Some objects having the same form as Seima-Turbino bronze artifacts and found on the territory of China were first identified in this way and put into scientific circulation by S. V. Kiselev. The researcher worked with the archaeological collections of the Bronze Age in a number of Chinese museums in the middle of the last century. At present, the number of such artifacts is constantly increasing. The set of spearheads, solid daggers, scepters and rods was expanded with several bronze celts originating from Xinjiang. Similar products are widespread in the southern regions of the West Siberian Plain. There are researchers who attribute some artifacts from this set to Seima-Turbino bronzes. Finds of bronze artifacts resembling Seima-Turbino type in measurements and proportions discovered in the Xinjiang area and the adjacent regions of Central Asia allow us to consider these territories as the areas of distribution of this phenomenon. Since these materials are not readily available for European researchers but their significance for understanding the Seima-Turbino phenomenon is very high, it seems reasonable to introduce such items to a wide range of specialists. Results. At present, about ten bronze celts from the territory of Xinjiang are known to the author as associated with the Seima-Turbino community. Intense archaeological research in Xinjiang has resulted in a whole series of extremely interesting archaeological discoveries including single finds which are now scattered in numerous museums in the region. There is no doubt that due to active excavation studies in Xinjiang the number of celts that are close in appearance to classic examples of the Seima-Turbino type will only increase. Conclusion. In this paper, we describe several of the Seima-Turbino artifacts from Xinjiang available to us and prove the existence of relations between the region of Xinjiang and more northern territories of the Asian continent, in particular Siberia, during the Bronze Age. The main destination taken by the bearers of Seima-Turbino tradition seems to spread to the north along the Irtysh River. The classic types of Seima-Turbino bronze artifacts found all over the Irtysh region indicate that when they reached the steppes and forest-steppes of Western Siberia, Seima-Turbino population occupied this area and adapted to the local conditions and autochthonous cultures of the Bronze Age, such as Odino and Krotovo. Then, for some reason, they moved to the west and east in a fan-like dispersion, leaving archaeological sites and some objects of Seima-Turbino type on their way. The materials presented in this article expand our understanding of the essence of the historical and cultural processes in Central and part of North Asia in the Bronze Age and can be widely used for educational purposes in universities, as it is done at Novosibirsk State University as part of the course “Archaeology of Siberia in the Bronze Age”.

Purpose. The article introduces single findings of bronze armament objects that were gathered in the course of an expeditionary journey during 1840-1843 on the territory of the Irtysh region (within the limits of southern steppe regions of Western Siberia, Altai Steppes and Eastern Kazakhstan) by a famous Russian scientist, botanist, officer of Saint Petersburg Botanical Gardens Alexander Gustav von Schrenck. Results. The archaeological objects gathered by the explorer are presently stored in the collection of the Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography of RAS in Saint Petersburg. They include various objects of armament and accessories of horse harness. The archaeological objects considered in the article are armament objects of close and hand-to-hand combats of ancient nomads. They are analyzed and classified on formal grounds according to the previously developed scientific methodology. The collection features a bronze spearhead with a bilobated feather and conical plug, a bronze dagger with a guard and a top and two bronze plug chisels with tetrahedral and circular peen and elongated butt ends. We provide some comments on chronology and the territory where similar objects were found in the sites of the Early Iron Age in Eurasian Steppe. Our classification is based on analogues of the objects studied, which were found at several archaeological sites on the contiguous territories of Southern Siberia and Central Asia. We also made certain assumptions on the cultural identity of the findings of the bronze armament objects of close and hand-to-hand combats which we analyzed. Conclusion. Having considered the analogues, we refer the objects of the ancient bronze weapon studied as a part of the museum collection and stored there, which were gathered on the territory of the Irtysh Region in the middle of the 19^th century by A. G. von Schrenck, to the complex of battlefield assets of the ancient Eurasian Steppe nomads of Scythian times. The analysis provided and our introduction of these materials expands the range of available sources on armament and military science of the ancient nomadic population gathered by A. G. von Schrenck in several regions of Northern and Central Asia.

