Specific formation of "Minusinsk" local variant of early medieval Turkic culture: experience of reconstruction

Purpose: The article deals with reconstructing formation processes of «Minusinsk» local variant of the medieval Turk’s archaeological culture. The sites dated by the 2 nd half of 1,000 AD in the Central Yenisei Basin have been known from the XVIII century and a lot of research publications are devoted to them. However, many aspects of Nomad’s history of this community in the region have been studied very fragmentarily. Our research is based on the archaeological materials, in particular, on the results of the early Turks funeral complexes excavations. The most important objects for solving the problem of the «Minusinsk» local variant origin are those of Minusinsk Depression dated by the middle of 1,000 AD. The issues resolved need thorough comparative analysis of the numerous archaeological materials received during works in adjacent territories. Results: The analysis of one subject complex from the burials of early medieval Turks in Minusinsk Depression allowed allocating the early group of sites. The chronology of these objects is defined within the 2 nd half of VI - the 1 st half of the VII centuries. These complexes illustrate the formation of the «Minusinsk» local variant. The sites of this period in Minusinsk Depression, as well as in adjacent territories, are not numerous. In the Middle Yenisei Basin such objects were dug out on Ust-Tes, Beliy Yar-II, Teren-Kel sites. Taking into account that in Minusinsk Depression the tradition of burying a person with a horse has no roots, it was obviously introduced from outside as it is. The characteristics of the funeral ceremony in the «Minusinsk» local variant are essentially similar to those observed with Bulan-Koby culture of Altai in Hiunnu-Sarmatian time. Close analogies are observed in traditions of the funeral construction and in the burial ritual. The results obtained during studying the archaeological materials are correlated with the data of written sources. Conclusion: The «Minusinsk» local variant was formed in the middle of the VI century AD. It might have become one of the results of a military operation organized with the assistance of the population belonging to Bulan-Koby culture. This population had apparently entered the community of the early medieval Turks but preserved some indicative elements of their own funeral practice. The approach to reconstructing the formation processes of «Minusinsk» local variant provided in this article is just a hypothesis for further study, which demands further argumentation together with detailed analysis and is to be verified by new findings. For instance, the correlation of Turkic archaeological complexes and Tashtyk culture objects in Minusinsk Depression is still not absolutely clear. It is a topical issue for research not only concerning the dates of funeral sites available, but also considering the interesting results of Tashtyk miniatures of the V-VI centuries with the images of some «knights». The latter can be considered the early group of the Turks who had come into the Middle Yenisei Basin during their first broad expansion.