Spear tip with s-shaped "otrozhki" from Suzunskoye district of Novosibirsk region

The article deals with analyzing the spear tip obtained from a number of accidental finds on the territory of the Suzun area in the Novosibirsk region (south of Western Siberia). Purpose. Scientific publication on finding a specific tip in the Suzun area describing its design and features as well as dating and attribution. Results. The tip is equipped with a triangular cross-sectional pen of an elongated diamond-shaped form with an S-shaped «otrozhek» on the outstretched neck and a flattened conical partially open seam on the sleeve. The total length of the tip measures 26.3 cm. The blade is 12 cm long and 3 cm wide. The diameter of the sleeves measures 3,5 cm. The front side of the sleeve has a rectangular form (0,7 to 0,5 cm) used for nails to fix the tip up on the wooden shaft. The total weight of the tip is 298 gr. Based on the analysis and the design we have found that a Russian spear of the XVI-XVII centuries served as a model for the smiths in Siberia. A characteristic design element of the Rohatyna of Russian production typical for this period was circular «otrozhki» (German analogue «Knebelspieß»), which performed the role of a limiting element so that the tip would not enter the body of the enemy too deep, which would impede its subsequent recovery. In the XVII - first half of the XVIII century tips of similar design were fairly widespread among Russian and aboriginal population of the Trans-Urals taiga and steppe. The unusual decoration in the form of «otrozhki» attracted the attention of Turkic and Mongolian nomads, who decided to introduce such tip spears, spears and the peak into their own production. The closest analogues of the spears found in the Suzun area of the Novosibirsk region originate from the Altai Territory. The design features and the construction of the tip in this series indicate that they are not brought into the territory of Siberia from European Russia but were rather made by local craftsmen of Russian origin (immigrants) or the native population. Conclusion. Our comprehensive analysis of the sources results in two versions of the origin of the spear found in the Suzun area of the Novosibirsk region. The first is that it can be made by one of the masters from the cities of Western Siberia as a military and hunting weapon for the needs of tax-paying clerks or the Russian-speaking population of the region. According to the second version, the spear was forged by Turkic or Oirat gunsmiths and modeled on the Russian Rohatyna. Given the characteristics of the tip, the latter version seems most plausible. In addition, it explains the complex shape of «otrozhki» that could be used by nomads not only as a constraint, but also as a lock for hanging cloth or horsetails and icons. In both cases, the tip manufacturing can be localized by the XVII - first half of the XVIII century.