Campsites of the Southern Urals Nomads in the Middle of the I Millennium BC (according to data from the Bannoye – Sabakty – Karabalykty Lake System)

Abstract

The paper deals with the materials from three sites, namely the settlement Bannoye-5a (Berezki), Telyashevo-4 and Sabakty-3/5. They are discovered with ceramics of the early nomads (late V – late IV century BC). All these sites are situated within a narrow strip of mountain steppes along the eastern slope of the Southern Urals (modern Abzelilovsky district of the Republic of Bashkortostan). It is on the same latitude as Magnitogorsk. The settlement Bannoye-5a (Berezki) was studied in 1972–1976 and 2004–2005. The received materials were analyzed and showed three points of spread early nomadic ceramics. Two of them were revealed by excavations and are rather small in size. Also a similar situation was at Telyashevo-4 settlement. It is shown that all three sites can be interpreted as nomadic campsites. When the author analyzes all the information about the spread area of Southern Ural nomads in the middle of the I millennium BC, the author can conclude that the campsites and other types of settlements close to them were quite common (more than 30 sites are currently recorded). It is particularly complicated to find and register such kind of sites, however, studying them is the only way to learn something new about their household, spread and land development.

Keywords

• southern urals
• mountain-steppe zone
• archaeology of settlements
• scythian-sarmatian time
• the "sauromatians"
• pottery assemblage