The article discusses the problem of chronology of the Kozhumberdy cultural group from the Ural-Mugodzhary region, which is the local variant of the Alakul culture. It introduces into scientific use a new series of radiocarbon dates from settlements and burial grounds of the Late Bronze Age, located in the southern spurs of the Ural Mountains. The analysis of the raw data allowed us to determine the chronological interval of existence of monuments of the Kozhumberdy cultural groups within the second half of the XVIII century BC — XII century BC with possible division of this period into two successive phases, the boundary between them is approximately 1400 BC. Radiocarbon dating allows us to make a conclusion about the relative synchrony of the Alakul and the Fedorovo cultures. Only monuments of the Late Alakul (Petrovka) stage have chronological priority, while the appearance of Fedorovo component refers to an advanced stage of the Alakul culture. The late phase of the existence of monuments of the Kozhumberdy cultural groups is linked in time with the horizon of Valikovaya pottery cultures of the end of the Bronze Age which makes their genetic continuity possible.

Key words: Late Bronze Age, Alakul culture, Kozhumberdy cultural group, Ural-Mugodzhary region, radiocarbon dating.

DOI: 10.20874/2071-0437-2016-34-3-068-077

19.09.2016

V.V. Tkachev

Institute of Steppe, Ural Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences, Pionerskaya st., 11, Orenburg, 460000, Russian Federation

E-mail: vit-tkachev@yandex.ru