Anthropology  

Craniology and odontology of the Early Medieval population alongside the Tobol river, based on Ustyug-1 burial ground

Poshekhonova O.E. (Tyumen, Russian Federation), Zubova A.V. (Novosibirsk, Russian Federation), Sleptsova A.V. (Tyumen, Russian Federation)

The article presents the results of craniological and odontological research based on a group of Ustyug-1 burial ground. The goal of the research is to determine genesis of the Bakal population from the Tobol river region of the Great Migration time. Morphology of the group was compared with the available data on the populations of the Early Iron Age, Early and High Middle Ages of this and adjacent regions. Their biological connection was determined. It was established that a dominant component in the Bakal population is genetically associated with Western Siberian population of the Early Iron Age. It is found out that by the IV–VI centuries AD the ancient multicomponent substrate of the Bakal group almost did not contain Caucasian morphological type. It was present only as a small admixture. The main component is the West Siberian short-faced Mongoloid complex. By the IX–XIII centuries, that component completely dominated in the paleopopulation structure. But a mixed population with Central Asian admixture came from the East in the Turkic period. A small proportion of this South Siberian morphological type is observed in the later Bakal groups. Superstrata component of Kushnarenkovo, which was identified basing on the archaeological materials, is not observed in the anthropological structure of the Bakal population. Odontology data gives a similar conclusion. A complex of odontology traits suggests heterogeneity of the group. Besides, Sargatka component was transformed under the influence of migration from the Eastern part of the forest-steppe zone of Western Siberia and Central Asia. Sargatka component in the Bakal group looks much more indistinct, compared with the population of the Baraba forest-steppe. Markers of the Southern gracile type almost disappear, being replaced by Western Siberian complex.

Key words: West Siberia, the Early Middle Ages, paleoanthropology, craniology, odontology, Bakal archaeological culture.

DOI: 10.20874/2071-0437-2016-35-4-110-122

12.12.2016

O.E. Poshekhonova

Institute of Problems of Development of the North, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Malygin st., 86, Tyumen, 625026, Russian Federation

E-mail: [email protected]

A.V. Zubova

Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, prospect Acad. Lavrentieva, 17, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russian Federation

E-mail: [email protected]

A.V. Sleptsova

Institute of Problems of Development of the North, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Malygin st., 86, Tyumen, 625026, Russian Federation

E-mail: [email protected]