EARLY EVIDENCE OF PRODUCING ECONOMY IN THE HISSAR CULTURE: AN OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH CONCEPTS

Keywords: Central Asia, Hissaro-Alay, hissar, neolithic, pastopalism

Abstract

The transition to farming is a revolutionary step in human history. Domesticated species of cereals and small ruminants which spread from the territory of the countries of the Fertile Crescent appear in Central Asia during the early Neolithic period (the 6th - 5th millennium BC). In the middle of the 20th century several Neolithic cultures prominent for the Central-Asian region were defined: Jeitun, Kelteminar and Hissar. This publication is devoted to the consideration of the Hissar culture and the existing reconstructions of its economic structure. The Gissar culture is widespread on the territory of the Gissar-Alai and dates from the 6th to the 2nd millennium BC. Since the late 1950s the researchers tried to determine the type of economy of the carriers of the Hissar culture: the early stage of agriculture and cattle breeding; hunting and gathering; nomadic cattle breeding. This article examines the main arguments “for” and “against” the existence of a productive economy in the Hissar culture, namely, cattle breeding. Based on a number of signs, such as the presence of long-term and short-term camps, a large number of bones of small ruminants, the availability of year-round pastures at the site, the absence of hunting tools in the toolkit, the team of authors agrees with the point of view of V. A. Ranova and G. F. Korobkova about the use of early cattle breeding by the Hissar people. However, this hypothesis requires additional elaboration using bioarchaeological research methods.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

Author Biographies

Gregory I. Markovsky, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS

Junior Researcher, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS

Saltanat Alisher kyzy, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS; Novosibirsk State University

Junior Researcher of Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS, Junior Researcher of Novosibirsk State University

