Decoration complex of North Altai nomads in the Great migration period (on the materials of Karban-I site)

Abstract

The article presents the results of the study of decorations discovered during excavations of the Bulan-Koby culture burials in the Karban-I necropolis. This complex, located in the Chemal region of the Altai Republic, was partially explored in 1989-1990. The collection of finds from four male (mounds No. 9, 11, 14, 33), two female (mounds No. 10, 15) and one children's (mound No. 19) burials is represented by a variety of items that were used to decorate hair, hats and upper shoulder garment. The analysis of badges-stripes (6 pieces), earrings (2 pieces), pendants (2 pieces), braces (2 pieces), beads (43 pieces) and torcs. It has been established that the items under consideration have a significant number of analogies in the accompanying inventory of burials excavated in the territory of Northern Altai. The revealed common and rare cases of placing beads indicate their use mainly as pendants and, less often, as stripes on women's headwear. The recorded variability in the composition of decorations in the burials of the Karban-I necropolis, obviously, demonstrates the specificity of the lifetime status of deceased people. The analysis of chronologically informative morphological features of the items makes it possible to determine the dating of most items within the Xianbei period (II — first half of the IV centuries AD).