Sintashta

The role of migration and mobility of people across the steppe has often been cited as key to Bronze Age developments across Eurasia, including the emergence of complex societies in the steppe and the spread of material culture. The central Eurasian steppe (CES) is a focal point for the investigation of the shifting nature of pastoral societies because of the clear transition in archaeological patterning that occurred from the Middle (MBA) to Late Bronze Age (LBA). The spread of LBA (1700–1400 cal BC) Andronovo cultural materials found across wide swaths of the steppe provide indirect evidence for broad scale interactions, but the degree to which people moved across the landscape remains poorly understood. This study takes a first step into documenting human movement during these critical periods through strontium (87Sr/86Sr) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopic analyses of tooth enamel recovered from human individuals buried in the cemeteries of Bestamak (MBA) and Lisakovsk (LBA) in northern Kazakhstan. Strontium isotope results, referenced against the distribution of contemporary bioavailable strontium in the vicinity of both sites, suggest local communities engaged in small-scale mobility with limited ranges. Reduced strontium and oxygen isotopic variation visible in humans from Lisakovsk suggests mobility decreased from the Middle to Late Bronze Age likely indicative of a shift in resource and landscape use over time.

This paper presents the results of plant macro-remain and charcoal analyses from a fortified settlement of the Sintashta archaeological culture in the southern Trans-Urals, Russia. The work was carried out within the scope of a German/Russian research project and represents the first systematic studies on Bronze Age plant material in the region. Previous archaeological and archaeozoological investigations have revealed that the Sintashta economy was mainly based on livestock herding of cattle, small cattle and horses. There is additional evidence for fishing as well as some copper metallurgy, while the role of agriculture is still being discussed. Archaeobotanical studies therefore focused on the question whether the Bronze Age settlers cultivated, processed or stored crop plants. All cultural layers and important settlement features were systematically sampled, wet-sieved and subjected to plant macro-remain analysis. Anthracological (charcoal) samples were taken from burnt structures and charcoal concentrations. As no evidence for either cultivated plants or agricultural practices was found in the settlement, it can be concluded that farming was not practised at Kamennyi Ambar, and that the Sintashta economy was exclusively based on animal husbandry and fishing in that steppe region. The charred plant remains found in the settlement represent a broad spectrum of wild plants which can be attributed to vegetation units like small woodlands, steppe, ruderal steppe, meadow steppe and the riparian zone. As supported by palynological studies, Bronze Age vegetation patterns are largely comparable with those of the modern steppe environment. Since some of the recorded taxa have the potential to serve as food, fodder or for craft purposes, the use of wild plants at Kamennyi Ambar must be considered. The charcoal analysis reveals the dominance of Pinus sylvestris and Betula sp., representing a typical tree taxa spectrum from the steppe region during the Bronze Age as well as present times. It can be concluded that wood was readily available for construction material and fuel.

The paper is devoted to the results of the study kurgan Halvay 5, which is located on the left bank of the Tobol branch of the Karatomar Reservoir (Northern Kazakhstan, Kostanay Region) 7 km to the north-east of Halvay and 500 m to the north-east of the Sintashta kurgan Halvay 3. The diameter of the kurgan is 30 m with a moat, a height of 0.8 m. Five burials were recorded under the embankment of the kurgan. All the primary burials of the kurgan Halvay 5 belong to the XXI century BC to Sintashta culture. All the main burials of the kurgan Halvay 5 were robbed in antiquity. The moat after the burial of the deceased (at least at the time of the robbery of the pits) did not fall asleep for a while. Funerary chambers have an overlapping of boards and logs, their walls are lined with bark and grass, the bottom is also covered with grass and bark. In the course of the study, the following analyzes were performed: anthropological, paleozoological, paleobotanical, dendrochronological, X-ray fluorescent (XRF), radiocarbon. The sacrificial complex is represented by cattles, sheeps, and horses. Among the finds obtained as a result of the study of the kurgan Halvay 5: ceramic vessels, a bronze ax-adzo, stone arrowheads, abrasives and a zoomorphic altar. In the kurgan over of the  Early Sarmatian burial was investigated.
Работа посвящена результатам исследования кургана Халвай 5, который находится на левом берегу тобольского рукава Каратомарского водохранилища (Северный Казахстан, Костанайская область) в 7 км к северо-востоку от поселка Халвай и в 500 м к северо-востоку от синташтинского кургана Халвай 3. Диаметр кургана 30 м со рвом, высота 0,8 м. Под насыпью кургана зафиксировано пять погребений. Все подкурганные захоронения кургана Халвай 5 относятся к XXI веку до н.э. к синташтинской культуре. Все основные погребения кургана Халвай 5 были ограблены в древности. Ров после захоронения усопших (по крайней мере, на момент ограбления ям) какое-то время не засыпался. Погребальные камеры имеют перекрытие из досок и бревен, стены их облицованы корой и травой, дно также устлано травой и корой. В ходе исследования были выполнены следующие анализы: антропологический, палеозоологический, палеоботанический, дендрохронологический, рентгенофлюоресцентный (РФА), радиоуглеродный. Жертвенный комплекс представлен КРС, МРС, и лошадьми. Среди находок, полученных в результате исследования кургана Халвай 5: керамические сосуды, бронзовое топор-тесло, каменные наконечники стрел, абразивы и терочники и зооморфный жертвенник-терочник. В насыпи кургана было исследовано раннесарматское погребение.