Purpose. The hillfort of Isker is a unique medieval site in the history and archaeology of Siberia, which used to be the center of a large political association, the Siberian Khanate. The purpose of the article is to describe the history of its archaeological collections stored in the funds of the Tobolsk provincial museum. At the same time, we aim at showing how these materials were used in the exposition, research and educational activities of the museum in the late 19^th - early 20^th century. Results. At the stage of the museum being founded, few artifacts from the hillfort of Isker were stored in its funds. At that time, the famous Tobolsk artist M. S. Znamensky, who also worked at the museum, contributed to the replenishment of its funds. He was the author of the book “Isker”, which was published in 1891. Due to unclear circumstances, only a small part of the archaeological collection devoted to this hillfort and belonging to M. S. Znamensky remained in Tobolsk. In subsequent years, the museum regularly replenished its funds with the artifacts discovered on the territory of the hillfort. If we look at the list of the donators, we can see that active collectors of finds were the museum staff. According to the data available, the number of items obtained from the hillfort of Isker at those times exceeded the number of all other materials of the archaeological department. The artifacts were constantly shown to the public in the exhibition halls and occupied an important place in the exposition display. The continuation of this activity was connected with the first excavations on the site, which were conducted by the museum conservator V. N. Pignatti in 1915. In addition, V. N. Pignatti worked with the materials stored in the collections and described them. He published the results of his research in “Isker (Kuchumovo gorodishche)” and “The Catalogue of Finds on Isker Belonging to the Tobolsk Provincial Museum”. A little later, they organized an impressive showcase in the exhibition halls which showed a complete collection of the finds from the hillfort of Isker. The collection included about 1400 items. Thus, V. N. Pignatti summarized all historical and archaeological materials available at those times and presented them to the public and researchers, both readers of his works and visitors to the museum. Conclusion . In the late 19^th - early 20^th century, the museum was the central institution which collected and popularized the medieval hillfort of Isker as an important archaeological site. During those times, an impressive collection was gathered, which was analyzed, described and put into scientific circulation. During a long period, researchers learnt about the events and processes from the history of the Siberian Khanate based on the notes by M. S. Znamensky and V. N. Pignatti. As a result of our study, a fairly detailed history of forming the collection of the Isker at the Tobolsk provincial museum is presented, and the circle of persons involved in its creation is specified.

Purpose. History of visual anthropology in Russia is full of big names, heroic expeditions and classic films. Based on research and pursuing artistic goals, production of ethnographic films was also part of a grand Soviet experiment on creating a unique national identity. Soviet authorities used popular “cultural films” as a means of bringing together the peoples of the new Soviet Union on the screen. This article deals with exploring the film-image of the culture of the Chukchi on the example of a classic documentary film shot by Grigory Smirnitsky, a pioneer of the Soviet visual anthropology. The film was a result of the Chukotka expedition conducted by the film group of the Soyuzkino factory under the leadership of A. Litvinov, one of pioneers and icons of the national ethnographic cinema. The film “Coast of the Chukchi Sea”, the main result of the film expedition which has survived up to our days, was created by an A. Litvinov’s assistant, a young director and scriptwriter G. Smirnitsky. Due to the specifics of silent movies, this film is a kind of a cinematic text as it consists of approximately the same number of frames and text captions alternating in the narrative. In this regard, an effective method for analyzing this film applied in this article is its decoding, a «translation» into a text format. Result . The resultant film-text allows us to identify and analyze, on the one hand, the features of the screen image of the Chukchi culture of the early twentieth century. On the other hand, we analyzed the basis of the specific creative method of the director-researcher. G. Smirnitsky’s creativity is a perfect example of how a film potential can be used as a form of research cognition. The method discovered by the director in the expedition helps to combine research and documentary elements into a film so that the film could convey not only some information about the events shown, but also their figurative and emotional context. Conclusion . Based on the analysis of visual, textual and archival materials, we come to the conclusion that this documentary film phenomenon is a valuable historical source. Studying Soviet ethnographic cinema, including the film “Coast of the Chukchi Sea”, enriches the source base of modern science with audiovisual ethnographic materials and equips scientists with proven scientific and creative methods that could be used in modern research practice.

