Suchergebnisse

One of the main problems in studying the Ekven burial ground is determining its age and cultural affiliation. From the very first years of its research to the present, the typology of harpoon tips and the stylistic analysis of ornaments on bone items constitute the basis for solving the corresponding range of issues. This approach allowed defining that the burial ground belongs to the early phase of the sequence of the Neo-Eskimo cultures, namely the Old Bering Sea culture. Meanwhile, an analysis of the ceramic collection of the Ekven burial ground shows that the site contains only ceramics typical of the late Birnirk culture, characterized by circular and arched ornamental patterns. This differentiate the Ekven burial ground from other reference sites of the ancient Bering Sea culture located on the American side of the Bering Strait and containing ceramics that preserve the ancient traditions of Paleo-Eskimo ceramics, characterized by linear and "checked" imprints on the vessels surfaces. Such situation is rather contradictory and requires some explanation. Apparently, the materials from the Ekven burial ground have not yet been fully understood, and research to determine its cultural affiliation needs to be continued. The article provides a brief overview of the materials related to the establishment of cultural and chronological affiliation of the burial ground, summarizes the data on its absolute dating and the results of the analysis of its ceramics. Several possibilities for resolving the contradictions that arose after studying the Ekven ceramic collection are discussed.

Participants of the search movement in Russia theoretically should possess basic knowledge about the anatomy of the human skeleton, as well as age and sex-related bone variability. In practice, the knowledge of searchers in this field depends solely on their personal interest in studying the subject. The results of testing, which examined the ability of searchers to use graphic schemes for determining sex and age, were quite low. The ratings are characterized not only by extreme variability but often poorly correlate with the proposed analysis schemes. More experienced searchers were generally more accurate in their evaluations. This circumstance is probably more related to their greater concentration on the task than to real positive experience of comparing skeletal characteristics and a person's passport age. Undoubtedly, the unsatisfactory results are partly explained by the conditions of the test — the mass gathering of a large number of people, background noise in the hall, and time constraints of the event. Overall, the testing proved to be eloquent evidence of the low effectiveness of group classes devoted to anthropological techniques for individuals not specializing in anthropology.

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Dr. Daniel Gottlieb Messerschmidt by decree of Peter the Great undertook a seven-year journey (1719–1727) to Siberia with the aim of comprehensive scientific study of the region. The Siberian collections including a collection of antiquities entered the Museum in 1728. Some of the collections of D.G. Messerschmidt were damaged in the fire of the Kunstkamera in 1747, the remaining ones were redistributed to different museums. At present time the drawings from Messerschmidt's work "Sibiria perlustrata" and a catalog of watercolor drawings of the artifacts stored in the Kunstkammer made at the Academy of Sciences in the 1730s–1740s are used as sources for the study of archaeological objects. The article discusses the experience of attribution of two items from the collection of D.G. Messerschmidt. The analysis of the images in Messerschmidt's work "Sibiria perlustrata" and catalog 1730–1740 during the preparation of the exhibition "Kunstkamera of Peter the Great, or the Tower of Knowledge" were used as a proxy sources to select the closest archaeological artifacts to the Messerschmidt originals. Among others are two small Turkic stirrups from the collection MAE No 1575. The collection consists of undocumented artifacts received by MAE in different time. Size, visual similarity and other characteristics made it possible to intensifier the stirrups from the collection MAE No 1575 as belonging to the Messerschmidt collection.

The article analyzes 4 engravings with two tables on each print from the so-called "Atlas" by N. G. Le Сlerc with drawings of archaeological objects from the documentary heritage of D.G. Messerschmidt, which have been considered unknown so far. "Atlas" is an appendix to the work of N. G. Le Clerc "Histoire physique, morale, civile et politique de la Russie modern". Based on a comparison of one of the survived drawings with an engraving from the "Atlas", and a comparison with of descriptions of the drawings given in the manuscript of D.G. Messerschmidt with those in the engraved tables in the third volume of Le Clerc's book "Histoire… de la Russie modern" it can be argued that the engraved drawings belonged to one of the volumes of the archival collection of D.G. Messerschmidt. A comprehensive study of this visual source in combination with already known drawings, and other sources ("The Painted Museum of the St. Petersburg Academy of Sciences", published and handwritten catalogs of the Kunstkamera) will allow us to give a scientific description of the archaeological collection, determine its place in the collection of the Kunstkamera, which is important for the history of archeology and history of the Kunstkamera of the 18th century, when the base of scientific knowledge was being formed.

