Karasuk culture is the name given to a group of Bronze Age societies dating from approximately 1500 to 800. BC e. She replaced the Andronovo culture, from the eastern branch of which came.
The Karasuk archaeological culture extended from the environs of the Aral Sea or the Volga in the west to the upper reaches of the Yenisei River. The remains of this culture are few in number and are mainly associated with objects found in burials.
The period of this culture precedes the Scythian culture, which during the Iron Age existed from 800 to 200 BC. e. and in its development had similar features that indicate continuity.
The Karasuk archaeological culture, which, after uniting into the final concept, was in demand by both Indo-Iranians and Turkologists, while the Indo-European school dominated. In general, it belongs to the easternmost outskirts of the Kurgan culture of the Eurasian steppes.
general characteristics
Considering briefly the Karasuk culture, the following can be noted. With the beginning of the I millennium BC. e. the interrelations of the culture of the Minusinsk steppes and the ways of its development have changed. The change can be traced in the monuments of the so-called Karasuk type, so named after r. Karasuk in the village of Bateni in the Minusinsk Territory.
The continuity of the development of the Karasuk culture from the previous Afanasyev culture is clearly traced by the design of the mound and the tiled masonry of the tombs, although they differ, for example, by a rectangular fence of stone slabs laid vertically in the ground.
The tombstone of the Karasuk type, as a rule, includes one burial with the same type of inventory as in the Andronovo monuments. The Karasuk type, however, stands out for its finer finishes and manufacturing techniques. Typical are spherical vessels with a convex bottom of a fairly high level of skill. Their surface was glossy, sometimes painted and completely covered with geometric patterns, always in the upper part of the vessel. The variety of forms and the nature of the decoration of the Karasuk type vessels clearly indicate the extraordinary technical skills of the masters. The mastery of bronze also reveals the nature of handicraft, demonstrated by the many forms and the diversity of their functions and manufacturing techniques. A special place is occupied by various forms of knives. The art of bronze works is also depicted on animal figurines, often decorating their arms.
Development
In the history of Karasuk culture, the use of livestock not only for the production of meat, but also for milk, has become an extremely important step in the development of the economy. Sheep has become a major supplier of meat. Burials contain only their bones, while dairy cattle were probably not killed. Sheep, the cultivation of which became almost the main form of economic activity, simultaneously became a cult animal, as evidenced by the finds of their images carved in stone, often associated with the image of the sun.
The image of the foremother (full or bust) is also found on stone monuments. Vessels for milking cattle, made in the form of an udder of animals, were found in the Minusinsk steppe. All dairy farming accessories were associated with women.
The abundance of meat and dairy products, the development of the economy as a whole had a positive effect on population growth and density. This is evidenced by the numerous and compact clan cemeteries of Karasuk, in which archaeologists can accurately determine the individual structures that correspond to family units. The growing role of the individual patriarchal family and its property is associated with the emergence of the tamga sign - the property sign.
Territory
Karasuk culture covers the territory of the Minusinsk steppe. In central Kazakhstan (the village of Dyndybai in the Karaganda region) one burial was investigated in Karasuk, which had specific local features. The closest to the minusinsky Karasuk are similar monuments in the upper Ob and Tomsk with pronounced local differences, which prompts archaeologists to classify these monuments as separate variations (Tomsk and Upper Ob) of Karasuk culture.
This separation of the Karasuk territory from the one that was previously occupied by the Andronovo culture was the result of a shift in the center of gravity of cultural ties to the east. Objects of the Karasuk type are found in the west no further than Tomsk, but in the east and south - in the Republic of Tyva, in the river basin. Selenga and in China.
Formation and influence
In the course of studying the Karasuk culture, scientists did not find materials to explain the reasons for the collapse of the Andronovo Union and the eastern “orientation” of Karasuk. It is difficult to reveal the reasons in the materials of this period. There is no doubt that the ties between South Siberia and Central Asia, which began to be clearly traced in the III century BC, did not arise by chance, and they were preceded by the period of the first acquaintance (possibly through exchange), still in 1000 BC. The split of the Andronovo tribal union, marked by the Karasuk stage, is associated with the formation of the Scythian culture west of Minusinsk territory and the Hunnic culture in the east a couple of centuries later. To a certain extent, the territory of the Minusinsk district, because of its position and the development of its culture and economy, was once a neutral zone when the so-called Minusinsk Kurgan, or, in other terminology, Tagar culture developed. This suggests that, although in Altai and Jeti-Su, iron has already firmly established itself as a common phenomenon, bronze in the territory of Minusinsk still remained dominant. Minusins experienced the influence of Western Scythian culture, and only with their inclusion in the system of the Great Hunnic state they again occupy a leading position with the Huns in the historical process of this area.