Purpose. Until recently, the earliest assemblages from Denisova Peshchera (cave) in the Altai mountains included a small collection of stone artifacts recovered from layers 22 and 21 in the Main Chamber of the cave. Comprehensive archaeological research carried out over the past decade has made it possible to study deposits recognized at the base of the stratigraphic section in the East Chamber. The oldest archaeological evidence documented in this area was found within lithological layers 15 and 14. Based on data from biostratigraphic studies and absolute dating, accumulation of sediments from layers 15 and 14 appears to have occurred in favorable environmental conditions of MIS-7. This paper presents the results of our analysis undertaken for a stone tool industry associated with these layers and correlation of these materials with contemporaneous assemblages from the other sections of the site. Results. The collection of stone artifacts from layers 15 and 14 includes more than 35 000 specimens. Primary flaking in this industry can be generally characterized by the use of both unifacial and bifacial cores utilized in a radial system. The analysis shows that small cobbles or large flakes with a massive cross-section were used as blanks for manufacturing such cores. Flake blanks include primarily truncated or short flakes with a smooth or natural platform showing no rejuvenation of overhang. Flakes mainly demonstrate longitudinal, unidirectional or orthogonal faceting of the dorsal surface. Blades were found in small numbers. Large, rare medium-size flakes, as well as fragments from massive flakes were used as tool blanks. The tool assemblage is dominated by denticulate, notch, spur-like tools and scrapers of different types. Flakes showing the ventral thinning of lateral edges, as well as flakes with removed striking platform, constitute a group of specific artifacts. Both geochronological data, which were obtained for the Pleistocene deposits in the cave, and technical-typological characteristics of the stone tool industry show that the closest cultural and chronological counterpart to the Early Middle Paleolithic assemblage from layers 15 and 14 in the East Chamber is evidences recovered from layers 21 (363 specimens) and 20 (1 039 specimens) in the Main Chamber. Conclusion. Geochronology of the lower deposits from Denisova Peshchera, which is based on the lithological and biostratigraphic record, as well as on the absolute age determinations, makes it possible to recognize this cave as the earliest stratified Middle Paleolithic site in Siberia. Data resulted from the analysis of new archaeological evidences found in the East Chamber have significantly contributed to the knowledge of the Early Middle Paleolithic in the region, thus enabling further determination of the position of this complex among contemporaneous sites in North Asia.

This article is devoted to Neanderthal adaptation strategies, whose study is becoming more and more relevant in recent years as a result of new discoveries demonstrating Neanderthal cognitive capabilities. Our perception of this subspecies of ancient hominins and of their work skills is changing in view of these discoveries. In this connection, investigation of easternmost Eurasian Neanderthals’ tool manufacturing processes, who produced stone tools in the absence of flint and with the raw materials available, is supposed to clarify researchers’ ideas about the strategies ensuring the Neanderthal subsistence. Purpose . We focuses on main trends in manufacturing stone tools developed by the Gorny Altai Neanderthals within the framework of the Sibiryachikha industry. Our research is based on attributive analysis within a technical-typological method. We aimed at identifying technologically significant morphological and metric features of each item from the collection of stone tools found in Chagyrskaya Peshchera (Cave). In the article, we provide typological definitions for the stone tool blanks, identify variants of the tools’ secondary treatment and the number of such traces on the tool, describe the tools’ edges with retouch and give detailed information on the metric parameters of the tools and blanks. The results of the previously published petrographic analysis, which was conducted by N. A. Kulik, in combination with the attributive analysis of stone artifacts from the 6C/1, 2008 assemblage, indicate that there are four main types of raw materials which were mainly used by the Gorny Altai Neanderthals. Results . The greatest variety of raw materials was recorded in the category of blanks without secondary treatment. Among the tools, the greatest variety is demonstrated by tools that have minimal traces of secondary treatment, namely single scrapers and retouched flakes. There seems to be little diversity among double and convergent scrapers, for which zasuryan jasper were predominantly used. As for bifaces, we observe domination of the blanks made of the zasuryan jasper. Conclusion . Our research has confirmed that the basic principles of using raw materials by the Gorny Altai Neanderthals were the quality and availability of these materials. In general, high-quality stone raw materials were used for the production of well-modified tools, such as bifaces, convergent scrapers and retouched points. Such a selectivity of raw material identified for the items from our collection supports the hypothesis that explains a high degree of Neanderthal adaptation to the paleo-environment.

