Home – Home – Jornals – Humanitarian sciences in Siberia 2017 number

The object is to characterize the economic activity of the Verchneob culture representatives in Novosibirsk Ob region based on the osteological material analysis. Nowadays there are no special works dedicated to studying zoomaterials of the early middle ages (Verkhneob and synchronous cultures). Mainly specific composition is briefly mentioned in generalizing articles. That is why the author has investigated osteological materials of the Verkhneob culture monuments in Novosibirsk Ob region in details. The materials of settlements and funeral monuments have been studied. The paper marks an extreme scarcity of osteological materials on monuments of the early middle age. Animals submitted in a bone sample are both wild and domestic ones. Three forms of domestic cattle have been revealed - a horse, a goat (a sheep), a cow. The brief characteristics of animals are given. It is also noted, that horse bones prevail at all monuments of early middle age both in Novosibirsk Ob region and adjacent territories. Several points of views are identified on finding dogs bone residues in settlements and monuments. The basic zones of bone remains allocation on monuments have been defined. Bones (1-6 fragments) were located in dwellings and between dwellings sites, but bone remains practically were not recorded near hearths in settlements. In funeral monuments animal bones were recorded in burial pits, as well as small pits near burials. Thus, the economic-cultural type of the population of Novosibirsk Ob region in the period under review is characterized as a complex one including in itself both elements of assigning and producing economy. It should be clearly confirmed that a cattle breeding was a predominant branch of the producing economy. The cattle breeding with horses’ dominant role is noted. Rather high role of hunting in economy of West Siberian residents in early middle age has been marked.