Upper Chronological Boundary of Sargatha Culture

Abstract

The article deals with the antiquity of Sargat culture of forest-steppe in the Trans-Urals and Western Siberia. The established concepts of chronological framework cover the interval from the 5th century BC to 4th-5th centuries AD. Recent studies, both in the main territory and outside the Sargat area, provide evidences for clarifying the upper chronological boundary of the culture. The bright Late Sarmatian appearance of some Sargat burial complexes allows to consider Late Sarmatian finds of the Southern Urals as a reference; rich material has been accumulated on them, as well as detailed chronology.Late Sargathian monuments are found only in two regions - Tobol and Ishim rivers basins. The proposed correction is based on archaeological material which is external data (relative chronology) towards radiocarbon analysis (absolute chronology). In the archaeological collections of Sargat burials there are no any artifacts, the beginning of the period of existence of which falls on the 3rd century AD. There is no such evidence in the settlements either. Furthermore, judging by the available materials, the number of such complexes is small and the inventory is quite poor. The article gives a detailed analysis of burials from seven kurgan cemeteries located in Tobol and Ishim rivers basins, which might be attributed to the latest group marking the upper chronological boundary. In the second half of the 3rd century AD, the main features of the Sargat culture are fading and blurred, besides, it is absent in most of the forest-steppe territory to the east of the Urals. In conclusion the author suggests that if the assumptions are correct, the disappearance of the bright expressive complexes that defined the image of the Sargat social and cultural system, looks quite sharp. The Sargat monuments of the 4th century AD and later are not found across vast forest-steppe territory.