Purpose . There are many archaeological sites located in the North Angara region. Although this territory has been investigated since 18^th century, most intensive work was done during rescue archaeological works on Boguchany hydroelectric power station in 2008-2011. One of the valuable sources of artifacts is the Kutarey site. Our work contains a brief analysis of stone industries of the Kutarey River Mouth site. The main goal of this work is to apply technical and typological analysis to mark the specificity of the stone industries of layer 2 of the Kutarey River Mouth site in comparison with the results that had been previously published on layer 3 in the context of new data of this region in terms of ceramics complexes. We introduce a previously unpublished collection of stone artifacts of layer 2 of the Kutarey River Mouth site, which significantly extends the source base of the Neolithic and Bronze Age in this region. Results . The Kutarey River Mouth site is located on the left bank of the Angara River, 15 km down from the Kezhma village, on the right bank of the Kutarey River. The location was found in 1974 by N. I. Drozdov and his squad. The site was further investigated in 2008 and in 2010 by an IAE SB RAS squad (guided by A. N. Savin). Firstly, the site was determined as a Neolithic location, but as result of 2010 excavations three Neolithic-Middle Age cultural horizons were discovered. In the context of the difficulties connected with conducting investigations in this region, namely an open location, a low stratigraphy situation, a high extend of technogenic interruption, the materials of layer 3 are most perspective due to a high grade of saturation of the artifacts and minimal technogenic interruptions. These materials belong to the Neolithic and Paleometal Era. In order to clarify cultural and chronological specificity of this complex, it is necessary to analyze materials from layer 2. The stone industry of layer 2 is represented by retouching microblades, bladelets, tools for blades, flakes, scrapers including one microscraper, bifaces, several adzes, axes, and one piercing tool. Of special interest are blade points and trihedral and tetrahedral points. Conclusion . Our technical and typological analyses show that in comparison to layer 3, layer 2 is characterized by a small number of massive axes and adzes, no flints, few double scrapers, and only volume splitting tools aimed mainly at obtaining a small blade. Also, despite the fact that the core of the collection is the product of the hornstones of local origin, we observe a significant increase in the percentage of artifacts made of flint (13 %), which may indicate some new commodity strategies. The most interesting analogy can be traced with the dedicated Upper Kolyma Early Holocene complex, which contained blade points widely distributed in Northeast Asia and was present directly or indirectly in the materials from Chukotka (Verkhnetirsky IV and Nizhnechutinsky IV), Yakutia (Olbinski burial ground, Jubilee), Kamchatka (the Ushki I-IV layer, Avacha 1,9). This complex is believed to belong to specific Volbinsky traditions, which formed in the first half of the Holocene, about 8800-6000 years ago. It is also worth comparing these materials with other Kutarey sites - Sen’kin (Siniy) Kamen’, Ruchei Povarny, Gora Kutarey and adjacent territories.

