On morphological classification of ornaments dated to the late bronze age in Minusinsk basin

Purpose. This work presents morphological research of ornaments applied to the material of 91 burial places in South Siberia. We analyzed the contour, appearance and internal structure of the objects and distinguished their constructive elements. The elements of different form (contour, appearance) and internal structure performed certain functions and had different location in the whole ornament. Based on our results, we created a morphological classification of the objects analyzed. Out aim is to identify the construction of the ornaments found. By analyzing the construction, we study the types of bases on which ornaments were created as well as similarities and distinctions in the form of their constructive elements. Results. All ornaments were divided into categories according to their appearance and functional purpose. On the basis of the common morphological classification, which we changed for our purposes by separating main categories or taxons, groups and products from subgroups or variants, we distinguished the following categories of ornaments: a hoop (used as the base for a hryvnia, ring, pendant with a frame, temporal rings, channeled suspension brackets, bracelets); a guard (oboymochka, a metal plate, web-footed pendants, triangular plates, plaques); and a shaped body with an opening (beads, tubules-pronizki, suspension brackets from animal bones, products imitating cowry). Then we made groups of those objects according to the ornament production and subgroups according to their technological features. Conclusion. Among the 16 categories of ornaments found, the most frequent are beads, tubulespronizki, oboymochka, temporal rings, plaques and web-footed pendants. It is also possible to describe rare categories of objects: hryvnias, suspension brackets made of bone and pendants with a frame. Our ornaments are distinguished according to the way of their production (from wire forged or a cast plate, polished bone and ground stone, soapstone, thong, molding), processing and methods used for external decoration (beads, suspension brackets, fillets, notches, a relief, etc.). They also differ in size and function in funeral practice of the population of the Late Bronze Age on the territory of South Siberia. The common way was producing objects from wire and a shod plate, more rarely - from polished bone and ground stone. All objects were used for decorating headdresses and hairdresses, clothes, footwear. Next-to-skin and breast ornaments served as accessories. They were found in burials of men, women and children. These ornaments had analogues during the developed and Late Bronze and Early Iron Age which were found on adjacent territories such as West Siberia, Kazakhstan, Transbaikalia and Mongolia.