Svetlana V. Shnaider, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS

Senior Researcher, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS

References

Vinogradov A.B. Drevnie ohotniki i rybolovy Sredneaziatskogo mezhdurech’ya [Ancient Hunters and Fishermen of the Central Asian Interfluve]. Moscow : Science Press, 1981. 174 p. (In Russ.)
Vinogradova N. M., Ranov V.A., Filimonova T. G. Pamyatniki Gangurttuta v Yugo-Zapadnom Tadzhikistane (epoha neolita i bronzovyj vek) [The Sites of Gangurtut in Southwest Tajikistan (Neolithic and Bronze Age)]. Moscow : Institute Vostokovedeniya RAN, 2008. 472 p. (In Russ.)
Korobkova G. F. K probleme neoliticheskih skotovodov Srednej Azii. Tezisy dokladov sessii, posvyashchennoj itogam polevyh arheologicheskih issledovanij 1972 g. v KazSSR [On the Problem of the Neolithic Cattle-breeders of Central Asia. Abstracts of the Session Devoted to the Results of Field Archaeological Research in 1972 in the KazSSR]. Tashkent : Fan, 1973. Pp. 207–210. (In Russ.)
Korobkova G.F. Orudiya truda i hozyajstvo neoliticheskih plemen Srednej Azii [Tools and Economy of the Neolithic tribes of Central Asia]. Materialy I issledovaniya po arheologii SSSR (MIA) [Materials and Research on Archaeology of the USSR]. Leningrad : Nauka, 1969. No 158. 216 p. (In Russ.)
Korobkova G.F. Srednyaya Aziya i Kazahstan. Gissarskaya kul’tura [Central Asia and Kazakhstan. Hissar culture]. Neolit Severnoj Evrazii [Neolithic of Northern Eurasia]. Moscow: Nauka, 1996. Pp. 110–116. (In Russ.)
Korobkova G. F., Masson V.A. Ponyatie neolit i voprosy hronologii neolita Srednej Azii [The Concept of the Neolithic and questions of the Chronology of the Neolithic of Central Asia]. Kratkie soobshcheniya Instituta Arheologii RAN (KSIA) [Brief Reports of the Institute of Archaeology RAS]. 1978. No. 153. Pp. 103–109. (In Russ.)
Korobkova G.F., Ranov V.A. Drevnejshie zemlekopnye orudiya Srednej Azii [The Oldest Excavating Tools of Central Asia]. Kratkie soobshcheniya Instituta Arheologii RAN (KSIA) [Brief Reports of the Institute of Archaeology RAS]. 1973. No. 136. Pp. 77–80. (In Russ.)
Litvinskij B. A., Ranov V. A. Raskopki navesa Ak-Tangi [Excavation of the Ak-Tangi Shed]. Arheologicheskie raboty v Tadzhikistane (1961 god) [Excavation of the Ak-Tangi Canopy. Archaeological Work in Tajikistan (1961)]. Dushanbe : Izd-vo AN Tadzhikskoj SSR, 1964. Vol. 9. Pp. 3–25. (In Russ.)
Markov Yu.Ya., Obrazcov V.A. Datirovanie drevnih pamyatnikov Turkmenii i sosednih oblastej metodom radiokarbonovogo analiza [The Dating of Ancient Sites of Turkmenistan and Neighboring Regions by Radiocarbon Analysis]. Izvestija AN Turkmenskoj SSR. Serija obshchestvennyh nauk. Bulletin of the Academy of Sciences of the Turkmen SSR. Social Science Series]. 1981. P. 74–77. (In Russ.)
Masson V.M. Gissarskaya kul’tura v Zapadnom Tadzhikistane. Srednyaya Aziya v epohu kamnya i bronzy [Gissar Culture in Western Tajikistan. Central Asia During the Stone and Bronze Age]. Moscow]. Moscow ; Leningrad : Nauka, 1966. Pp. 145–148. (In Russ.)
Masson V. M. Poselenie Dzhejtun (problemy stanovleniya proizvodyashhej ekonomiki) [The Dzheitun Settlement (problems of the formation of a manufacturing economy)]. Materialy I issledovaniya po arheologii SSSR (MIA) [Materials and Research on Archaeology of the USSR]. Leningrad : Nauka, 1971. Issue 158. 208 p. (In Russ.)
