BONE ARROWHEADS FROM ULUG CHOLTUH ON THE EDIGAN RIVER IN THE ALTAI MOUNTAINS (From the 2008 Excavation Report of the South Siberian Team)
The paper analyzes various forms of bone arrowheads found in the Ulugh Choltuh grave field (located on the Edigan River in the Altai Mountains) during the excavations carried out by South Siberian team. The excavated graves belong to the Ayrydash type of Xiongnu - Xianbei period. The collection under consideration includes arrows with various shapes of blades and stems. Among the studied arrowheads some bone arrows with a bifurcated stem and a collar with a bone bead and holes are presented. Sources of the origin and distribution of bone arrowheads with bifurcated stems and collars with beads and holes are traced to nomadic cultures of Central Asia from the first millennium BC to the first half of the first millennium AD. The paper includes classification of bone arrowheads from Ulugh Choltuh based on formal features. In the studied collection arrows with bifurcated stems are of significant interest. Such arrowheads also could be of various shapes. Similar arrowheads spread in the Central Asian historical and cultural region during the period of Xiongnu state. Influenced by the Xiongnu tribes, such bone arrowheads with a bifurcated stem were borrowed by the ancient nomadic tribes of the Sayan-Altai Mountains. Xianbei tribes used similar arrows. In 1 millennium AD arrowheads with a bifurcated stem were also used by the ancient South Siberian nomads, who were influenced by the Central Asian military states. In the process of excavation in Ulug Choltuh along with the arrowheads with bifurcated stems some bone collared arrowheads with a whistling bead were found. Bone arrowheads rarely occur in ancient and medieval archeological localities of nomads in Central Asia and Eastern Siberia. Similar arrowheads were found in localities of Burhotuysk culture in Eastern Transbaikalia. The collection of arrowheads from Ulug Choltuh indicates significant originality of bone arrowheads found in the process of excavation of Ayrydash localities dated the second quarter of 1 millenium AD in the Altai Mountains. Bone arrowheads discussed in the article appeared to indicate cultural contacts between nomads from the middle Katun valley and ancient nomads from eastern regions of Central Asia. Further search for similar bone arrowheads is necessary to better understand the specifics of their development within the region under consideration.