N.I. Shishlina

The Catacomb Cultures of the North-West Caspian Steppe: 14C Chronology, Reservoir Effect, and Paleodiet

For the Bronze Age Catacomb cultures of the North-West Caspian steppe area in Russia, there is a conflict between the traditional relative archaeological chronology and the chronology based on radiocarbon dates. We show that this conflict can be explained largely by the fact that most dates have been obtained on human bone material and are subject to 14C reservoir effects. This was demonstrated by comparing paired 14C dates derived from human and terrestrial herbivore bone collagen. In addition, values of stable isotope ratios (d13C and d15N) and analysis of food remains from vessels and the stomach contents of buried individuals indicate that a large part of the diet of these cultures consisted of fish and mollusks, and we conclude that this is the source of the reservoir effect.

Paleoecology, Subsistence, and 14C Chronology of the Eurasian Caspian Steppe Bronze Age

Combined analysis of paleoenvironment, 13C, 15N, and 14C in bone, including paired dating of human bone and terrestrial materials (herbivore bone, wood, charcoal, and textile) has been performed on many samples excavated from Russian kurgan graves. The data can be used for dietary reconstruction, and reservoir corrections for 14C dating of human bone. The latter is essential for an accurate construction of chronologies for the Eneolithic and Bronze Age cultures of the Caspian steppes.

Radiocarbon chronology of the Kalmykia Catacomb culture of the west Eurasian steppe

New calibration studies of burials from the Catacomb culture of western Eurasia enable better understanding of the spread and development of different Bronze Age traditions.

Radiocarbon dating of the bronze age bone pins from Eurasian steppe

Bone catapult and hammer-headed pins played one of very specific roles in funerary offerings in the Bronze Age graves uncovered in the Eurasian Steppes and the North Caucasus. Scholars used different types of pins as key grave offerings for numerous chronological models. For the first time eight pins have been radiocarbon dated. 14C dating of bone pins identified the catapult type pin as the earliest one. They marked the period of the Yamnaya culture formation. Then Yamnaya population produced hammer-headed pins which became very popular in other cultural environments and spread very quickly across the Steppe and the Caucasus during 2900–2650 cal BC. But according to radiocarbon dating bone pins almost disappeared after 2600 cal BC.

Variations in 87Sr/86Sr ratios in contemporary snail samples obtained from the eastern Caucasus

Variations of 87Sr/86Sr ratios in different natural objects make it possible to obtain new data having great importance for the identification of the possible place of origin and migration routes of ancient humans. The discussed data were obtained from contemporary snail samples inhabiting the landscapes of the eastern Caucasus, which is characterized by different parent rocks. It has been found that the 87Sr/86Sr ratios in samples originating from landscapes with rocks of the same type are generally the same, while those in samples originating from landscapes distinguished by the character of underlying rocks vary to a significant degree.