Okladnikov A. P. Issledovanija pamjatnikov kamennogo veka Tadzhikistana. Predvaritel’noe soobshhenie o rabotah 1948, 1952–1954 gg. [Research into the Sites of the Stone Age in Tajikistan. Preliminary Report on the Excavations of 1948, 1952–1954]. Materialy I issledovaniya po arheologii SSSR (MIA) [Materials and Research on Archaeology of the USSR]. Moscow ; Leningrad : Nauka, 1958. No 66. Pp. 11–71. (In Russ.)
Okladnikov A.P. O rabotah po izucheniyu kamennogo veka Tadzhikistana v 1957 g. (v Gissarskoj i Dangarinskoj dolinah) [About the Works on the Study of the Stone Age of Tajikistan in 1957 (in the Gissar and Dangara Valleys)]. Arheologicheskie raboty v Tadzhikistane v 1957 g. [Archaeological Work in Tajikistan in 1957]. Dushanbe : Izd-vo AN Tadzhikskoj SSR,1959a. Vol. 5. Pp. 5–20. (In Russ.)
Okladnikov A.P. Issledovanie pamyatnikov kamennogo veka na yuge Tadzhikistana v 1958 g. [The Study of Stone Age Sites in the South of Tajikistan in 1958]. Arheologicheskie raboty v Tadzhikistane v 1958 g. [Archaeological Work in Tajikistan in 1958]. Dushanbe : Donish, 1961. Vol. 6. Pp. 5–17. (In Russ.)
Okladnikov A.P. Kamennyj vek Tadzhikistana: Itogi i problem [The Stone Age of Tajikistan: Results and Problems]. Materialy 2-go Soveshchaniya arheologov i etnografov Srednej Azii [Materials of the 2nd Meeting of Archaeologists and Ethnographers of Central Asia]. Moscow ; Leningrad : Izd-vo AN SSSR, 1959b. Pp. 158–184. (In Russ.)
Okladnikov A.P., Ranov V.A. Kamennyj vek. Istoriya tadzhikskogo naroda [The Stone Age. History of the Tajik People]. Moscow : Izd-vo vost. lit., 1963. Vol. 1, Chap. l. Pp. 38–98. (In Russ.)
Ranov V. A. Gissarskaya kul’tura — neolit gornyh oblastej Srednej Azii (proishozhdenie, rasprostranenie, osobennosti) [The Gissar Culture is the Neolithic of the Mountainous Regions of Central Asia (Origin, Distribution, Features)]. Kamennyj vek Severnoj, Srednej i Vostochnoj Azii [Stone Age of North, Central and East Asia]. Novosibirsk : Izd-vo In-ta arheologii I etnografii SO RAN, 1985. Pp. 10–35. (In Russ.)
Ranov V.A. Desyat» let izucheniya kamennogo veka Yuzhnogo Tadzhikistana i Pamira [Ten Years of Studying the Stone Age of Southern Tajikistan and the Pamirs]. Arheologicheskie raboty v Tadzhikistane v 1980 g. [Archaeological Work in Tajikistan in 1980]. Dushanbe : Donish, 1987. No 20. Pp. 50–86. (In
Russ.)
Ranov V.A., Zhukov V.A., Yusupov A.H. Raboty po kamennomu veku Tadzhikistana v 1971 g. [Works on the Stone Age of Tajikistan in 1971]. Uspehi sredneaziatskoj arheologii [Advances in Central Asian Archaeology.]. Leningrad : Nauka, 1972. No. 2. Pp. 31–35. (In Russ.)
Ranov V.A., Korobkova G. F. Tutkaul — mnogoslojnoe poselenie gissarskoj kul’tury v Yuzhnom Tadzhikistane [Tutkaul is a Multi-layered Settlement of the Hissar Culture in Southern Tajikistan]. Sovetskaya arheologiya [Soviet Archaeology]. 1971. No 2. Pp. 133–147. (In Russ.)
Skakun N.N., Filimonova T.G., Yusupov A.H., Kutimov Yu.G. Kostyanye orudiya i ukrasheniya neoliticheskogo poseleniya Saj-Sajyod (Tadzhikistan) [Bone Tools and Adornments of the Neolithic Settlement of Sadzh-Sadjod (Tajikistan)]. Arheologiya drevnih obshchestv Evrazii: hronologiya, kul’turogenez, religioznye vozzreniya. Pamyati V.A. Massona [Archaeology of the Ancient Societies of Eurasia: Chronology, Cultural Genesis, Religious Views. In Memory of V.A. Masson]. St. Petersburg : Art-Express, 2014. Vol. XLII. Pp. 53–61. (In Russ.)
Сalkin V.I. Drevnee zhivotnovodstvo plemen Vostochnoj Evropy i Srednej Azii [Ancient Animal Husbandry of the Tribes of Eastern Europe and Central Asia]. Materialy I issledovaniya po arheologii SSSR (MIA) [Materials and Research on Archaeology of the USSR]. Moscow : Nauka, 1966. Issue 135. 160 p. (In Russ.)