The problem of the interplay between manufacturing technology, vessel construction elements and surface treatment often attracts the attention of archaeologists studying ancient ceramics. The MAE RAS collection includes a number of ceramics vessels obtained during excavations of the La Paya site (province of Salta, northwest Argentina). The settlement was founded by the Diaguita-Calchaqui Indians at the end of the first millennium and existed in 9–16 centuries AD. An important part of this archaeological complex was excavated at the beginning of the 20th century by the Argentine archaeologist, founder and first director of the Ethnographic Museum in Buenos Aires, J. B. Ambrosetti. The most part of the La Paya complex was presented by hand-molded ceramic vessels, which were a characteristic part of Calchaqui's funeral rituals. Burials in cists were found within the stone wall surrounding the site, as well as in the territory of the necropolis adjoining it from the west. The ceramic complex of La Paya consists of a significant number of bowls, characterized by a high level of morphological diversity. Bowls of different shapes were made either as independent vessels or as components of complex forms. At the same time, the funerary urns and the bowls associated with them have a stable pattern of ornamentation. In the article the data on technology of manufacturing and ornamentation of the La Paya vessels is presented and some historiographical and mythological subjects, which can be useful for understanding new features of construction and ornamentation of the Calchaqui ceramic bowls and burial urns, are analyzed.

The article is focused on the study of the geometric petroglyphs of Southern Siberia and Mongolia. All of them are characterized by the presence of anthropomorphic features. The petroglyphs were divided into three complexes. The first complex is a parabola with a recess at the top and a pair of "legs" at the bottom. The second one is a combination of rectangles and trapezoids with "legs". Sometimes they have "heads", "hands" and "vulvas". The third one is poles with crossbars, on which rectangular canvases with fringe are suspended. According to archaeologists, the first complex dating back to the Eneolithic — the Bronze Age belongs to the Chemurchek and Karakol cultures, the second to the Afanasiev and Karakol cultures, and the third to the Okunevo culture. The latest is the third complex, which belongs to the final stage of the Okunevo culture. Based on the results of a comparative analysis of ethnographic materials, it can be assumed that the petroglyphs of the first complex depicted people hidden under shoots, grass or straw. These mummers during the rituals represented vegetative spirits. The petroglyphs of the second complex, which were characteristic attributes used on holidays and rituals associated with the change of seasons are presented by dummies in the form of women. The petroglyphs of the third complex had a memorial character, depicting models of the deceased in the form of a cross with suspended shrouds. In general, all the complexes reflected different variants (or stages?) of anthropomorphic modeling: a mummer—a dummy (doll)—a model..

In the article the craniology of the post-Catacomb and Middle Volga Abashevo populations in the context of cranial metric characteristics of Neolithic and Bronze Age groups of continental Europe is discussed. The data on 2100 male skulls belonging to 95 samples was analyzed by means of Mahalanobis distances (D²) matrix. The results reveal high level of similarity between the post-Catacomb series and Catacomb East-Manych, Eastern Caucasus (Gintchi) and Fatyanovo-Balanovo samples. Basically these results are in line with archaeological reconstructions of cultural processes in Middle and Late Bronze Age. The most western series, which displays morphologic similarity with the Babino sample, is the Globular Amphora series, while the Corded Ware sample from the Baltic region is similar to the Lolino culture sample. We suggest that the series of skulls from the Pepkino kurgan may be unrepresentative for the Middle Volga Abashevo population, since analogies to its cranial metric profile can be traced only in the late Fatyanovo and Balanovo samples and in one local Yamnaya sample, but are absent in other European populations, including Bell Beaker sample, which is in contradiction with archaeological data.

The article is devoted to the studies of the function of bone artefacts with ornamentation and signs from the Ust-Polui sacral production center. Functional groups of items with and without décor were identified and compared to each other according to the use-wear pattern. The main elements and compositions of the decorations that are typical for the certain categories were studied. The location and ways of ornamentation and signs were analyzed. It was shown that buckles, combs and armored plates make up the largest percentage of ornamentally decorated items, while signs are often applied to scrapers-blades. Fish knives, hooks, chisel-shaped tools, wedges, needles, harpoons and arrowheads except two of them have no decoration elements. The oblique cuts and small notches on the edges of several items made of the reindeer harness apparently were technologically meaningful. The bone products of the Ust-Polui are characterized by geometric ornaments with a small set of elements and their combinations. A pattern consisting of one or more wavy lines, made using the technique of fine-contour or oval-notched carving, was a common decorative element for functionally various items. It was complemented by compositions of straight or broken lines. There is no correlation between degree of wear and the presence or absence of decor in tools of the same category. Armor plates, buckles, combs, scrapers-spatulas had most strong wear traces among the specimens with ornamentation. Geometric signs were found on a bow plate, 2 belt hooks, 3 spoons and 14 scrapers-spatulas. They have a different carving quality and shape. There were often 2 signs carved on the items; some signs were applied to the surface of the scrapers after their long-term use.

