New materials of the Ancient Turkic Epoch on settlement of Vengerovo-2 (Baraba forest-steppe)

Abstract

Purpose. Turkic peoples started to spread in the Baraba forest-steppe in the 8th century AD, bringing in their material culture and mixing with local population. At present, there have been recorded two settlements: Lozhka-4 and Sadovka in the Baraba forest-steppe. More commonly studied burial complexes include Chulym-2, Bolshie Luki-1, -3, Vladimirovka-3, Tretie Otdelenie-1, -2, Bazovo-1, Bazovo-2, Vengerovo-1, Vengerovo VII, Preobrazhenka-3, Sopka-2, Turunovka-3A, Hodunekovo, Aul-Koshkul, Oltary-1, Osintsevo-IV. Burial grounds are represented in three types: single mounds, groups of mounds and ground burials. We described the content of the ground burial found in 2016, which belongs to the Early Middle Age and was situated on the settlement of the Krotovo culture Vengerovo-2. Results. It was a single ground burial, located in the South-East – North-West direction. The skeleton was placed in an elongated position, arms along the body, the skull turned to the left and tilted to the shoulder. There was an iron knife in a poor condition near the diseased man’s left hand. There were found two horn buckles to the left of the sacrum and to the right of the lumbar spine. According to the classification by V. I. Molodin of the bone buckles of the Baraba forest-steppe, the full buckle can be referred to the type I, subtype 2, and it can be dated to the 7–8th centuries. By analogy with the buckles of the Srostkinskaya culture, the buckle from Vengerovo-2 is rectangular with a rounded frame, has a T-shape, and the slot for rolling the tongue is separated from the end of the slot isthmus. Such products were widely spread in the Middle Age cultures of Siberia and are dated in a broad range to the 8–10th centuries. The closest analogues to these items can be found in materials of the site Tartas-1, where burials of different times and cultures are represented, and which is situated near Vengerovo-2 settlement. Similar ground burials had been found at the Tartas-1 cemetery in 2008, 2009 and 2011. By the traits of their burial rite and inventory, they were referred to the ancient Turkic culture. Tartas-1 is an elite cemetery of the Turkic epoch on the territory of the Baraba forest-steppe as the site contained stuffed horses and a wide set of accessories such as weapons, jewelry, art objects and horse harness in its burials. There is another similar site, Turunovka-3A, where three shallow-dug soil graves were uncovered at the edge of the high shore terrace. The ancient graves of the Baraba burial ground Vengerovo-2 also do not include ceramic vessels. Conclusion. On the basis of the specific features of the burial rite and inventory, the burial on the site Vengerovo-2 is referred to a common type which was left by the population of the ancient Turkic culture of the Baraba.