Халықаралық ғылыми-тәжірибелік конференция материалдары
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| Ivy J. Owens
Centre for HumAnE Bioarchaeology, Department of Archaeology, College of Humanities, University of Exeter Elina Ananyevskaya Bioarcheology Centre, Department of Archaeology, Vilnius University professor Alan K. Outram Centre for HumAnE Bioarchaeology, Department of Archaeology, College of Humanities, University of Exeter GEOPHYSICAL AND GEOCHEMICAL SURVEY AT BOTAI AND THE RESULTING EXCAVATION OF A PUTATIVE HORSE CORRAL In 2008 a magnetic gradient survey was undertaken at Botai that encompassed the main area of the settlement and its immediate surroundings with a total area coverage of 104,400m 2 in 116 30x30m squares. The survey was undertaken with a Bartington Grad601-2 dual-array fluxgate gradiometer with traverses set at 1m intervals with 8 reading per metre along traverses. This was accompanied by some auger sampling traverses for geochemical analysis and general 47 survey of erosion features. The results of this survey are presented along with discussion of settlement patterns revealed, which include both linear and circular arrangements of houses. A number of magnetic anomalies suggested the presence of previously uninvestigated archaeological features including possible enclosures. The ground-truthing of these features is reported with particular focus upon the excavation and dating of a potential corral feature. Some indistinct linear anomalies could be dismissed as being of natural geological cause, whilst a potential alignment of large pits to the North East of the site were identified as being caused by a now- removed line of modern tree planting. However, a trapezoidal enclosure covering approximately 500 m 2 was established as being archaeological in nature. Relevant to the issue of prehistoric horse husbandry, such an enclosure could have served as a livestock corral and is indicated by both linear trench and post-hole-sized geophysical anomalies, and a relative increase in phosphorus levels. Excavations, including several small test trenches and a 6 x 6 m block provided satisfactory ground-truthing of the magnetic gradiometry survey, presenting a clear linear pattern of three post holes lined up behind a continuous linear feature at the boundary of the enclosure. One of the post holes contained horse ribs aligned as if used as shims to steady a post, while another contained an articulated equine lower limb as part of its fill. The latter may be an obvious example of a quick, purposeful post-hole in-fill, in keeping with responsible horse husbandry, which limits open post holes and similar hazards to equine limb fracture. These bones produced a radiocarbon date range of 3629- 3370 cal BC (2σ, UBA- 33488) confirming that these features are contemporaneous with the Botai settlement. The more continuous linear feature continues in parallel to the line of post holes, suggesting that the enclosure was repaired, rebuilt, or reinforced over time. This trench perhaps represents the merging of close set post holes, or a palisade trench, and has likely been re-cut and re-set several times. The Botai survey is additional compared to those previously undertaken at the Botai Culture sites of Krasnyi Yar and Vasilkovka. The Kransyi Yar survey presents an anomaly that is almost identical is size and shape to the Botai corral, showing that this type of feature 48 is common to more than one Botau Culture site. Vasilkovka and Krasnyi Yar differ from Botai itself in that those other sites only present linear allignments of houses, whereas Botai has both line and circular arrangements of houses. This raises the possibility that Botai had more phases of occupation than the other sites, and perhaps this is why it is larger. жүктеу/скачать 0,53 Mb. Достарыңызбен бөлісу:
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