The Atlym culture was singled out by E. A. Vasilyev on the materials of the ancient fort of Maly Atlym 1. The researcher dated it as 12-13^th centuries BC and identified two chronological stages in its existence (12-10^th and 10-8^th centuries BC), which corresponded to two types of ceramics different in the form of vessels and ornamentation. In this article we consider some features of the Atlym culture ceramics of the Late Bronze Age based on the materials of the multilayered fort of Strelka located in the basin of the Bol’shoi Yugan River. Remains of the Late Bronze Age structure were found on the site of the ancient fort. The cultural layer associated with the construction of the Late Bronze Age was preserved on a small stretch between the Medieval moat and an additional rampart at the periphery of the site of the settlement. It is blocked by a rampart of an ancient Iron Age fort and the soil removed from the Medieval moat. During the five years of excavations, the most representative collection amongst the well-known Atlym collections in terms of the quantity of items has been gathered on this site. Purpose . We aimed at checking a working hypothesis about the existence of several groups within the ceramic complex using the methods of factor analysis and determining the place of the Late Bronze complex of the Strelka fort among Atlym sites. Results . Statistical analysis of the material revealed three stable characteristic groups where the type of the vessel profile is associated with a certain set of dies, the method of applying and arranging the ornament. Two roughly equal groups of Atlym ceramics of type II (according to Е. А. Vasilyev) and a small group of vessels attributed to the Gamayun culture, which was widespread in the Trans-Ural area during the transition from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age in the 10-4^th centuries BC, are distinguished in the complex. Our analysis of the material allocation in the layer showed a lack of significant differences in the occurrence of all ceramics groups. Similar groups were identified in the settlement Yendyrskoye VIII (the Atlym culture, 10-8^th centuries BC) in the Lower Ob River area, where they also existed simultaneously. Such groups were not singled out on the other Atlym sites. Conclusion . The two parallel traditions in the Atlym pottery manufacture are established based on the materials from the Strelka site. The Late Bronze complex of the fort Strelka corresponds to the type II of the Atlym ceramics (according to Е. А. Vasilyiev) and dates back to the 10-8^th centuries BC. The presence of the Gamayun type vessels indicates some contacts between the population of the Surgut part the Ob River area and the Trans-Ural region.

Purpose. The work is devoted to functional, ceremonial and cultural-historical interpretation of the so-called kočidyk crutches often found at the sites belonging to various cultures of the steppe belt of Eurasia and popular during the Early Iron Age. The aim of our study is to describe different interpretations of this group of finds. We considered the accumulated historiographical experience and also tried to model experimentally the functional use of the artifacts analyzed. The scientific novelty of the study lies in the possibility of referring to these materials from the point of view of the hypothesis of multiculturalism. We discuss a number of variants how to reconstruct the functional use of this category of finds. In particular, the crutches considered could have been used as suspensions and as belt fasteners. Results. We noticed that regardless of the sex of the buried people, the location of the crutches in graves is the same, i. e. they are found on the right or left side, at least two on the femur or pelvic bones of the skeleton if the buried person had a belt and it was buttoned, and on the chest, knees or feet, if the belt was unbuttoned and was lying along the body. The crutches can either be a part of the complex, or the only element of the waist fittings that indirectly points to a certain self-sufficiency of crutches as a part of the burial shroud. There are controversial interpretations of the ceremonial meaning of the artifacts. Based on the hypothesis of multiculturalism of the population of the Upper Ob River region during the Early Iron Age, we provide some new cultural and historical interpretations of the crutches. A variety of types of crutches confirms the assumption that within the existence of the subject complex of clothing worn by the population of the Upper Ob River region in the second half of the I Millennium BC, there were clear signs of innovations. Conclusion. Studying the range of issues associated with the interpretation of crutches remains a relevant and promising task in archaeological research. Further accumulation of material and its understanding in a broader rather than narrow territorial context might allow us to identify the centers of distribution of certain types of crutches and the processes of their trans cultural incorporation into the traditional use by the population of the Upper Ob River region in the Early Iron Age.

