Results of rescue archaeological works by the Yugan team from the Institute of archaeology and ethnography of the SB RAS in Surgutsky district of the Khanty-Mansi autonomous okrug - Yugra in 2019

In 2019, the Yugan Archaeological Team from the IAET of the SB RAS conducted rescue excavations at the archaeological sites of Kulunigyi-5 and Kulunigyi-71 ancient settlements, Kulunigyi-72 group of hollows, and Kulunigyi-73 burial ground, located in the area intended for economical development in the Sredneugutsk oil field in Surgutsky District of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug - Yugra. The works at the Kulunigyi-71 ancient settlement have made it possible to gather a collection of pottery fragments and objects of stone industry. The study on the periphery of the Kulunigyi-5 ancient settlement in the area of excavation pit 4 has revealed a utility structure dug into the sterile layer, external hearth, and ashy-carbonaceous spot, the filling of which contained several pottery fragments. The central part of the Kulunigyi-71 ancient settlement was studied in the area of excavation pit 1. Archaeological evidence occurred in three cultural horizons in the following stratigraphic sequence: the Kuchiminsky archaeological culture of the 7th-8th centuries AD, early stage of the Kulaika archaeological culture in the 4th-1st centuries BC, and the Chalcolithic of the mid 4th millennium BC. Archaeological evidence was represented by pottery fragments and objects of stone industry. The object of archaeological heritage the Kulunigyi-72 group of hollows was explored in the peripheral part. Archaeological structures of the site have not been unearthed since they were not located in the area of economic development. Archaeological objects and structures as well as cultural layer have not been found in excavation pit 1. Two utility pits and external hearth have been discovered in the area of excavation pit 11 at the Kulunigyi-73 burial ground. Flint microblade was found in the filling of utility pit 1, and bone remains were discovered after unearthing the external hearth.