Kurgans, Ritual Sites, and Settlements: <strong>Eurasian</strong> Bronze and Iron Age Fig. 8. Gayevo Cemetery; Kurgan 3. (drawn by A. Kovrigin) Fig. 10. Femoral and pelvic bones with osteoarthrits markers. (photo by D. Razhev) 74 Fig. 11. Femoral bone with markers <strong>of</strong> rider. (photo by P. Courdaud) Fig. 12. Gayovo–94, Kurgan 6, Burial 1; child, 10– 12 years. (drawn by P. Courtaud)
The Environment <strong>of</strong> Iron Age Burials and Settlements at <strong>the</strong> <strong>Eurasian</strong> Crossroads (Urals, Russia) Preliminary Results <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Charcoal Analysis <strong>of</strong> Anthropogenic Fires Abstract The aim <strong>of</strong> this paleoenvironmental and paleoethnographical study was to reconstruct <strong>the</strong> environment around six archeological sites and to determine <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> link between <strong>the</strong> populations and <strong>the</strong> <strong>for</strong>ests. Iron Age settlements and burials east <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ural Mountains in Russia were studied <strong>for</strong> this purpose. Charcoal and wood samples from six sites along two major rivers were microscopically analyzed. These observations led to species identification, in conjunction with tree ring width measurements and tree ring curve observations. It appears that pine and birch were <strong>the</strong> predominant species among <strong>the</strong> archaeological structures taken into account. Pine trees show restrictive growing conditions compared with today. The population appeared to have indiscriminately used trunks or branches, with <strong>the</strong> exception <strong>of</strong> two sites where <strong>the</strong> major tree elements exploited comprised trunks. Keywords paleoenvironment, paleoethnobotany, anthropogenic fires, archaeological structures, charcoal analysis, Russia Introduction This paper presents <strong>the</strong> preliminary results <strong>of</strong> a paleo-environmental and paleoethnographical study based on charcoal samples retrieved from combustion structures and occupation levels in cemeteries and settlements in <strong>the</strong> Ural Mountains and Transural areas <strong>of</strong> Russia. The research is a component <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Franco-Russian Project entitled “Burials and Settlements at <strong>the</strong> <strong>Eurasian</strong> Crossroads,” which began in 1993. The aim <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> research was to reconstruct <strong>the</strong> environment around Iron Age archaeological sites and, as far as possible, to highlight <strong>the</strong> relationship which would have existed between <strong>the</strong> populations and <strong>the</strong> vegetation. Throughout <strong>the</strong> ages in Russia, wood has been an important, or even <strong>the</strong> exclusive, raw material used <strong>for</strong> a variety <strong>of</strong> different purposes. Today, this is still true in <strong>the</strong> rural areas <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> region under study. We observed, <strong>for</strong> example, that in <strong>the</strong> countryside birch branches and trunks are currently used as fuel, while pine trunks are usually used as timber. Was this also <strong>the</strong> case in <strong>the</strong> past? Dominique Marguerie Nancy Marcoux UMR 6566 “Civilisations atlantiques et archéosciences” CNRS, UniversitédeRennes1 75 <strong>Study</strong> area and archaeological sites The study area is located in western Siberia, approximately 300 kilometers to <strong>the</strong> east <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Ural Mountains. Located in <strong>the</strong> sou<strong>the</strong>rn part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> wooded steppes, <strong>the</strong> area is a transitional zone between <strong>the</strong> taiga and <strong>the</strong> steppe lands and is characterized by a mixed <strong>for</strong>est with prairie and steppe areas (Fig. 1). Birch and aspen in coppice <strong>for</strong>mations are <strong>the</strong> predominant leafy arboreal species, while pines are <strong>the</strong> predominant coniferous arboreal species. The study area is located on a sedimentary depression comprised <strong>of</strong> various fluvial and marsh deposits. This assemblage, with <strong>the</strong> <strong>for</strong>est-steppes as described above, is a veritable patchwork <strong>of</strong> vegetation types. Lakes and river valleys are also important elements <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Transuralian relief. The climate is continental and particularly unstable (varying rapidly). During summer, <strong>the</strong> temperatures are high and <strong>the</strong> precipitation is low, relative to predominant sou<strong>the</strong>rn and eastern air masses. The winter is cold, with <strong>the</strong> arctic air mass being <strong>the</strong> primary influence at this time <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> year. Until now, <strong>the</strong> Franco-Russian project has focused on <strong>the</strong> Sargat Culture which is composed <strong>of</strong> different cultural and sub-cultural types during <strong>the</strong> period between <strong>the</strong> 7th century BC and <strong>the</strong> 3rd century AD (Koryakova et al. 1993; Koryakova and Daire 1997; Koryakova and Daire <strong>for</strong>thcoming). From an archaeological point <strong>of</strong> view, this framework <strong>of</strong>fers many <strong>for</strong>tified and open settlements and kurgans <strong>for</strong> study. Six sites located along <strong>the</strong> Tobol and Iset Rivers were analyzed <strong>for</strong> <strong>the</strong> charcoal palaeoenvironmental and palaeoethnographical research (Fig. 2). Two <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se sites comprised permanent and temporary settlements–Baitovo and Malakazakhbaievo, respectively–while <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>rs–Prygovsky, Gaiova, Skaty and B. Kazakhbaievo–are cemeteries which contained both aristocratic and ordinary burials. Today, <strong>the</strong> sites are surrounded by a mixed <strong>for</strong>est <strong>of</strong> birch and pine trees with some poplars and maples included. Saline soils are predominant in <strong>the</strong> ancient terraces <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Tobol and Iset Rivers. Beyond, black soils are predominant, covered by meadows with a great variety <strong>of</strong> cereal and bean plants.
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