With contributions by Dmitrij V. Bogatenkov, Alexandra P. Buzhilova, Mariya V. Dobrovolskaya, Sergej L. Dudarev, Igor O. Gavritukhin, Thomas Higham, Dmitrij S. Korobov, Galina V. Lebedinskaya, Vladimir Yu. Malashev, Mariya B. Mednikova, Sergej N. Savenko, Anna K. Shvyryova and Rebecca Warren.
The present volume documents the results of one of the early joint projects between Russian and Western archaeologists. The cemetery of Klin-Yar, situated near Kislovodsk in the foothills of the North Caucasus, had already been excavated before 1993. 350 graves, mostly belonging to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age Koban Culture, had been uncovered; another 70 graves belonged to the Sarmatian and the early medieval Alanic period. The field work of the Anglo-Russian team carried out between 1994 and 1996 brought to light another 52 graves, most of them Alanic. The original plan for DNA analysis could not be realized in the 1990s but is due to be revived after the recent improvements in the extraction of ancient DNA. The results of the anthropological analysis suggest an immigration of both, the Sarmatian and the Alanic population with new male and female phenotypes as well. The modern Ossetians are considered to be the descendants of the Alans.
Beside the main authors Andrej B. Belinskij and Heinrich Härke, a number of notable colleagues, anthropologists and archaeologists, have contributed to this volume and have shed light on widespread nomadic cultures like the Sarmatians and the Alans by a detailed analysis of the excavated cemeteries. We still need more of such well excavated and documented evidence for overarching perspectives and theories.
Author(s): Andrej B. Belinskij, Heinrich Härke
Series: Archäologie in Eurasien, 36
Publisher: Habelt-Verlag
Year: 2018
Language: English
Pages: 446
City: Bonn
Table of contents
Preface of the Editor ix
Lists x
List of authors and contributors x
List of tables x
List of figures xi
List of plates xv
List of abbreviations xv
Preface of the authors xvii
Linguistic conventions xvii
Acknowledgements xviii
1. Introduction 1
1.1 Location and context 1
1.2 History of research at Klin-Yar 2
1.3 The 1994-1996 seasons 5
2. The Koban Culture graves and finds 9
Andrej B. Belinskij and Sergej L. Dudarev
2.1 Grave structures 9
2.2 Treatment of the body 9
2.3 Ritual inclusions in the graves 10
2.4 The Provision of grave-goods 12
2.5 Grave 355: a ‘shaman burial’? 13
2.7 Dress Ornaments 15
2.8 Weapons, tools and accessories 17
3. The Sarmatian and Alanic graves 20
Heinrich Härke
3.1 Burial ritual and excavation technique 20
3.2 Spatial patterning and chronology 20
3.3 Grave construction and multiple use of catacombs 21
3.4 Deposition of bodies and ‘family burial’ 25
3.5 The Provision of grave-goods in the chamber 26
3.6 Ritual depositions and activities 28
3.7 The elite plot 32
4. Pottery vessels from Sarmatian and Alanic graves 35
Vladimir Yu. Malashev
4.1 Grave 351B 35
4.2 End ofthe Late Sarmatian Period and Beginning of the Hun Period Transition Period (RZ and Ia1) 37
4.3 Periods Ib-e 16-ß 45
4.4 Periods IIb2-IIIc 1162 IIIb 46
4.5 Base stamps 47
4.6 Conclusions 47
5. Belt sets from Alanic graves: Chronology and cultural links 49
Igor O. Gavritukhin
5.1 Buckles 49
5.1.1 Introduction 49
5.1.2 Round and oval buckles with round-sectioned loop 49
5.1.3 Hollow kidney-shaped (B-shaped) buckles 54
5.1.4 Hollow buckles with raised ‘platform’on the loop 55
5.1.5 Rectangular and trapezoidal buckles 59
5.1.6 Hollow oval buckles with a pronounced groove for the pin, and with ‘platforms’ in the rear part of the loop 67
5.1. Buckles with elongated rear part of the loop 68
5.1.8 Rare forms 70
5.2 Strap-ends and belt mounts 71
5.2.1 Introductory notes 71
5.2.2 Strap-ends with emphasized upper ‘platform’ 71
5.2.3 Rectangular strap-ends with ridge in the lower part 72
