How did residents of Gorniy Samotnel live? The results of the study were presented in Budapest

The participants of the international symposium that took place in the Hungarian National Museum, Budapest learnt about specifics of stone industries of the north of Western Siberia in the Eneolithic epoch. A junior researcher of the sector of archeology and history of the center for study of the Arctic Danil Tupakhin spoke on the report. He presented the results of the comprehensive study of the monument Gorniy Samotnel-1 in Priuralskiy district of Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug. He characterized the north of Western Siberia as a contrast region, where riches of biological diversity is combined with scarcity of resource mineral base - one of the key materials of ancient economy. Ancient population used basically quartzites and shale stones difficult in processing for production of labor tools. A more qualitative raw material – flint stone, which, apparently, got here from afar, is found in a small amount among materials of archaeological monuments. The research showed that shortage of qualitative raw materials forced the ancient inhabitants of Gorniy Samotnel to use materials less qualitative but more affordable for production of tools. The products found on the monument often had universal character and technological adaptability.

The archaeological monument, the settlement Gorniy Samotnel-1 was opened in 2009 by residents of the settlement Aksarka. According to the press service of the governor of Yamal, long-term comprehensive archaeological research conducted under the leadership of candidate of historical sciences Olga Tupakhina brought new knowledge about various aspects of ancient history. They include climate, social and economic relations, types of economy, technologies of house-building, production of tools and ceramic utensils.

The participants of the international symposium discussed modern methods, approaches and problems of the study of stone industries, issues of application of geological disciplines related to archaeology (mineralogy, petrography and geochemistry). Participation of the scientists from Yamal in this event was supported with the grant of Russian Foundation for Basic Research (RFBR) 18-09-4011 “Ural region and Western Siberia in archaeological retrospective: the most important discoveries, rhythms, phenomena and paradoxes of development”.