Anthropology  

An autochthonous component in the composition of the population of the Eneolithic —Bronze Age in the Altai Mountains revisited: materials from the collection and archive of the Аnthropology Room at Tomsk State University

Solodovnikov K.N. (Tyumen, Russian Federation), Rykun  M.P. (Tomsk, Russian Federation)

The Eneolithic — Bronze Age paleoanthropological materials from the Ulitinsky type Bronze Age burial of Karasu II (the Altai Mountains), as well as previously unpublished measurements of skulls from 1964 excavations of the Afanasievo cemetery of Ust-Kuium are introduced into scientific use. Osteometric characteristics of the individuals from the Ulitinsky type burial affirm that they belong to the steppe morphotype, which is widespread among the populations of the Bronze Age in the steppes and forest-steppe areas of Eurasia. According to the craniometric parameters, a female skull from Karasu II shows features of the anthropological type of the local population of the Altai-Sayan highland with a brachycranial skull shape and some Mongoloid features. Two female skulls from the Afanasievo burial ground of Ust-Kuium originate from burials with a set of ornaments which differ from one-culture complexes. Their Europeoid appearance is typical of the alien Protoeuropeoid population, but one of the skulls is also characterized by brachycrania, which is considered to be influence of local craniological complexes.

Key words: Afanasievo culture, the Eneolithic and the Bronze Age, the Altai Mountains, paleoanthropology, craniometry, Protoeuropeoids, Mongoloids.

DOI: 10.20874/2071-0437-2018-40-1-046-059              

15.03.2018

K.N. Solodovnikov

Tyumen Scientific Centre of Siberian Branch RAS, Malygina st., 86, Tyumen, 625026, Russian Federation

E-mail: solodk@list.ru

M.P. Rykun

National Research Tomsk State University, Lenina Ave, 36, Tomsk, 634050, Russian Federation

E-mail: m_rykun@mail.ru