5.2.4 Hollow strap-ends with straight sides 73
5.2.5 Hollow strap-ends of complex outline 75
5.2.6 Box-shaped strap-ends 76
5.2.7 Belt set with incised components and inlaid repousse gold applique with plaited-cord motif 81
5.2.8 Suspended strap-ends forfastening 82
5.2.9 T-shaped hollow mounts 84
5.2.10 Trefoil-shaped strap-dividers 86
5.2.11 Strap-dividers with loop 88
5.2.12 Horizontally symmetrical mounts with plain scutiform halves (double-scutiform mounts) 88
5.2.13 X-shaped mounts with emphasized central part 90
5.2.14 'Circle + shield' mounts 91
5.2.15 'Circle + trapezium' (keyhole-shaped) mounts 91
5.2.16 Scutiform mounts of 'heraldic' type 91
5.2.17 Rectangular mounts, hollow, with bevelled edges and four round cut-outs or their imitations 93
5.2.18 Rectangular mounts with rectangular cut-out at the centre 93
5.2.19 Crescent-shaped (C-shaped) mounts 94
5.2.20 Cruciform repousse mounts with plain lobes 94
5.2.21 Small ‘bird’s face’ mounts 95
5.2.22 Pyramid + brush mounts 95
5.2.23 Pseudo-buckles 96
5.2.24 Horizontally symmetrical repousse mounts with hemispheres in relief (‘bunch of grapes’) 96
6. Other dating finds from Late Sarmatian and Alanic graves 97
6.1 Glass vessels 97
Igor O. Gavritukhin
6.1.1 Thin-walled conical beaker 97
6.1.2 Thin-walled bowl with cut oval decoration and horizontal grooves under the rim 97
6.1.3 Thick-walled hemispherical bowl with closely cut decoration 98
6.2 Byzantine coins 98
Sergej N. Savenko
7. Social analysis of 4th to 8th Century Alanic burials at Klin-Yar 106
Dmitrij S. Korobov
7.1 The analysis of family patterns at Klin-Yar III 107
7.2 Identifying male and female grave-goods at Klin-Yar III 109
7.3 Analysis ofthe social hierarchy at Klin-Yar III 114
7.4 Social analysis of Klin-Yar IV burials 123
7.5 Conclusions 125
8. Radiocarbon dating at Klin-Yar 127
Rebecca Warren and Thomas Higham
8.1 Introduction 127
8.2 Initial radiocarbon results 128
8.3 Materials and methods 129
8.4 Radiocarbon results 130
8.5 Conclusions 132
9. The human bones from Klin-Yar III and IV 134
Alexandra P. Buzhilova, Mariya V. Dobrovolskaya, Mariya B. Mednikova, Dmitrij V. Bogatenkov and Galina V. Lebedinskaya
9.1 Introduction 134
9.2 Materials and methods 134
9.2.1 General comments 134
9.2.2 Catalogue of skeletal material from the 1994-1996 excavations at Klin-Yar III and IV 135
9.3 Palaeodemography of Klin-Yar III and IV 142
9.3.1 Methods 142
9.3.2 Palaeodemographic characteristics 142
9.3.3 Comparative analysis 144
9.4 Craniological patterns of the series 145
9.4.1 Description of cranial features 145
9.4.2 Skull deformation patterns 151
9.4.3 Gases of artificial skull deformation from excavations 1994-1996 154
9.4.4 Summary and discussion of artificial skull deformation 156
9.5 Morphological patterns of the series 156
9.5.1 Koban period 156
9.5.2 Sarmatian period 160
9.5.3 Transitional Sarmatian-Alanic graves 163
9.5.4 Alanic period 163
9.6 Palaeopathology and indicators of physiological stress 172
9.6.1 Koban period 172
9.6.2 Sarmatian period 174
9.6.3 Sarmatian-Alanic period 175
9.6.4 Alanic period 175
9.7 Non-metric traits and kinship 177
9.8 Bone Chemistry: a provisional reconstruction of the diet 178
9.9 Discussion and conclusion 181
10. Animal bones and horse burials from the Klin-Yar excavations 1994-1996 184
Anna K. Shvyryova
10.1 Introduction 184
10.2 Material from Klin-Yar III graves 184
10.3 Material from Klin-Yar III ritual features 193
10.4 Material from Klin-Yar IV graves 195
10.5 Horse remains from the Koban Settlement 196
10.6 Conclusions 196
10.7 Data tables of Klin-Yar horses 197
11. Results 203
11.1 The cemeteries of Klin-Yar III and IV 203
11.2 Population and culture 204
11.3 Social structure 205
11.4 Ritual and society 206
11.5 Settlement and diet 209
11.6 Regional context 210
12. Summaries 212
13. Bibliography 217
14. Catalogue
