On the Legality of Using the Concept "Early Middle Ages" in Relation to the Archaeological Complexes of Western Siberia

Abstract

The state of scientific knowledge, as it relates to social processes, is the most significant problem of today’s reality. The further development of social sciences, which are based on historical science, is highly important nowadays. Accepting this responsibility imposes respective obligations on historical science. First and foremost, this concerns the conceptual framework of the science, so as to shape clear and unambiguous meanings of notions. Archaeology, as a part of historical science, in the Russian scientific tradition has its share of responsibility in forming a balanced historical content. This content should strive for corresponding to modern conceptual positions in the history of primitiveness. To bring clarity into the terminology of archaeological science means, among other things, to bring not only new knowledge, but also to update the existing developments. This responsibility implies a greater involvement of archaeology and archaeologists in the general historical discourse. According to the authors, there is apparently no reason to apply the definition of "Middle Ages" to materials traditionally attributed to this not only chronological period, but also to a certain stage of economic and social development. Considering the complexity of determining the belonging of archaeological complexes to specific ethnic groups at the early stages of the period, it is possible to use the definition of "prolonged Early Iron Age" or the concept of "archaeological culture", in the case under consideration, "Lower Ob’ archaeological culture".

Keywords

• science
• archaeology
• primevality
• periodization
• concepts
• terms
• treasures
• ritual
• burials