Archaeologists from Kazan Federal University have uncovered a collection of artefacts linked to the ancient Pyanobor culture at a major archaeological complex in Russia’s Republic of Tatarstan, including a bronze-casting mould, weapons, jewellery and decorated pottery.
The discoveries were made during excavations at the Kipchak Archaeological Complex, near the village of Minnyarovo in the Aktanysh District.
Among the most notable finds were a mould used for casting bronze, bronze and iron arrowheads and a spearhead. Researchers also recovered beads, spindle whorls, animal bones, kitchen remains and fragments of pottery decorated with various patterns.
A range of objects associated with traditional Pyanobor clothing was also unearthed, including clasps, temple pendants, plaques and beads.
Researchers hope the discoveries will provide new evidence in an ongoing archaeological debate over the origins of the Pyanobor culture.
Excavations Target Ancient Settlement
The Kipchak Archaeological Complex consists of three sites: the Kipchak, or Minnyarovo, settlement; the Kipchak I cemetery; and the Kipchak II burial ground.
The settlement is regarded as the largest known fortified settlement associated with the Pyanobor culture, while the Kipchak I cemetery is notable for incorporating two different burial traditions — burial mounds and flat graves.
During the latest expedition, archaeologists excavated areas measuring 112 square metres and 84 square metres at the first two sites.
The team deliberately investigated what researchers believe to be the earliest section of the settlement in an effort to understand where its inhabitants originated.
“We explored the earliest section of the settlement to answer the question of the origins of its population,” expedition leader Ruzil Sattarov, an associate professor of archaeology and ethnology at Kazan Federal University, said.
“The origins of the Pyanobor culture are a contentious issue in archaeology. We plan to continue researching this topic.”
The 36-member expedition included student interns as well as graduates, master’s and postgraduate students from Kazan Federal University.
Researchers from the Tuva Institute of Humanities and Applied Socioeconomic Research and the Kushnarenkovo Museum of History and Local Lore in Bashkortostan also participated.
Alongside the excavations, researchers held a field seminar examining archaeological developments in the Kama region during the Hunno-Sarmatian period. Participants discussed new research and competing theories concerning the origins of the Pyanobor culture.
Specialists also delivered lectures comparing Pyanobor clothing and material culture with neighbouring archaeological traditions.
Svetlana Vorobyeva, a senior researcher at the National Museum of the Republic of Bashkortostan, discussed clothing associated with the Kara-Abyz culture, which existed alongside the Pyanobor culture in the middle reaches of the Belaya River.
Diana Fayzullina of the Kazan State Institute of Culture presented research on the clothing of the earlier Ananyino culture, which researchers have linked to the emergence of the Pyanobor tradition.
Sattarov said comparing the material culture of neighbouring societies could help archaeologists better understand connections between ancient populations.
Imported Objects Reveal Long-Distance Connections
Researchers describe the Pyanobor culture as one of the region’s most distinctive archaeological traditions, in part because excavations have revealed numerous objects originating far beyond the Kama region.
Previous discoveries have included imported goods such as Roman-style metal vessels believed to have reached the area through networks involving nomadic populations.
“This is a very interesting culture to study,” Sattarov said. “There’s a wealth of settlement and burial material, as well as grave goods, allowing us to conduct various studies and obtain fascinating results, proposing new scientific hypotheses.”
Archaeological investigation of Pyanobor sites dates to the late 19th century, with Kazan University scholars playing an early role in documenting discoveries associated with the culture.
Researchers consider the archaeological tradition particularly important for understanding the development of ancient communities in the Kama region and the emergence of later Finno-Ugric cultural traditions.
“The Pyanobor culture is one of the most striking pages in the ancient history of the region in which we live today,” Sattarov said.
The latest discoveries, particularly the bronze-casting mould and weapons, are expected to provide researchers with additional evidence about craft production, warfare, trade and everyday life among the communities that inhabited the region centuries ago.
Sources : KPFU