Archaeological material
The graves of Karasuk are fenced from a rectangular slab mounted on the surface of the soil and laid in the ground in an upright position. However, in the northwest of Minusinsk, these stone fences are often erected in a circle, which resembles older forms from Afanasyevo and Andronovo.
Smaller rectangles are often found around larger ones. In the center of these fences, under a low embankment, a trapezoid pit is usually located, covered with slabs of Devonian sandstone.
The skeleton, as a rule, lies on its back or is slightly turned to the left, the head is located in the wider base of the trapezoid.
The inventory of graves says the following: the dead were provided with clothes and food that they needed "on the road." In this case, there were no tools for domestic or military purposes. This is confirmed by one characteristic feature: several knives found in the graves were not near the corpses, but near each of them were pots and animal bones. Most likely, these knives served as tools, and not as weapons. The deceased were provided not only with meat, judging by the bones of animals found, but also with food in pots.
Among the findings of the Karasuk culture of Southern Siberia there is also an object that resembles a rocker in shape. What it was intended for is still a mystery. They call it that: "an object of unknown purpose (PNN) of the Karasuk culture."
Ceramics
A significant number of vessels were found in the graves. Their form is completely different from Andronov's. They do not have a flat bottom. Wherever a typical Karasuk form occurs, vessels with a rounded bottom are found. Basically, they are spherical, sometimes irregular in shape with a straight neck of medium height. Sometimes it expands slightly, as in the Andronov vessels.
According to researchers, the round bottom of ceramic vessels is a specific feature of the Karasuk culture of Siberia.
The base of the neck stands out very distinctly, sometimes it has clearly visible jewelry. As for the ornament, on the one hand, there are vessels that have rather primitive, tooth-like decorations. Sometimes the surface may have been treated simply with a bunch of grass. One of the usual archaic patterns is a “pine” or “herringbone”. These ornaments are known from the Afanasyev era. There are other vessels: with triangles, rhombuses and transverse stripes.
The manufacturing method is completely new: the vessels are made by hand and formed from clay with a lot of sand. Outside is gray-brown, but inside is dark with a bluish tint. They are thin-walled, and their quality is much higher than that of previous cultures. Perhaps the sides of the vessels were flattened with a hammer.
Jewelry
In addition to pottery, jewelry and metal garments were also found in the graves of Karasuk culture. Among them are pendants in the form of legs made of bronze, which could be braided. Rings were worn on the fingers of both hands. They were open or covered, with double-sided printing. They were found not only in the graves, but also quite often among random finds.
There are three types of bracelets: from a wire in the form of a spiral or in the form of wide or narrow ribbons. Ribbon is mostly ribbed, wider patterns, in addition, decorated with dots or rosettes.
Small bronze tubes are part of necklaces and beads. They are quite common in graves. Sometimes they are cylindrical, sometimes conical, smooth or ribbed. Beads are made of various types of materials.
There are cast bronze beads of a biconical or barrel-shaped form from flat metal plates. There are also mother of pearl beads, and sometimes lead beads. Only in one case was a piece of carnelian found.
At that time, chest decorations were often worn. They consisted of a piece of leather with small leather straps on which small bronze clasps were located. Another type of chest jewelry is a round copper disk with similar straps with clasps.
Weapons and tools
Knife samples found in graves have no predecessors in the Andronovo excavations. They do not differ completely from Tagar knives, but they have very little similarity. In addition, Karasuk knives have a more bent shape. Among them, a group of corner knives is distinguished, in which the handle and blade form an obtuse angle. Another characteristic feature of these knives is a cap-shaped handle, sometimes also the head of an animal. The second group consists of knives bent back. Some researchers characterize this form as S-shaped.
Clothing and food
In terms of clothing in the Karasuk culture, too few fabrics have been preserved to be compared with other cultures. But in at least three cases, wool was discovered. In two of them, the weave was simple, in the third - more complex, the so-called diagonal fabric.
Leather products, in particular cases for weapons and tools, have also been preserved.
Of great importance are the gifts to the dead in the form of food. But since no chemical studies have been carried out, there is no definite character about it.
Animal bones were found only near vessels. However, they were not in every grave: out of 290 cases, they were found only in 63 (22%).
Home
Knowledge of Karasuk settlements is very limited. Unfortunately, pristine residential areas were found only in two places: near the villages of Anash and Bateni (the so-called "arches"). In both cases, the cultural layer was very thin. There are stone tools, arrowheads and scrapers. Calcined stones lying in a circle were also found, apparently, these are the remains of fireplaces.
Karasuk sculpture
These are female figures. On some of them, faces are depicted surprisingly realistic. Sometimes on the head there are horns of a bull or a deer or the ears of an animal. In other cases, faces are extremely stylized. Some of them cross the transverse lines forming an ornament. In the middle of the forehead there is an image of the third eye.