Purpose. The article presents our analysis of the morphological features of vessels from Bystrovka-1 site burial mounds. T. N. Troitskaya and A. P. Borodovsky attributed the site to the Bol’sherechenskaya culture and dated the inventory as the 3^rd-2^nd centuries BC. We aimed at identifying the morphological tradition of the vessels. Results. Morphological and statistical analyses of the vessels’ forms were carried out on 49 ceramic vessels from 11 mounds. We used a set of methods including the «Program of statistical processing of ceramics from archaeological excavations» by V. F. Gening, calculation of the general proportionality forms by A. A. Bobrinsky, the method of studying profiles by H. A. Nordström and the method of comparing basic proportions by A. O. Shepard. In funeral practice, no clear preference for form was stated. In our collection 25 (51 %) vessels had a neck, 24 (49 %) were without a neck, and 16 items (33 %) were round-bottomed. An «ideal» vessel for Bystrovka-1 site is a vessel of medium or low height, with a very low wide neck, weakly or very strongly profiled, with a flattened or rounded body, of varying height, with a weakly or very strongly convex shoulder and a wide bottom. These data prove the existence of certain standards in the proportions for vessels typical for a particular site. Our new data, which were not previously used in the analysis of product categories, allow us to refer the series of vessels to a single morphological tradition. The fact of finding morphologically similar vessels in one grave, in the graves of one mound, or in the mounds located in close proximity to each other confirms that the vessels were produced at a certain time interval, i.e. the time of the «school» which introduced the standards. We identified groups of vessels created or being in use at the same time in Bystrovka1 burial ground. For example, vessels № 5, 6, 13 and 48 constitute a chain of one morphological group and were found in burrows № 1, 3, 12 and 15. These barrows are located at some distance from each other, but we determine their functioning simultaneously or during a fairly short period of time. Our results are supported by drawings of «half-skeletons» of the vessels. The graphs provided clearly show that the products of one row, when brought to a uniform height, have almost the same profile with slight deviations in the upper part. Consequently, the fact of simultaneous functioning of this group of mounds is confirmed. Conclusion. In the ceramic complex of the Bystrovka-1 site the majority of vessels have habitual forms, which indicates a certain stability of the pottery tradition. However, there are also some imitations of forms that indicate the change and continuing internal development of the pottery tradition or the inclusion of other cultural elements. According to A. P. Borodovsky, such ceramics is an indirect indicator of transition to a sedentary nomadic culture.

Purpose. This article aims at analyzing anthropological data from the burial ground Berezovy Ostrov-1. The materials studied belong to the Siberian population of the Early Bronze Age. We studied the demographic situation, dental and postcranial pathologies. We also analyzed the burial rites and inventory in terms of the sex and age of the buried. Our main aim was to characterize the lifestyle, the diet and the ritual practice of this micropopulation. Results. We estimated the safety of the anthropological materials related to the Early Bronze Age community from the burial ground Berezovy Ostrov-1, analyzed the sex and age composition and pathological status of the buried and compared the demographic data of the Berezovy Ostrov-1 micropopulation with the distribution of sex and age in the Sopka-2/3 and Sopka-2/3A groups, which attribute to the Ust’-Tartas culture. As a result of sex and age identification, we found some similarities of the demographic structure of the population studied and the Ust’-Tartas groups from the burial ground Sopka-2. As for the ritual rites, we can ascertain some regularity. Stone tools, arrowheads and ornaments as objects of the same nature are typical for women, as well as for men and children. At the same time, we observe no burials of cremated women, newborns and children under 2 years old. In terms of pathologies, Berezovy Ostrov-1 site is characterized by increased frequencies of linear hypoplasia, calculus and periodontal diseases and an average frequency of caries. We can assume that the basic diet of the population included meat and wild plants, which is typical for hunter-gatherers. An increased frequency of linear hypoplasia indicates a possible famine or transferred diseases at the stage of tooth enamel formation. Our comparison with the Neolithic and Odinovo groups of the Baraba forest-steppe indicates that the diet in the Berezovy Ostrov-1 group was similar to that in the Neolithic series from Vengerovo-2A. Conclusion. The first results of our analysis reveal general correspondence of the adaptation models observed on the territory of the Novosibirsk Ob region to the characteristics of the populations of hunter-gatherers. We draw a conclusion about difficult conditions for the population of Berezovy Ostrov-1 and acute shortage of food resources. Correlation of the sex-age characteristics of the buried with the peculiarities of the funeral rite allows us to assume that there existed a special burial rite for newborns and children under the age of one year.

Purpose. We analyzed an extremely rare finding of a mace with a small ornamental iron battle top fastened to a long wooden handle. This mace is a part of a collection of armament objects acquired by museum workers in the course of expeditions on the territory of Kyrgyzstan over the past decades. At present, this collection is stored in the Russian Museum of Ethnography in Saint Petersburg. During the previous historical period, when museum workers had been searching and gathering objects of traditional culture of different peoples on the territory of Central Asia, that finding was acquired together with other characteristic objects of traditional cultures from that region on the territory of Kyrgyzstan. Firstly, it was stored in the Museum of the Peoples of the USSR. We aimed at dating the artifact and identifying its purpose. Conclusion. We traced primary events in the history of studying different types of close combat strike weapons which were used by Kyrgyz warriors in Tian Shan during the Late Middle Ages and New Time. A result of the research conducted is a description of the ornamental iron battle top and the wooden handle of this mace decorated with carved rhomb ornaments. We date the artifact as belonging to the period of Late Middle Ages - New Time. According to the terms used for such types of weapons, the mace could have been used as a striking weapon; however, it its ornamental battle top is of a smaller size than that of traditional maces, so it could have been used as a symbol of power. Results. We conclude that this mace could have been a strike weapon in the course of close and hand-to-hand combats led by Kyrgyz warriors, but also it could have been used as a symbol of power by military commanders of the Kyrgyz forces.

