Burials of Andronovo (Fedorovo) culture in Tartas-1 necropolis showing signs of combat injury on human bones

The author addresses the data of analysis of the Andronovo (Fedorovo) culture burials at the Tartas-1 necropolis revealing bone remains showing traces of combat trauma. Occurrences of syncretic burials, which are a result of contact between the Andronovo people and the local Late Krotovo population is one of the notable features of this necropolis. The recovered human bones showed traces of "combat" injuries suggesting a not entirely peaceful nature of these interrelations. Also, the appearance of burials with weapons can be considered as a sign of significant military activity, at least at the early period of the Andronovo (Fedorovo) population migration to the Baraba forest-steppe. Three graves containing skeletal bones with injuries, but without any survived burial structures have been excavated in the Andronovo (Fedorovo) part of the necropolis located in the medial part of the site. These graves are included into chains of single-culture burials; the burial good set is typical for the Andronovo culture. Arrowheads, which likely caused the death of the buried individuals, were found between the bones. It should be noted that the number of recorded injuries does not fully reflect the possible amount of traumas among the buried Andronovo people at the Tartas-1 burial ground - some of the deceased were cremated; other graves were looted and destroyed. The traces of"combat" injuries found in the Andronovo (Fedorovo) burial, and the occurrence of weapons in the burial inventory at Tartas-1 may suggest a fairly high level of military activity during the migration of Andronovo tribes to the Ob-Irtysh forest-steppe region. Both the local aboriginal population of the Late Krotovo (Cherno-Ozerye) culture and related migrant groups could potentially be adversaries.