Production technology of saddle shackles among Pazyryk people of Altai

The article is devoted to interdisciplinary research of wooden saddle shackles of Pazyryk culture bearers. We considered the constructive parts of an important element of the horse harness of nomads from Scythian Altai as exemplified by analysis of the research results of production technology of the additional shaping wood parts for the “soft” saddle. We determined the wood species, the peculiarities of the material selection, the approximate composition of tools, the techniques and methods of woodcarving. The thesis that wooden shackle had accomplished the forming function for the “soft ” saddle was confirmed. The horse harness is an important element of the traditional culture of nomadic breeders. The key role in its formation and modification was played by nomadic peoples of the Scythian, Xiongnu-Sarmatian and ancient Turkic time. One of the mass category of archaeological finds is the parts of horse harness. The results of the complex analysis of these richest sources of the nomadic civilization in the Eurasian steppes give an additional opportunity for a more general understanding of the ethnic history and cultural genesis of the peoples of this vast region in the terms of archaeological complexes with burials of horses. Saddle for riding is the one of the main elements of the horse harness of nomads. “Soft ” saddle Pazyryk nomads were intermediate, perplex variant between the simplest saddles and saddle-wraps of Black Sea Scythians and Xiongnu “semi-hard” saddles. Researchers, who had studied the sites of Pazyryk culture, have described in detail the form and main components, given the paintings, photographs, reconstructions in well-known publications. Special studies on woodworking technology of wooden components of Pazyryk “soft” saddles provide the new additional data, supplied the information about this source.