On the chronology of the medial part of the Oglakhty burial ground (based on the results of tree-ring dating)

The article addresses the dating issues of grave No. 2020/1 at the Oglakhty burial ground (Tashtyk Culture) through the method of tree-ring analysis, and determination of the place of the Medial part of the grave field (where the investigated grave originates from) in the chronological context of the cemetery as a whole. The material for the study was the archaeological wood ofthe burial log cabin was analyzed; 17 samples from various log parts were collectedfor dendrochronological analysis. The overall preservation ofthe log cabin was the poorest among other the log cabins ofthe burial ground, although the wood is largely free ofthe characteristic contamination acquired during the process of archaeologisation, which complicated analysis. The wood of two coniferous species - Siberian larch (Larix sibirica Ledeb.) and Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L), typical species in the construction of log cabins was analyzed. The crossdating of the samples according to their species affiliation makes it possible to form two generalised tree-ring chronologies (TRC) for grave 2020/1: pine M2020/1P TRC with a length of 78 years and larch M2020/1L TRC with a length of 92years. Comparisons of the derived chronologies with dendroscales for larch (OgL) and pine (OgP) available for the Oglakhty burial ground demonstrated that the most accurate result was gained through cross-dating the pine chronology M2020/1P and the larch OgL TRC. In relation to the relative Oglakhty chronology the M2020/1P chronology indicates an interval of 111-188 years. Given the lack of terminal rings, the probable date of burial can be estimated to be around 190 or a little younger. A comparison with the Oglakhty OgP pine tree-ring chronology reveals a similar interval, but with lower statistical indexes. However, for the M2020/1L larch chronology, it has not yet been possible to gain reliable synchronization for any of the Oglakhty tree-ring chronologies. A comparison of the date of grave No. 2020/1 with the dates of other burials in the Oglakhty burial ground revealed a synchronicity of graves across the Western, Eastern, and Medial sections. This indicates that the occupation of all parts of the grave complex by burials occurred simultaneously within the period of50-55years.