The paper examines a few artefacts of Early Iron Age date of the Beloyarsk and Kulayka Cultures from the Kharampur River basin, largely represented mainly by ceramic vessels. The results of the analysis and radiocarbon dating allowed for several preliminary conclusions to be drawn regarding the cultural and genetic processes that occurred in the region during this period. In the Early Iron Age, the population of the eastern part of the north of Western Siberia increased due to the influx of groups from the Surgut Ob region. The migrations were potentially facilitated by end of the 9th — beginning of the 8th century BC (or later) were the tribes of the Beloyarsk Culture; however, their settlements have so far been identified only in the Kharampur River basin. Based on the available data, it can be assumed that they lived in isolation in the new territory, having lost contact with the Surgut Ob region. Later, in the 4th century BC, the region, including basins of rivers Pur, Taz and Nadym, was populated by the Kulayka tribes, who were in constant contact with the inhabitants of the Surgut Ob region. However, the presence of indigenous cultures in the region — such as those represented by the settlements at the Voento site — cannot be ruled out. It is possible that the Kulayka tribes moved into the northern forest tundra from another region — the lower Ob River, which would explain the similarities between pottery from the Nadym River basin sites and the Ust Poluy assemblage.

Keywords: north of Western Siberia, Early Iron Age, Beloyarsk culture, Surgut variation of the Kulayka Culture, ceramics.

 

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Accepted: 02.10.2025

Article is published: 15.12.2025