The iron hatchet of Saka period from burial site Jal-Aryk II (Ketmen-Tyube valley, Western Tien Shan)

The article is devoted to the analysis of the iron battle hatchet from mound 2 of the Jal-Aryk II burial site in Ketmen-Tyube valley in the western part of Tien Shan. Purpose. Battle hatchets are a rare category of weapons of Saka culture in the Tien Shan region. Therefore, the publication of one of the first finds of this type of weapon, which was made in the 1960s, is considered important. Results. The combat hatchet has a straight pin, massive hammered butt and closed shaft-hole for the wooden handle. The combat hatchet also has iron capping, protecting the end of the handle. The features of the funeral inventory from the burial where the hatchet was found and based on analogies from Central Asia and Altai, and dates back to the late 5th - early 4th centuries BC. The closest parallels to it can be found in Saka burials in Semirechie and in related materials of the Kamen (Kamenskaya) culture in the Forest-Steppe of Altai. Conclusion. The investigated combat hatchet is one of the earliest examples of iron arms of the Saka culture in the Tien Shan region. In addition, we can conclude that this type of weapon appeared in their culture as a result of very close cultural contacts with the ancient population of the Forest-Steppe of Altai. However it was ultimately concluded that the combat hatchet from the Ketmen-Tyube valley had local origin and reflects the independent line of development of this type of weapon in the local Saka culture, based on samples from the Forest-Steppe of Altai.