Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 40 (4) 2012

Annotation:  The Paleolithic of Dzungaria (Xinjiang, Northwest China) Based on Materials from the Luotuoshi Site Excavations at the Bairaki Lower Paleolithic Site, Trans-Dniesteria, in 2011 Upper Paleolithic Rock Crystal Artifacts from the Southeastern Shore of Lake Bolshiye Allaki, the So The Use of Animal Hair in Ceramic Manufacturing at the Tytkesken-2 Neolithic Site, Western Siberia Kyordyughen Site, Ymyiakhtakh Culture, Yakutia: An Interpretation of Burial Rite An Analysis of Mitochondrial DNA from the Pakhomovskaya Population of the Late Bronze Age, Western S Kozlov Mys-2 Burial Ground and Issues of Chronology for the Early to Late Iron Age Transition in the New Early Iron Age Statue from Sary-Arka “Horse-Headed” Staffs and the Cult of the Horse Head in Northwestern Asia in the 2nd Millennium BC Ceramics of the Ulakhan-Segelennyakh Culture, Early Bronze Age, Yakutia Scythian Burial Mound of the 4th Century BC at Kremenevka, Northeastern Azov Region A Carnelian Cabochon from Tashara-Karier-2, the Upper Ob Basin: Technological Issues Soils of an Early Medieval (4th–6th Centuries) Settlement in the Middle Tobol Region and their Paleo Folklore Parallels Between Siberia and South Asia and the Mythology of the Eurasian Steppes   

A Carnelian Cabochon from Tashara-Karier-2, the Upper Ob Basin: Technological Issues

P.V. Volkov and A.V. Novikov.

The article presents the fi rst study of the manufacturing technique used to create a unique fi nd – a carnelian cabochon (oval gemstone) with a 10th century Arabic inscription from Tashara-Karier-2, a Basandaika burial ground dated to the 11th–12th centuries. This is the fi rst example of medieval Arabic epigraphy found in the southern taiga area of the Ob region, Siberia. The technological methods and stages of manufacturing used for this object of glyptic art are reconstructed on the basis of traceological analysis. It is shown that the cabochon is an imported artifact.

Keywords: Southern taiga Ob region, burial mounds, funeral rite, Basandaika culture, glyptic art, Arabic epigraphy, stone-cutting art.