The settlements structures of the transitional period from the Bronze Age to the Iron Age in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia

Приведены результаты археологического исследования поселенческих структур лесостепи Западной Сибири в переходное время от бронзы к железу.In recent decades, in the Tobol basin, the Barabinskaya forest-steppe, the Ishim basin the settlement complexes of the transition period from Bronze to Iron Age were investigated. These complexes are presented in the form of areas with a circular system of fortifications belonging to Eastern variant of the Itkul culture, segments(sectors) bounded by ditches (Chicha 1) and groups of multi-temporal settlements (Borky 1, the settlements in natural boundary of Maray). The materials allow analyzing the settlements structures developing within a relatively short period of transition from the Bronze to the Early Iron Age on compact and liveable areas in the considered regions. Complex Chicha 1 in the Baraba is located on the high terrace area in the system of the river Kargath and lake Chicha. Judging by the magnetogram the original complex was the sanctuary of the Irmen culture bounded by the ditch (ditch A). Then in the period of the Late Irmen culture at this place was built the settlement (citadel), which was increased on the area in a North-East direction due to the emergence of new segments (sectors) bounded by ditches. According to researchers, residential sites IIIa and IIIb, which were built and inhabited by people of the Late Irmen culture and population of the Berlik culture (migrants from the steppe –it’s the territory of Northern Kazakhstan now), were joined to the Late Irmen culture “citadel” with areas IIa and IIb. Other settlements of this time with the ground-based dwellings were investigated in the Lower and Middle Tobol basin. In this region settlements of the Eastern variant of the Itkul culture population had a circular layout. Settlements fortified by ditches and ramparts adjoined to each other or were located at a small distance from each other. In the Ishim and Irtysh rivers basin population of the Krasnoozersk culture and subsequent population lived within one settlement. The appearance in the forest-steppe of Western Siberia settlement structures in the form of segments (Chicha 1) and the settlements of the annular shape of the adjacent grounds most likely were connected with the processes of interaction and the structure of marital relations between groups of different cultures representing the local forest-steppe population of the Late Bronze Age and migrants from the Northern territories decorating vessels with ornaments in the form of a cross. Differences between settlement structures of the mentioned regions probably were due to the different degree of proximity between interacting ethnic group