Xiongnu archaelogy

This book examines the significance of adornment to the shaping of identity in mortuary contexts within Asia, and brings these perspectives into dialogue with current scholarship in other worldwide regions. The mortuary contexts of focus in this volume represent unique sites and events where identity was visualized, and often manipulated and negotiated, through material objects and their placement on and about the deceased body. In both breadth and depth, it will be of interest to students and scholars interested in the archaeology, art, and history of Central and East Asia, as well as anyone interested in the general study of dress and adornment.

Two mirrors which were unearthed in 2016–2017 on the Nur-Tukhum archaeological complex are analyzed in the paper. The first finding is represented by a fragment of a Chinese bronze mirror of the TLV type, originating from the Xiongnu burial, the second one is a round metal mirror from a medieval dwelling. The T-, L- and V-shaped signs, as well as images of fantastic creatures are fixed on preserved fragment of the ornamental field of the Chinese mirror. The mirrors of this type are dated by 1st –2nd centuries AD. The main ornamental field of the second mirror is filled with images of dragons of the air and water elements. The artifact differs in its characteristics from similar mirrors by the absence of a cone-loop in the center of the product and an eight-arched frame on the inside of the rim. Such mirrors are dated from the 13th – 14th centuries. The authors describe the mirrors, the technology and chemical composition of products, a chronological justification, and also reveal the semantics of images.

М.Е. Килуновская, П.М. Леус - Новые материалы улуг-хемской культуры в Туве //Археологические Вести №24, Санкт-Петербург 2018.  M. Kilunovskaya, P. Leus - New evidence on the Ulug-Khem culture in Tuva // Archaeological News Nr.24, St.Petersburg 2018.
Аннотация. Во II в. до н. э. в результате северной экспансии хунну территория Тувы входит в зону  их культурного и политического влияния, что приводит к смене населения и, как следствие, смене  археологических культур. Предшествующая уюкско-саглынская культура скифского типа исчезает,  появляются новые памятники, отличные и от скифских, и от более поздних кокэльских. Эти древности  А. Д. Грач в 1971 г. предложил называть «улуг-хемской культурой». Объединенные в нее археологические  памятники располагались в Центральной Туве, на левом берегу Улуг-Хема (Верхний Енисей), где про- водила исследования Саяно-Тувинская экспедиция ЛОИА АН СССР. Annotation. In the 2nd century BC, the northward expansion of the Xiongnu resulted in Tuva’s territory  getting into the zone of their cultural and political infuence. This event led to replacement of the population  ensuing, in its turn, in the change of the archaeological cultures. The previous Uyuk-Sagly culture of the  Scythian type disappears in this period and new sites, differing both from the Scythian culture and the later  Kokel one, arise. A. D. Grach proposed in 1971 to attribute these new sites as belonging to an ‘Ulug-Khem’  culture. The archaeological monuments united within this culture were situated in Central Tuva on the left  bank of the Ulug-Khem River (Upper Yenisey) where the Sayan-Tuva Expedition of LOIA AS USSR conducted  its explorations.

Previous studies of petroglyphs in Mongolia have focused on the abundant Bronze Age examples. Recently, however, in the Khawtsgait site in southern Mongolia, two petroglyphs have come to light presenting a major departure from Bronze Age examples in subject, mode of representation, and parallels with funerary art. One depicts a nomadic camp scene head on, the other presents what seems to be a scene about an altar with a seated figure, possibly female, and standing figures. Relatively close parallels to these figures exist in art found in funerary contexts particularly in Xiongnu sites and the Pazyryk tombs in the Russian Altai. Together with these finds, the new Khawtsgait site provides new evidence of Iron Age material culture and funerary beliefs, along with the continuing links of the Mongolian plateau with the steppe west of the Altai.

A substantial number of tamgas with very distinct form and pattern have been discovered in different archaeological sites that have been studied in Mongolia and in its neighboring regions. The corpus of tamgas were depicted on five kinds of items including: 1) petroglyphs, 2) lacquer cups, 3) pottery, 4) decorative roof tile and 5) animal ankle bones. The petroglyphs with tamgas have been found at Tsagaan Gol in Khaliun soum of Govi-Altai province, at Khargaityn Belchir and Dund Jargalant in Uyench soum, of Khovd province,
and among petroglyphs of Yamaan Us in Altai soum of Khovd province. Some tamgas depicted on lacquer cups recovered from Noyon Uul, on potteries
of Dabaodang in Shaanxi, China, on decorative roof tiles of Tereljin Durvuljin
in Mungunmorit soum of Tuv province, and some ankle bones with tamgas unearthed from the excavation of Dureny settlement, Russia and at Gol Mod-2 in Erdenemandal soum of Arkhangai province.
These tamgas forming a group, found in many types of archaeological
sites, are basically associated with the archaeological sites of elites of the Xiongnu. According to this evidence it could be suggested that these are tamga of the ruling tribe Luandi of the Xiongnu. The tamgas found in elite tombs at Noyon Uul are the most apparent evidence to substantiate the fact. Comparable tamgas were found on the decorative roof tiles of the central building of Tereljyn Durvuljin fortress, which demonstrate not only the site’s significance to society of that time but also demonstrate that these are tamgas of elite clan. Moreover, similar tamgas were unearthed in cemetery of Dabaodang,
associated with elites of the Southern Xiongnu, that shows the tamga and its owner tribe had existed for a long time and had played a significant role in the Xiongnu society.
From the studies on tamgas of khans of the Mongol Empire, especially
tamgas of Genghis Khan and his four sons, conducted by Mongolian researcher B.Nyamaa, we can see a broad tradition of tamga usage among nomadic elites as well as a certain principle of branching principles. It seems beyond doubt that Xiongnu elite had same principles as above. Here should be noted that materials and demands for a more propound study on this issue
has emerged.
The tamgas of the Xiongnu elite had influenced to the Central Asia and Eastern Europe, according to our research. This will be a significant source to study the ancient cultural and political impacts.

