New craniological data on the anthropology of the Turkic population of the steppe-land in the Middle Irtysh territory in the X–XII centuries

Abstract

The article investigates a cranial series originating from five burials from the right bank of the Irtysh River. The series characterizes the physical appearance of the Turkic (Kimak-Kipchak) population of the steppe part of the Middle Irtysh territory in the X–XII centuries. Craniological complexes in the group studied are predominantly mixed, having both Caucasoid and Mongoloid traits and their racial affinity can be defined as a subdued variant of a combination of South Siberian racial traits. A comparative analysis demonstrated that the Kimak-Kipchak population of the left bank of the Irtysh River with the apparent predominance of Caucasoid features is significantly different from the right bank group. Thus, the anthropology of the Turkic population was heterogeneous and included elements that varied in the degree in which Mongoloid and Caucasoid racial traits were expressed.

Keywords

• Craniology
• Kazakhstan
• Irtysh territory
• Turkic peoples
• pre-Mongolian time
• Kimak-Kipchak population
• steppe