Purpose. The article provides a detailed description of three sabers with wooden hilts stored in the funds of the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan (PMO 3025-1.2, PMO 6265, PMO UK 8227), Astana. Results. Based on the structural analysis of the items and their design, we identified that Saber 1 from the NMRC (PMO 3025-1.2) is one of the varieties of Persian Shamshirs. The blade with the shank, garda and a wooden sheath with hoop could have been made by Iranian or, less likely, Central Asian armorers in the 18^th - middle of the 19^th centuries. The wooden hilt with rivets, leather-covered scabbard and a metal tip were added while the saber was in the museum collection. A distinctive feature of Saber 2 of NMRC (PMO 6265), which originates from the territory of Southern Kazakhstan, is a relatively small bending of an acute-angled blade, an authentic wooden hilt and a leather case covering the hilt. The last two elements are not typical for products of Persian craftsmen but are quite often found on the weapons of the Uzbek and Kazakh soldiers of the New Age. According to the construction and design we conclude that Saber 2 could have been made by Central Asian, or, less likely, Iranian armorers in the 18^th - mid 19^th centuries (in the latter case, the hilt and the cover might have been made by Uzbek or Kazakh masters). Saber 3 (ПМО УК 8227) combines the classic “shamshirs” blade and a pommel with a wooden hilt and a relatively rare version of the guard. Based on the design features, the saber is dated to the end of the 18^th - mid 19^th centuries. The fastening system of its “cheeks” indicates that the wooden hilt might have been made and added in the 19^th century. Conclusion. The weapons of the series under review vividly illustrate the data from written sources on the prevalence of sabers with long blades imported from Iran and Central Asia among Kazakh soldiers during the 18^th - 19^th centuries.

Purpose. The article reconstructs traditional funeral memorial rituals of the indigenous peoples inhabiting the Northern Altai foothills (the Kumandins, the Tubalars and the Chelkans) and its semantics. Results. The funeral memorial rituals included three stages: preparation of the deceased for the ritual, funeral and commemoration. The preparatory period for transition to another world included washing the body, dressing, preparing a new “house” for the deceased (coffin, deck, grave, frame, platform, etc.) and preparing the accompanying equipment (things and food needed on the way to another world). The burial day began with the preparation of the burial site at sunrise. In the middle of the day, the relatives carried the body of the deceased out of the house, mourned and made their way to the dead person’s new “house”. At the burial site, the participants of the procession said goodbye and buried the body. This day culminated in the commemoration of the deceased and purification of the participants of the ritual at sunset. The commemoration stage was accompanied with meetings, feeding and seeing off the soul of the dead person. Conclusions. Death determined the onset of the transition period for the deceased. A successful transition of the soul from one world to another had to be ensured by the correct performance of a complex of rites and rituals. At the same time, rituals were aimed at preserving the lives of living relatives and protecting the society. Elements of the rites had a symbolic character. Ritual practices were intended to ensure the cyclical nature of life. Influence of Russian and Orthodox traditions on indigenous Altai population led to transformations of the funeral and memorial rites and rituals. At the same time, the semantics of the rituals stayed the same and passed on from generation to generation.

This paper is an overview of an international research and practice workshop «Rock Art: Methods and Techniques of Documenting» which took place in July of 2018 at Shalabolino site as part of work of the Minusinsk Rock Art Research Expedition of IAET SB RAS. We estimate effectiveness of the proposed format of a scientific event and also describe modern approaches to documenting and analyzing rock art (engravings and paintings) at open air sites.