Geological observations on archeoastronomical objects of the ridge Sunduki and mount Tarping (Khakasia)

Abstract

In autumn of 2016, the author participated in the Second Russian seminar on the field of archeoastronomy, which took place in the tract of the Sunduki (Khakasia) and was dedicated to the memory of the famous scientist-archaeologist and orientalist V. E. Larichev. For many years he conducted archaeological and archaeoastronomical research in this area. A lot of specialists were involved in surveying, performed the necessary measurements and observations. At the same time, such a multifaceted object as Sunduki was "deprived" of the attention of geologists for more than 30 years. And at first, this place is a natural, geological object. The author of this work tried to fill this gap. Several routes were conducted, including first of all the most famous archeoastronomical objects studied by V. Larichev and his colleagues. In the course of geological researches on the place of archeoastronomical objects the elements of rock occurrence in rock massifs were determined, since the structural features of rock mass structure largely determine the development of subsequent processes of weathering. Much attention was paid to the measurements of the direction of tectonic cracks development, which allowed establishing a common system of fracturing of the Sunduki ridge, its block structure. On such archaeological objects as the "Equinox window" and mount Tarping (Saratsky Sunduk), it was tectonics that played a key role in the creation of geometric shapes that might be interesting to the ancient men who used this objects as visors in the observation of celestial bodies. The development of exogenous, slope processes contributed to the creation of the object "Stele of the second canyon, installed on the line of the heavenly Meridian." The processes of intensive denudation of the rock crest led to the creation of the object "Three inclined plates". In the course of its study, the parameters and mutual arrangement of red Sandstone slabs were measured in detail, their angles and azimuths of incidence were determined. Studies clearly indicate the natural process of weathering and destruction of rocks of this block. The study of the lithological composition of the thickness and the nature of the rocks allowed to explain the presence of the so-called gutters at the object "Protochrams of sunrise during the summer solstice": gutters represent the boundary of the division of rocks, with different physical and mechanical properties. At this border an intense destruction of rocks happen and at least it leads to the negative microform surface of the rocky ridge. As a result of this geological studies of the Sunduki and on mount Tarping, determined by researchers as having archaeological significance, the author made the conclusion that these objects have a natural origin, associated either with the peculiarities of occurrence of rocks in certain places, or with the processes of destruction of the rock surface as a result of weathering. However, the presence of quite a large number of rock remains and individual blocks and slabs of sandstones differently oriented and located on the slopes and on the watersheds, gave an advantage to the ancient man in his decision to use this landscape as an astronomical tool for his tasks, sacred or purely practical.

Keywords

• geoglyph
• geoglyphs of turgay
• turgay deflection ushtogai square
• urpek ritual complex
• great ashuty cross