Сalkin V.I. Predvaritel’nye rezul’taty izucheniya faunisticheskogo materiala iz raskopok Dzhebela, proizvedennyh A.P. Okladnikovym [Preliminary Results of the Study of Faunistic Material from the Jebel Excavations carried out by A.P. Okladnikov]. Trudy Yuzhno-Turkmenistanskoj arheologicheskoj kompleksnoj ekspedicii [Proceedings of the South-Turkmenistan Archaeological Complex Expedition]. Ashgabat : Turkmenskij filial AN SSSR, 1956. Vol. 7. Pp. 220–221. (In Russ.)
Sharapov Sh. Ostatki mlekopitayushchih iz neoliticheskoj stoyanki Saj Sajyod (Yuzhnyj Tadzhikistan) [Remains of Mammals from the Sai Sayyod Neolithic Site (South Tajikistan)]. Voprosy zoologii Tadzhikistana [Questions of Zoology of Tajikistan]. Dushanbe : Donish, 1977. Pp. 23–28. (In Russ.)
Yusupov A.H. Neoliticheskoe poselenie Saj-Sajyod na yugo-zapade Tadzhikistana [Sai-Sayyod Neolithic Settlement in the South-West of Tajikistan]. Sovetskaya arheologiya [Soviet Archaeology]. 1975. No 2. Pp. 138–148. (In Russ.)
Adams R. McC. Heartland of Cities: Surveys of Ancient Settlement and Land Use on the Central Floodplain of the Euphrates. Chicago : University of Chicago Press, 1981. Pp. 162. (In Eng.)
Bar-Yosef O. Eat What is There: Hunting and Gathering in the World of Neanderthals and Their Neighbours. International Journal of Osteoarchaeology. 2004. Vol. 14 (34). Pp. 333–342. (In Eng.)
Ben-David M., Flaherty E.A. Stable Isotopes in Mammalian Research: a Beginner’s Guide. Journal of Mammalogy. 2012. Vol. 93 (2). Pp. 312–328. (In Eng.)
Brunet F. Asie Centrale: vers une redefinition des complexes culturels de la fin du Pleistocene et des debuts de l’Holocene. Paléorient, 2002. Vol. 28 (2). Pp. 9–24. (In Eng.)
Coon C. S. The Seven Caves. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1957. P. 324. (In Eng.)
Fuller D.Q., Willcox G., Allaby R.G. Early Agricultural Pathways: Moving Outside the “Core Area” Hypothesis in Southwest Asia. Journal of Experimental Botany. 2012. Vol. 63. Pp. 17–633. (In Eng.)
Hole F. D. Pastoral Nomadism in Western Iran. Explorations in Ethnoarchaeology. Edited by R. Gould. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Press, 1978. Pp. 127–179. (In Eng.)
Özdoğan M. Archaeological Evidence on the Westward Expansion of Farming Communities from Eastern Anatolia to the Aegean and the Balkans. Current Anthropology. 2011. Vol. 52 (4). Pp. 415–430. (In Eng.)
Rosen S.A. Revolutions in the Desert: The Rise of Mobile Pastoralism in the Southern Levant. 2016. Walnut Creek: Taylor and Francis, 2016. Pp. 330. (In Eng.)
Schmaus T.M., Doumani Dupuy P.N., Frachetti M. Variability in Seasonal Mobility Patterns in Bronze and Iron Age Kazakhstan through Cementum (In Eng.) Analysis. Quaternary International. 2020. Vol. 545. Pp. 102–110.
Vigne J-D. Early Domestication and Farming: What Should we Know or Do for a Better Understanding? Anthropozoologica. 2015. Vol. 50 (2). Pp. 123–150. (In Eng.)
Zeder М. Animal Domestication in the Zagros: An Update and Directions for Future Research // Paléorient. 1999. Vol. 25 (2). Pp. 11–25. (In Eng.)
Zeder М. The Origins of Agriculture in the Near East. Current Anthropology. 2011. Vol. 52 (4). Pp. 211–235. (In Eng.)
Published
2021-03-28
How to Cite
Markovsky G. I., Alisher kyzy S., Shnaider S. V. EARLY EVIDENCE OF PRODUCING ECONOMY IN THE HISSAR CULTURE: AN OVERVIEW OF RESEARCH CONCEPTS // THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH, 2021. Vol. 33, № 1. P. 128-143 DOI: 10.14258/tpai(2021)1(33).-08. URL: http://journal.asu.ru/tpai/article/view/9400.
Section
FOREIGN ARCHAEOLOGY

Most read articles by the same author(s)