New results of radiocarbon dating of the finds from the Scythian and Sarmatian sites in the collection of the State Historical Museum

The paper analyzes results of the AMS-dating of organic carbon-containing remains from the Early Iron Age funerary assemblages in the collection of the State Historical Museum, Moscow. Modern methods of accelerator mass-spectrometry provide an opportunity to study small specimens helping obtain rather narrow reliable intervals. Organic remains from the graves at well-known Sauromatian-Sarmatian sites, namely, the Mechet-Sai, Gerasimovka and Uvak cemeteries, the Scythian royal kurgan known as Kozel as well as the cemetery near the Tiflisskaya Cossack village (Gold Cemetery) were selected as specimens. Remains of wood, leather and fur (arrow shafts, parts of quivers, a finial and mirror cases) were carefully examined. The project included determination of tree species, and technological analysis of the fur and textile fragments. In some cases, the data obtained through these analyses help substantially narrow down or confirm the dating of the assemblages estimated using traditional archaeological methods, even the dating of the assemblages from the Scythian sites despite the issue of «the Hallstatt plateau».