early stage. It conforms with the information about relationships between founders of the First Turkic Khaganate and ruling family group of Kyrgyz, that is described in the genealogical legend of the 6th century in the Chinese composition «Zhou Shu». The earliest prototypes of Kyrgyz and Western Turkic tamgas can be identified among the images of the late stage of Tashtyk culture. They allow us to interpret them as a conventionally represented image of a bird-woman, that can be correlated with goddess Umay.

Грот с писаницами расположен на южном склоне одноименной сопки, в 6 и выше ее подножья, в 1 км от правого берега р. Уронхай, между селами Бестерек и Ленинка Уланского района Восточно-Казахстанской области. Сопка довольно высокая и крутая из серого гранита, по форме напоминает пирамиду. Длина грота около 9 м. максимальная лирика в средней части – 4 м, а максимальная высота – 2 м. Всего здесь сохранились более восьмидесяти рисунков, выполненных охрой. Писаницы расположены, главным обрезом, на противоположной от входа стене и частично - на потолке грота. Левая часть композиции в значительной мере повреждена натеками.
Основная масса рисунков сосредоточена в нижней части стены. Примерно р средней части композиции расположена перевернутая фигура горного козла и рисунок повозки, а вокруг них - многочисленные кресты, косые фигуры, зигзаги, ломанные линии, круги. квадраты с точками, треугольники, конусовидные "жилища", антропоморфные фигуры и т.д.
Время создания писании нами определено в предварительном порядке концом ІІІ – началом ІІ тысячелетия до н.э.

The most important concrete results of the excavation of tomb No. 54 include the study of tomb structure in all its details and the study of the site as a “tomb complex”, where not only satellite burials but also other subsidiary features around the main tomb are of equal importance with the tomb itself for our understanding of funerary rituals. What we have here is an exact documentation of all the features of the tomb, in order that we may appreciate the complexities of the process of its construction. Since the original Russian manuscript was finished in 2006, only selectively could the latest literature be referred to.

The aim of this study is to briefly introduce the types of horse graves of the Avar Period, the parallels of their variants in the steppes of Eastern Europe and Central Asia, and the different cultural origins behind the different equestrian burial customs.