Results of the study of Early and Middle Bronze Age ceramics from the Tukh-Emtor IV settlement (Vasyuganskaya Plain)

The article presents the data of the study of Early and Middle Bronze Age pottery from the settlement of Tukh-Emtor IV carried out within the framework of the historical and cultural approach according to A.A. Bobrinsky method. The main task was to identify the specific features of cultural traditions in the selection of raw materials and the preparation of the pottery paste. Studies decoration techniques include identification of the features of the tool working edge and the ornamentation techniques. It was established that ferruginous clays were used in the production of Early Bronze Age ceramics: ductile (67 %) and mixed with the finest dust-like sand (33 %). Pottery of the Middle Bronze Age was made of similar raw materials, but ductile clays make up 50%. Two variants of paste recipeswere identified: clay + chamotte, clay + chamotte + organic matter. The second recipe was recorded twice (c. 6 % of all vessels studied). Despite of the fact that 2 traditions in the choice of raw materials and 2paste recipes were revealed, the decoration patterns of the wares are basically the same. The ornamentation was applied with comb and non-cogged tools. The most common are horizontal rows of impressions made with a comb stamp by stepping with rolling or dragging the working edge of the tool. Geometric motifs in the form of zigzags emerged on the Middle Bronze Age pottery. The Early Bronze Age ceramic complex has been attributed to the Stepanovo culture developed by the Early Elovsky Period. Early and Middle Bronze Age materials show parallels in terms of raw materials, fabrics, techniques of decoration and ornamentation motifs, which confirms the earlier hypothesis on the long and gradual interaction of various population groups, which did not lead to a sharp change of traditions.