Pedoarcheological Research of the Zhayyk-1 Kurgan

The article reveals the results of pedoarchaeological research of the Zhayyk-kurgan. The research is based on the pedoarchaeological method in the study of historical monuments as a part of natural. The essence of this method is a joint study of modern soils and ancient paleosols of different age ar...

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Main Author: Maxim V. Eltsov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Volgograd State University 2020-06-01
Series:Нижневолжский археологический вестник
Subjects:
Online Access:https://nav.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/component/attachments/download/240
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author Maxim V. Eltsov
author_facet Maxim V. Eltsov
author_sort Maxim V. Eltsov
collection DOAJ
description The article reveals the results of pedoarchaeological research of the Zhayyk-kurgan. The research is based on the pedoarchaeological method in the study of historical monuments as a part of natural. The essence of this method is a joint study of modern soils and ancient paleosols of different age archaeological monuments. The obtained data allowed us to clarify the construction features of the archaeological monument’s ground mound, as well as to suggest the time of its building. Natural conditions in this period (probably 5th century BC) were generally similar to modern ones, the area was dominated by steppe landscapes with dark chestnut soils. The сentral part of the kurgan was built of soil blocks, which are cut out upper humus horizons of the soil in their natural composition. The inner mound of the monument is surrounded by a circular moat about 80 cm deep. In the сentral part of the mound, there are traces of burning in the form of burnt and melted blocks, pieces of soil colored brick and dark pink, charred fragments of wood. The internal structure made of blocks is covered with an embankment of yellow-gray loose humus loam, which is a layer of soil lying under the humus horizon in the areas of building blocks preparation, and this material also fills the ring moat. The embankment that overlaps the primary structure, in turn, is covered with a massive gray-brown top-up that forms the appearance of the monument. It is possible to point out three stages of the kurgan construction: the moment of building a block structure with a ring moat; the stage of building the first mound, and then covering the entire structure with the mound of the last burial.
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spelling doaj.art-26cda41258c0427f92db4434dabfb1922022-12-21T21:14:21ZengVolgograd State UniversityНижневолжский археологический вестник2587-81232658-59952020-06-0119128529310.15688/nav.jvolsu.2020.1.16Pedoarcheological Research of the Zhayyk-1 KurganMaxim V. Eltsov0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7886-8131Institute of Physicachemical and Biological Problems in Soil Science of the Russian Academy of SciencesThe article reveals the results of pedoarchaeological research of the Zhayyk-kurgan. The research is based on the pedoarchaeological method in the study of historical monuments as a part of natural. The essence of this method is a joint study of modern soils and ancient paleosols of different age archaeological monuments. The obtained data allowed us to clarify the construction features of the archaeological monument’s ground mound, as well as to suggest the time of its building. Natural conditions in this period (probably 5th century BC) were generally similar to modern ones, the area was dominated by steppe landscapes with dark chestnut soils. The сentral part of the kurgan was built of soil blocks, which are cut out upper humus horizons of the soil in their natural composition. The inner mound of the monument is surrounded by a circular moat about 80 cm deep. In the сentral part of the mound, there are traces of burning in the form of burnt and melted blocks, pieces of soil colored brick and dark pink, charred fragments of wood. The internal structure made of blocks is covered with an embankment of yellow-gray loose humus loam, which is a layer of soil lying under the humus horizon in the areas of building blocks preparation, and this material also fills the ring moat. The embankment that overlaps the primary structure, in turn, is covered with a massive gray-brown top-up that forms the appearance of the monument. It is possible to point out three stages of the kurgan construction: the moment of building a block structure with a ring moat; the stage of building the first mound, and then covering the entire structure with the mound of the last burial.https://nav.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/component/attachments/download/240archaeological soilpaleosolsearly iron agesauromatian culturehumus blocks
spellingShingle Maxim V. Eltsov
Pedoarcheological Research of the Zhayyk-1 Kurgan
Нижневолжский археологический вестник
archaeological soil
paleosols
early iron age
sauromatian culture
humus blocks
title Pedoarcheological Research of the Zhayyk-1 Kurgan
title_full Pedoarcheological Research of the Zhayyk-1 Kurgan
title_fullStr Pedoarcheological Research of the Zhayyk-1 Kurgan
title_full_unstemmed Pedoarcheological Research of the Zhayyk-1 Kurgan
title_short Pedoarcheological Research of the Zhayyk-1 Kurgan
title_sort pedoarcheological research of the zhayyk 1 kurgan
topic archaeological soil
paleosols
early iron age
sauromatian culture
humus blocks
url https://nav.jvolsu.com/index.php/en/component/attachments/download/240
work_keys_str_mv AT maximveltsov pedoarcheologicalresearchofthezhayyk1kurgan