The plaque-decorated belts of the ancient Turk epoch in the sites of the Yenisei and the Chulym interfluve (Markelov mys I and II burial grounds)

Purpose: This article describes ethno-cultural interaction between different ethnic groups of the Middle Enisei region in the ancient Turk epoch. As an example of this interaction we use 12 plaque-decorated belts from Markelov Mys I and II burial grounds which are located in the interfluve of the Ye-nisei and the Chulym rivers. Many researchers note that the belt was a kind of passport of a warrior, which allowed to recognize its successes and awards. Written sources reveal that warrior can be awarded with a gold (silver, bronze) plaque or lyre-shaped pendant. Plaque-decorated belts which widely spread out over the Central Asia in the ancient Turk epoch gave us the evidences of interactions between ethnic groups of different regions. Results: Medieval barrows of Markelov Mys I and II contained 5 intact plaque-decorated belts and details of 7 partial belts. 9 belts were discovered in burials with inhumations and horse and only 3 belts were discovered in burials with cremations (which are supposed to be a local ethnic group). Inhumations with accompanying horse from Markelov Mys I and II are supposed to be burials of the ancient Turk warriors of the Second Turkic Kaghanate and are dated by VIII-IX centuries A.D. In the burial 21 from Markelov Mys I (inhumation with accompanying horse) 2 silver belt details were found (the plaque of portal form and the tip of the strap). The similar plaques and the tips of strap were found in Kuray IV, Uzuntal I and Yustyd I burial grounds. The bronze intact plaque-decorated belt (buckle, plaque of portal form, plaque of rectangular in shape form and tip of the strap) was found in burial № 9 from Markelov Mys II (inhumation with accompanying horse). The buckle and the tip of the strap have runic inscriptions of Orkhon-Yenisei script that can be translated as «moon» (inscription on the back of buckle) and a part of the name or profession (inscription on the tip of the strap). Similar belt details with runic inscription were found in Kuray IV and Barburgazy II in Altai and Arzhaan II in Tuva. In most cases runic inscriptions describe the owner of the belt. We found out that silver and bronze belts belonged to the non-local ethnic group (inhumations with accompanying horse burial) and could be brought from Altai where one of the main centers of production silver and bronze plaque-decorated belts were located. The most of details of the bronze plaque-decorated belts from Markelov Mys I and II have traces of repair and were brought from the other region. Besides in burials of the local ethnic group (cremations) only 3 single plaques were found. Plaque-decorated belts were rarely in burial ritual by the local population inhabiting interfluve of the Yenisei and the Chulym rivers in the Tashtyk epoch. We suppose that the local ethnic group began including plaque-decorated belts in burials after non-local ethnic group (supposed ancient Turk) invasion. Also we assume that the local population copied shapes of Turkic plaque-decorated belts but made them of iron instead of bronze or silver. Conclusion: Thus it is one of the many aspects of ethnocultural interaction between the local ethnic group (Tashtyk-Kyrgyz population) and the strange ethnic group (ancient Turk population).