VESTNIK ARHEOLOGII ANTROPOLOGII I ETNOGRAFII  

 Ή 2 (73)  (2026)

page 56–68                                                                                                                                                                                        RUS

https://doi.org/10.20874/2071-0437-2026-73-2-5

ΣΔΚ 636.083   EDN: IWVYCD

  http://www.ipdn.ru/_private/a73/56-68.pdf

Possibilities of reconstruction of transhumance in the North Caucasus based on zoogenic (dung) deposits and mire sediments

Anna N., Babenko, Candidate of Biological Sciences, researcher, Institute of Archeology RAS, Moscow, Russia, ann.babenko@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6805-5476

Irina Ye., Pachkovskaya, Master's Student, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, pazchkowskii@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0000-1003-3146

Alla A., Troshina, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Researcher, Institute of Archeology RAS, Moscow, Russia, allatroshina89@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5003-5741

Valery Ye., Pimenov, Junior Researcher, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, v-pimenov01@inbox.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1428-5185

Dmitry A., Kupriyanov, Specialist, Institute of Archaeology RAS, Moscow, Russia, dmitriykupriyanov1994@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1441-4039

Mikhail V., Shashkov, Candidate of Chemical Sciences, Senior Researcher, Vorozhtsov Novosibirsk Institute of Organic Chemistry SB RAS, Novosibirsk, Russia, shm.gc@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9022-1525

Summary

This study presents the first application in Russia of a multi-method natural-science approach to the reconstruction of transhumance practices. Investigations were conducted in the subalpine belt of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic (2100–2200 m a.s.l.), focusing on two mire sequences (Ikara and Gum-Bashi) and two zoogenic (dung) deposits (Malyj Bermamyt and Gum-Bashi). A comprehensive archaeobotanical analysis indicates that these deposits formed as a result of the accumulation of livestock dung — predominantly horse dung at Malyj Bermamyt — along with ash and carbonized plant macroremains. Radiocarbon dating of the zoogenic deposits reveals that the study area was a place for grazing on subalpine meadows during the Medieval (4th–5th, 7th–10th centuries AD), Modern (12th–17th centuries AD), and Contemporary periods (from the 1950s AD onard). Analysis of the mire sequences complements the archaeological data and indicates earlier phases of high-mountain pastoral activity spanning from the 9th–8th centuries BC to the 2nd century AD, corresponding to the Iron Age. The ratio of entomophilous to anemophilous pollen taxa, the presence of coprophilous ascospores, detection of coprosterol biomarkers, and loss-on-ignition data provide robust proxies for high-altitude pasture use. Overall, by integrating multiple natural-science methodologies, this study represents the first comprehensive investigation of transhumance in Russia.

Keywords:  transhumance, dung deposits, mires, high mountain communities, spore-pollen analysis, fecal markers.

© Babenko A.N., Pachkovskaia I.Ye., Troshina A.A., Pimenov V.Ye., Kupriyanov D.A., Shashkov M.V.,  2026

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

 

 Received 20.10.2025

 Accepted 20.11.2025

Article is published: 15.06.2026

 		   

Funding. Research supported by the Russian Science Fundation, project no 24-27-00368 “The reconstruction of past environments and economic activity in the Central Caucasus during the last two millennia base on the archeobotanic study of zoogenic and bog deposits”.

References

Alekseeva, E.P. (1992). Archaeological monuments of Karachay-Cherkessia. Moscow: Nauka. (Rus.).

Angelucci, D.E., Boschian, G., Fontanals, M., Pedrotti, A., Vergès, J.M. (2009). Shepherds and karst: the use of caves and rock-shelters in the Mediterranean region during the Neolithic. World Archaeology, 41(2), 191–214. https://doi.org/10.1080/00438240902843659

Babenko, A.N., Kiseleva, N.K., Plakht, I., Rosen, S., Savinetskii, A.B., Khasanov, B.F. (2007). Reconstruction of the Holocene Vegetation in the Central Negev Desert, Israel, on the Basis of Palynological Data on the Atzmaut Zoogenic Deposit. Russian Journal of Ecology, 38(6), 388–397. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1067413607060033

Babenko, A.N., Sergeev, A.Yu. (2025). Reconstruction of transhumance in the North Caucasus based on radiocarbon dating of zoogenic deposits: possibilities and prospects. Kratkie soobshcheniya Instituta arkheologii, (280), 442–456. (Rus.).

