Hoard of the Seima-Turbino type spearheads at the Xiawanggang site, Henan province, China

The article presents new information on the finds of the Seima-Turbino type bronzes in Central China. A hoard of bronze spearheads (4 items) was discovered at the multilayered site of Xiawanggang near the village of Hebacun (Shengwan Township, Xichuan County, Nanyang Municipality, Henan Province). These items were semi-finished, without the forged striking point. In terms of their features, the spearheads were similar to the Seima-Turbino spearheads with the hook (category KD-10 according to classification of E.N. Chernykh and S.V Kuzminykh). According to the authors of the excavations, the pit where the hoard was found, belonged to the late stage of the late period in the Henan variant of the Longshan cultural community. Typical Longshan pottery and bone arrowheads with the stop, similar to those appearing in Western Siberia in the same assemblages with the Seima-Turbino objects, were found in other objects at the site, dated to the same stage. Data on the results of natural scientific analyzes of spearheads is provided. X-ray examination has shown that sophisticated geometric ornamentation was on the surface of one ofthe items. Its semantics and technique require further study. It is assumed that the origin of the Seima-Turbino phenomenon can be associated with Xinjiang from where migration waves spread in different directions - to the north along the Irtysh River into the forest-steppe belt, and then to the west and east, as well as eastward to the Central Plain in China.