Semiyarka – an archaeological site on the banks of the Irtysh River in the Abai region of Kazakhstan – may turn out to be one of the largest Bronze Age centers in the steppes. An international team of researchers is studying the settlement, where fortifications, metallurgical remains, and ceramics of the Cherkaskul and Alekseevka-Sargary cultures have been found. This is reported by Cambridge University Press, according to UNN.
Details
Semiyarka is located 180 km from Pavlodar, on a cape above the Irtysh. Previously, the settlement was thought to cover an area of 40 hectares, but new research suggests it could have encompassed up to 140 hectares. Straight-line earthen fortifications with two rows of walls and internal partitions are clearly visible on the territory. There is also a central structure, oriented east-west, which previous studies linked to a communal or ritual function.
During geophysical work, scientists confirmed the presence of walls, probably made of clay bricks, and individual residential units. The architecture differs from typical settlements in the region, and the fortifications surround individual structures, not the entire territory.
Surface finds and excavations indicate active metallurgical activity. Researchers collected ores, crucibles, slags, and finished artifacts, 35 samples of which were analyzed. Predominantly copper ores were found, as well as signs of tin-bronze alloy production with tin content up to 12%. According to the analysis, the raw materials could have come from local deposits, probably from Altai.
The material culture is represented mainly by Alekseevka-Sargary tradition ceramics – 85% of all finds. Fragments of Cherkaskul ceramics are also present, indicating contacts with the population of Western Siberia.
According to the researchers, Semiyarka could have been an important steppe center for bronze and tin production in the Bronze Age and is significant for understanding the technologies, settlement structures, and social processes of that time. Work continues within the international DREAM project with the support of scientific institutions in Great Britain and Kazakhstan.
Recall
Near the Scottish city of Perth, archaeologists have excavated an Iron Age settlement with an unknown underground chamber. Similar structures, whose purpose is still unclear, have previously been found in various parts of the country.
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