New evidence on house building traditions of the early iron age from the Biysk Ob region

The study of the “Yeniseiskoe-10, poselenie” site in Biysky District of Altai Krai continued in 2019. Presently, the available data on the funeral rite is not sufficiently supported by information on the Scythian settlement complexes of the Early Iron Age in the Altai. The most promising is the study of the Yeniseiskoe archaeological microdistrict with high concentration of archaeological sites. A semi-dugout of the composite type combining frame-and-post structure and cribwork was excavated. That object has shown many features typical of the most buildings of the Bronze Age-Early Iron Age in the region. It belongs to the type of single-chamber semi-dugouts of medium size with log walls. Burial complex was investigated in the northwestern part of the excavation. It contained pottery evidence in the form of individual fragments and collapsed vessels of the Bystryanka culture of the Early Iron Age. Morphologically, these vessels can be reconstructed as jars of small shape with ornamental decoration in the upper zone, consisting of the combination of pearl-like punched nodes with the divider and pasted band usually decorated with various imprints made with smooth stamp. Large number of stone objects, such as fragments of mealing stones, pestles, and grinders has been discovered. New data significantly enriches our knowledge of house building traditions among the Bystryanka tribes of the Ob region. For the first time, it was possible to reliably confirm the combination of two different traditions - frame-and-post and cribwork - in a single structure.