Introduction. Academic of the Imperial Academy of Sciences of Saint Petersburg Arist Kunik published his work "On the Relationship of Hagan-Bulgarians with the Chuvash According to the Slavic-Bulgarian Nominalia" in 1878. The matters of the historical relationship of Bulgarians and Chuvash have been widely discussed since that time. The objective of the article is to evaluate the basic provisions of Kunik's study from the point of view of innovative advances in this field. Attention is focused on the identity of Danube Bulgars and the historical ancestors of modern Chuvash. Methods and materials. Kunik based his reasoning on two books of Andrey Popov with the review of chronicles in the Russian version. Such chronicles are consolidated in scientific literature under the conventional name 'Nominalia'. Kunik also used the opinions of Vasily Radlov. Analysis. Matters of the Danube Bulgars ethnogenesis enter largely into Kunik's work. Given the fact that the Bulgars had come from the Caucasus and then divided into descents in the Volga and the Danube regions, Kunik resorts to comparative characteristics of the Danube and Volga historical ancestors of the Bulgars. In the Middle Volga region, the Bulgars appeared in the 8th – 9th centuries. This is evidenced by the archeological monuments of the saltov type. Bulgarian researchers find direct correspondence between the Kubrat and Asparuhovo Bulgarians. Results. Kunik says that the Chuvash are direct descendants of Bulgars. However, his views on this matter are quite unreliable. His doubts were dispelled in the 20th – 21st centuries by the historical science. In spite of the ambiguity of a lot of Kunik's provisions on the identity of Danube Bulgars and the Chuvash, now his suppositions are confirmed to a great extent – primarily, by linguists. Generally Kunik based his research on the names of Bulgarian khans and numeral adjectives in the Nominalia.

The burial ground located on a bank of Tankovoye Lake (Kuibyshevskoye) is one of the key sites in the archaeology of the Kuril Islands. This is due not only to the fact that huge archaeological collections reflecting all stages of peopling of the region have been collected here over many years of excavations but also to the fact that this burial ground still remains the only object of this kind throughout the entire islands chain. Moreover, apart of the burials themselves, the stone burial structures, which have not yet been recorded on other sites of the Kuril Islands, but have analogies in the Jōmon culture, were also revealed at the site. Interest in this site is also enhanced by recent genetic studies, which unexpectedly demonstrated a high level of genetic similarity of a person buried here with modern Koryaks and Itelmens. At the same time, despite the site's uniqueness, it is heavily underrepresented in available scientific publications. Information about it can be found only in the field reports and in few the hard-to-reach regional publications. Therefore, this article provides a brief overview of all data gathered at this site. It is based on the field reports, data from the private archive of Y. Knorozov, museum collections of the Sakhalin Regional Museum, and on the results of the author's own research as well. Summing up the outcomes of long-term researches, we have to state that the site's unique objects remain almost unexplored. For many years, studies here were limited to visual examination, cleaning up of the dune opening, and surface artifact gathering. Therefore, the nature of the burial objects found at the site might be recognized only in the most general terms. Their cultural affiliation also remains questionable. Radiocarbon dates suggest that the early Epi-Jōmon epoch is most powerfully represented near the lake, while the bulk of the ceramics collected here belongs to the later stage of this epoch (in accordance with archaeological data from Hokkaido). In addition, artifacts of Middle and Final Jōmon, Okhotsk culture, Satsumon-Tobinitai culture, and Ainu are presented here as well. Presumably, people could bury their dead here during the epochs of Final Jōmon, Epi-Jōmon and, possibly, the Okhotsk culture.

Here is the interview with one of the most outstanding Russian physical anthropologist, the author of more than 250 scientific papers, published in the leading Russian and foreign publications, the creator of one of the areas of population studies — "ethnic cranioscopy", Doctor of Historical Sciences, Chief Researcher of the MAE RAS Alexander G. Kozintsev, recently celebrated his 75th anniversary.

Among the motives of the ancient nomads's art, the horse's hoof attracts special attention of specialists. The sign of hoof is reproduced in the form of a schematic image of a part of a leg (sometimes a pair of hind legs) or an abstract pattern of the hoof's footprint. Several regional cultural and stylistic areas can be distinguished. The first area is located in the Sayano-Altai region and adjacent territories. The figurative element of the hoof here is presented mainly on ladles and less often on cheek-pieces, and the abstract element of the hoof's footprint placed on petroglyphs and harness buckles. The second area includes the Dnieper region, the Kuban region, the Caucasus and Iran, where both depicted elements are placed on the cheek-pieces. The South Ural is considered as a buffer zone where European and Asian influences collided. The figurative element here adorns mainly the cheek-pieces, while the abstract element decorates the buckles. The Khakass-Minusinsk Hollow and Kazakhstan are special areas with specific sets of items. The hoof signs in petroglyphs were depicted from the end of the Bronze Age up to the ethnographic time. The hoof signs on items appeared in the second half of the 8th – first half of the 7th century BC. The earliest finds were found in Altai. Probably the Asian territories played the most important role in the development of the hoof's motive. The disappearance of the horse hoof images from nomadic art occurred in the 3rd century BC. In the second half of the 7th century BC the motive penetrated the Middle East with the carriers of the ancient nomadic culture. The motive of the horse's hoof transformed into an additional detail of the animal's figure — a mouth or an ear. The horse hoof was associated with certain ideas among the ancient nomads. The image of a horse's hoof in petroglyphs served as a pictogram, ethnic or social emblem. The motive depicted on the objects could also serve as a symbol of a certain group of people. Presumably, these were the royal Scythians, known by the «History» of Herodotus, — an association of nomads those played a significant part in the formation of the archaic Scythian culture.