SPECIES COMPOSITION AND QUANTITATIVE ASSESSMENT OF FAUNAL REMAINS FROM THE MEDIEVAL HABITATION SITE YARTE VI (YAMAL PENINSULA)
This article is devoted to the analysis of faunal remains from the medieval fortified site Yarte VI, which is located in the tundra zone on the territory of Yamal peninsula of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous district. It is based on the discussion of the species composition and the quantitative assessments of animal remains recovered during excavations at this fortified settlement in 2013 and 2015. The total number of analyzed animal bones and teeth is 20,157 specimens. Results demonstrate the complex use of natural resources by the inhabitants of the Yarte VI fortified settlement, which included the use and consumption of reindeer, Artic fox, canids, seal, waterfowl (including geese, loons, diving ducks, and long-tailed ducks), ptarmigan, and fish. Remains of reindeer are predominant among the overall faunal assemblage; bones of Artic fox and waterfowl are present in far lesser amounts. The discussion of results is based on a comparative analysis of animal species and their quantitative indicators along with data on previous investigations at the Yarte VI fortified settlement and other archaeological sites located in tundra zone of the Yamal peninsula. Results demonstrate that the Yarte VI archaeological site currently contains by far the largest number of reindeer bones among all sites in the Iamal territory. Quantitative assessment of animal remains recovered from across the different excavation trenches of Yarte VI shows differences in their density and distribution within this archaeological site. Among all trenches, the area excavated in 2015 has the highest numbers in terms of animal bones and teeth. Comparison of faunal remains from 2013 and 2015 excavation years with earlier excavations (trenches 1990-1993 and 1995-1996) also demonstrates many similarities in terms of animal species composition, but some differences are also noted.