On material complex from Koda 2 burials on the Angara river

Purpose. Rescue archaeological work on the Neolithic site of Koda 2 resulted in a rich assemblage of accompanying materials from the soil burials. The author describes the materials, analyzes possible interpretations and introduces this rare archaeological material for research purposes. Results. The items found on the site included utilitarian artifacts, weapons, ornaments and some elements of clothing. The author dated and classified the materials. Every burial contained pottery fragments with various ornaments and features like specific cracks. There were some small vessels like pots. In general, the Middle Age population of Eastern and Western Siberia used similar approaches in molding, decorating, and using pottery. The common pottery traditions were based on the close geographic location. The assemblage of the utilitarian items found contains a needle, a fishhook, some cramps with and without piercings, and some knives with an embowed unilaterally cloistered cutting blade. The metal items were made of iron. It also refers to the weapon elements found, such as arrowheads and spear- and palm-points. The elements of armature were represented by ironclad plates from the burials worn as breastplates. Body adornments used by the medieval population of the North Angara region were diverse and bright. The assemblage of the bronze ornaments found includes some open-work pendants, spiral earrings, and a coin with Chinese hieroglyphs. In addition, there were some zoomorphic bone pendants found and one quartz bead. The clothes accessories contained belt plates and belt buckles. The Middle Age material complex of Koda 2 site is characteristic of the burial grounds spread over the Northern Angara region. The burials demonstrated that cremation was popular at those times. The accompanying equipment was put into the funeral bonfire as the traces of the fire on the objects testify. The inventory of burials is represented by articles of bronze, iron and bone and includes tools, weapons, ornaments, parts of belt and the headset. Most of the material from the graves belong to the 2 millennium BC. Conclusion. The material complex of burials evidences that the buried used to be warriors and hunters. Numerous findings of armaments such as arrows, spears and palm spears prove it. However, the soldiers and hunters liked to surround themselves with items of beauty, such as earrings, necklaces, pendants, belt sets, etc. We suppose that the body decoration and the clothes aimed at aesthetic purposes but at the same time performed some magical functions, such as zoomorphic suspension or noisy piercing. The discoveries from the monument Koda 2 are important to understand the interaction of archaeological cultures on the territory of the Angara area during the Middle Ages. The materials obtained, in combination with other sources available, help to recreate the cultural-historical setting, material and spiritual culture of the medieval population of the region.