Babenko, A.N., Sergeev, A.Yu., Gritsenko, L.N., Kupriyanov, D.A., Tsurikov, S.M. (2025). Comprehensive studies of the zoogenic deposits of Gum-Bashi (Karachay-Cherkess Republic, Russian Federation). Stratum Plus, (6), 283–301. (Rus.).

Baied, C.A. (1989). Transhumance and Land Use in the Northern Patagonian Andes. Mountain Research and Development, 9(4), 365–380. https://doi.org/10.2307/3673585

Boesch, H. (1951). Nomadismus, Transhumanz und Alpwirtschaft. Die Alpen — Zeitschrift des Schweizer Alpen-Club, (27), 202–207.

Braudel, F. (1972). The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. Vol. I (translated edition). New York: Harper & Row.

Brochier, E.J., Villa, P., Giacomarra, M., Tagliacozzo, A. (1992). Shepherds and sediments: geo-ethnoarchaeology ofpastoral sites. Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, (11), 47–102.

Chadayeva, V.A., Tsepkova, N.L., Meremkulova, A.K. (2022). Indicator species of the state of subalpine pastures in the Central Caucasus. Byulletenʹ Gosudarstvennogo Nikitskogo botanicheskogo sada, (142), 62–74. (Rus.).

Davies, E. (1941). The patterns of transhumance in Europe. Geography, 26(4), 155–168.

Dietre, B., Walser, C., Kofler, W., Kothieringer, K., Hajdas, I., Lambers, K., Reitmaier, T., Haas, J.N. (2016). Neolithic to bronze age (4850-3450 cal. BP) fire management of the Alpine Lower Engadine landscape (Switzerland) to establish pastures and cereal fields. The Holocene, 27(2), 181–196. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959683616658523

Dzhanibekova, H.A., Adzhieva, M.M. (2016). Natural renewal of mountain-meadow landscapes of the Biychesyn plateau. Izvestiya DGPU. Estestvennye i tochnye nauki, 10(4), 111–117. (Rus.).

Estefania-Salazar, E., Iglesias, E. (2025). Assessing vegetation phenology dynamics in West African rangelands: Implications for livestock sustainability and transhumance. Ecological Informatics, (88), 103138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoinf.2025.103138

Gamkrelidze, B.V. (1980). The system of livestock breeding in mountainous Ossetia. Kavkazskij etnograficheskij sbornik, 5(3), 7–91. (Rus.).

Grimm, E.C. (2019). TILIA 2.6.1 version (computer software). Illinois State Museum.

Harrault, L., Milek, K., Jardé, E., Jeanneau, L., Derrien, M., Anderson, D.G. (2019). Faecal biomarkers can distinguish specific mammalian species in modern and past environments. PLoS One, 14(2), 1–26. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0211119

Heiri, O., Lotter, A.F., Lemcke, G. (2001). Loss on ignition as a method for estimating organic and carbonate content in sediments: reproducibility and comparability of results. Journal of Paleolimnology, (25), 101–110. https://doi.org/10.1023/a:1008119611481

Huntsinger, L., Forero, L. C., Sulak, A. (2010). Transhumance and pastoralist resilience in the western United States. Pastoralism, 1(1), 9–36. https://doi.org/10.3362/2041-7136.2010.002

Jaweed, T.H., Hussain, K., Kadam, A.K., Saptarshi, P.G., Gaikwad, S.W. (2018). Characterization of Piospheres in Northern Liddar Valley of Kashmir Himalaya. Earth Systems and Environment, (2), 387–400. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41748-018-0056-8

Karmysheva, B.Kh. (1969). Types of cattle breeding in the southern regions of Uzbekistan and Tajikistan (late 19th — early 20th centuries). Sovetskaya etnografiya, (3), 44–50. (Rus.).

Kiseleva, N.K. (1992). Secular changes in the feed composition of the Dagestan tur and domestic sheep in North Ossetia. In: Historical ecology of wild and domestic ungulates. Moscow: Nauka, 129–146. (Rus.).

