Horses from atypical Turkic period burials in southwest Siberia

摘要

The article presents the results of a zooarchaeological research of two horse skeletons from atypical Turkic period burials found in the necropolis Chumysh-Perekat (Altai Kray, Russia). The remains belong to 5 and 10-12-year-old male horses. Macromorphological analysis showed some dental (wear on P-2, over growths of M-1, and irregular wear of M-1) and bone pathologies (fusion of the splint bone with metapodia, lumbar vertebrae). Their presence is associated with horse riding. The pattern of dismemberment of one of the horses and tools used to implement it was reconstructed. The authors assume that such manipulations with horse carcasses is a special modification of Turkic funeral tradition by a local Samoyed group. This reflects an early stage of spreading of these traditions to the northern periphery of the Turkic empire.