Данная работа представляет собой краткий каталог выставки
Каталог выставки "Культура урбанизации древних кочевников", открытой 12 апреля 2017 г. в Улан-Баторе в Национальном историческом музее. На выставке представлены интересные находки, полученные в ходе пятнадцатилетних раскопок совместной российско-монгольской археологической экспедиции Института истории, археологии и этнографии Дальнего Востока ДВО РАН, Института монголоведения, буддологии и тибетологии СО РАН, Международного института изучения кочевых цивилизаций ЮНЕСКО.

Кочевые империи Евразии: особенности исторической динамики / отв. ред. Б.В. Базаров, Н.Н. Крадин. М.: Наука — Вост. лит., 2019. — 503 с.
ISBN 978-5-02-039849-8
В течение более чем двух с лишним тысяч лет на территории Евразии возникали особые политические образования — кочевые империи, которые сыграли важную роль в истории Старого Света. В книге последовательно излагаются особенности экономики, общественной структуры, институтов власти, административно-политического устройства 17 кочевых и полукочевых крупных держав от скифов до джунгар и маньчжуров. Делается вывод о наличии определенной преемственности и постепенного усложнения степных держав, их увеличивающейся интеграции с оседло-городскими цивилизациями.

Nomadic Empires of Eurasia: features of historical dynamics. Ed. by B.V. Bazarov and N.N. Kradin. Moscow: Nauka — Vostochnaya literature, 2019. 503 p.
ISBN 978-5-02-039849-8
For more than two thousand years, the large polities have emerged on the territory of Eurasia — nomadic empires, which played an important role in the history of the Old World. The features of the economy, social structure, power institutions, administrative-political structure of 17 nomadic and semi-nomadic major powers from Scythians to Dzungars and Manchurians are consistently described. It is concluded that there is a continuity and complication of the steppe polities, increasing integration between settled civilizations and steppe societies.

The monograph is the first experience summarizing research on the ancient fortified settlements of Altai. Such archaeological sites are now known in the northern and central parts of the region. Up to the present time, excavation work was carried out on two sites – Nizhny Cheposh-3 and Nizhny Cheposh-4. On the other fortified settlements (Cheremshanka, Manzherok, Barangol, Emurla and Yaloman) made only test pits and trimming in the field of destruction of the cultural layer. During the work on the monuments found the remains of various categories of archaeological findings: items of weapons, ornaments and cult items, household items, tools, fragments of ceramic vessels. A detailed study of the location of the fortified settlements of Altai indicates that for the northern sites characterized similar landscape and topographical parameters. All the objects are located on the edge of the high terraces in release place of tributaries of Katun river from gorges. Only the localization conditions Yaloman fortified settlement in the central part of the region testifies to another tradition of placing fortified settlements. It is located in a different geographic area and the Yaloman site is a promontory fortified settlement and located at the mouth of the tributary of the Katun. The study of landscape and topographical location of the settlements and specifics of their fortifications as well as the analysis of the results of the archaeological inventory allowed the authors to date objects second or third century AD. The paper also contains overview of the experience of all researchers studying the remnants of the ancient fortified settlements of Altai from the end of the nineteenth century. History of the study of the fortified settlements was divided into three stages, reflecting the accumulation and interpretation of information on the settlements. In addition, the monograph compares characteristics Altai settlements with monuments of the northern foothills for rationale of their historical and cultural identity. Fortified settlements in the Northern Altai attributed to the monuments of the Maima archaeological culture. Its population occupied the territory of the middle reaches of the Biya and the interfluve of Katun and Biya in the first half of the 1st Millenium AD. The tradition of building fortified settlements has been brought to the north of Altai Mountains by population of this archaeological culture from the foothills and the Western Siberian forest steppe. Cultural and chronological affiliation the Yaloman fortified settlement before excavation is not possible to determine exactly. In our opinion, it was built not on Siberian technology but by the other construction technology, which has some similarities to the ancient and medieval sites of Central Asia.

The cemetery of Shombuuziin Belchir provides rare introspections into the nature of hinterland areas of the Xiongnu Empire, and the well-preserved and often unlooted graves at the site offer new information about Xiongnu burial customs and society. The sample of excavated graves of this cemetery the burial grounds represent an entire local community, having individuals of all ages and sexes interred within. Furthermore, the adherence to Xiongnu mortuary customs seen in central Mongolia and the array of foreign prestige goods found within these burials together demonstrate that even such small communities in the periphery of the Xiongnu were