Korobov, D.S., Borisov, A.V., Babenko, A.N., Sergeev, A.Yu., Chernysheva, E.V. (2018). Comprehensive study of stone enclosures in the vicinity of Kislovodsk. Rossijskaya arkheologiya, (2), 113–129. https://doi.org/10.7868/S0869606318020095

Lee, C.M., van Geel, B., Gosling, W.D. (2022). On the Use of Spores of Coprophilous Fungi Preserved in Sediments to Indicate Past Herbivore Presence. Quaternary, (5), 30–53. https://doi.org/10.3390/quat5030030

Markov, G.E. (1981). Pastoral economy and nomadism. Definitions and terminology. Sovetskaya etnografiya, (4), 83–94. (Rus.).

Minaeva, T.M. (1971). On the history of the Alans of the Upper Kuban region according to archaeological data. Stavropol: Knizhnoe izdatelʹstvo. (Rus.).

Moe, D., Fedele, F.G., Maude, A.E., Kvamme, M. (2007). Vegetational changes and human presence in the low-alpine and subalpine zone in Val Febbraro, upper Valle di Spluga (Italian Central Alps), from the Neolithic to the Roman period. Vegetation History and Archaeobotany, (16), 431–451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00334-006-0088-0

Morandi, L.F. (2025). Abundance, diversity and taphonomy of dung-related palynomorphsfrom modern animal enclosures and faecal samples. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, (17), 158. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-025-02268-6

Nyssen, J., Descheemaeker, K., Zenebe, A., Poesen, J., Deckers, J., Haile, M. (2009). Transhumance in the Tigray Highlands (Ethiopia). Mountain Research and Development, 29(3), 255–264. https://doi.org/10.1659/mrd.00033

Osmanov, M.O. (1984). On the forms and types of livestock breeding (Based on materials from Dagestan. XIX ρ. Sovetskaya etnografiya, (6), 77–88. (Rus.).

Reber, D., Fekadu, M., Detsch, F., Vogelsang, R., Bekele, T., Nauss, T., Miehe, G. (2018). High-Altitude Rock Shelters and Settlements in an African Alpine Ecosystem: The Bale Mountains National Park, Ethiopia. Human Ecology, (46), 587–600. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10745-018-9999-5

Reitmaier, T., Carrer, F., Walsh, K. (2021). Peaks, Pastures and Possession — Prehistoric Dry Stone Structures in the Alps. In: Hüglin, S., Gramsch, A., Seppänen, L. (eds.). Petrification Processes in Matter and Society. Themes in Contemporary Archaeology. Cham: Springer, 115–130. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-69388-6_10

Ruiz, M., Ruiz, J.P. (1986). Ecological History of Transhumance in Spain. Biological Conservation, (37), 73–86. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0006-3207(86)90035-2

Scott, P. (1955). Transhumance in Tasmania. New Zealand Geographer, 11(2), 155–172. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-7939.1955.tb01350.x

Shamanov, I.M. (1972). Livestock breeding and economic life of the Karachays in the 19th — early 20th centuries. Kavkazskij etnograficheskij sbornik, (5), 67–97. (Rus.).

Shamiladze, V.M. (1982). On some issues of classification and terminology of cattle breeding in the Caucasus. Sovetskaya etnografiya, (3), 70–76. (Rus.).

Spooner, P.G., Firman, M., Yalmambirra. (2010). Origins of Travelling Stock Routes. 1. Connections to Indigenous traditional pathways. The Rangeland Journal, 32(3), 329–339. https://doi.org/10.1071/RJ10009

Uzdenova, A.Yu. (2011). From the modern history of Karachay-Cherkessia: the course and consequences of agrarian reforms of the 1990s. Izvestiya Rossijskogo gosudarstvennogo pedagogicheskogo universiteta im. A.I. Gertsena, (127), 85–90. (Rus.).

Voronov, Yu.N. (1973). On the dating of the Abkhazian Atsanguars. Sovetskaya etnografiya, (6), 30–40. (Rus.).

Zernov, A.S., Alekseev, Yu.E., Onipchenko, V.G. (2015). Key to vascular plants of the Karachay-Cherkess Republic. Moscow: ΚMΚ. (Rus.).