DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2022.12.39390

Abstract: The article is devoted to the analysis of one category of bone products discovered during archaeological research at settlement complexes of the XII–XIV centuries of the Tobol and Irtysh Rivers Basin (Western Siberia, Trans-Urals). The artifacts are small bone cases with a hole for hanging, inside of them there was one bone tool with a sharpened working edge, analogies of which are found on medieval sites of the Permian Gis-Urals, attributed by researchers as needles / punctures located in needle cases. However, the morphological and structural characteristics of these artifacts, in our opinion, do not correspond to the functions attributed to them. The purpose of the study is to introduce into scientific circulation and attribution of the actual purpose of paired bone products found on medieval sites of the Tobolo–Irtysh region. Based on the purpose of the study, the following tasks were put forward: morphological description of products; search for analogies to objects on archaeological sites of adjacent territories; acquaintance with the history of the study of similar artifacts. To solve the tasks set in the work, traditional research methods are used for historical science: comparative-historical, comparative-typological, formal-stylistic, the method of analogies. The morphological analysis of the finds both from the Tobol-Irtysh region and from the sites of the Gis-Urals, coupled with the analysis of a complex of items for the care of appearance originating from the territory of Eurasia, made it possible to revise the point of view widespread in scientific circles on the functional purpose of the so-called bone "needle cases" from tubular bones of small animals and "needles / punctures" that were inside. In the course of the study, the items found in the cultural layer of the settlement sites of the Tobol-Irtysh region were classified as items for caring for the appearance - toothpicks placed in a case.

DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2021.12.37014

Abstract: The object of this research is the clay figurine of an owl discovered in the course of archaeological excavations in the Yurtobor 9 hillfort on the right bank of the Tobol River. The goal lies in introduction of in the scientific discourse of the new unique sample of small clay plastic, as well as in preliminary determination of the functional purpose of the item. The following tasks were set: morphological and stylistic description of the item; description of the context of discovery of the figurine; establishment of the chronological framework of existence of the item, its cultural affiliation; familiarization with the history of studying the regional clay figurines in the Russian archaeological science; search for analogies in the archaeological sites of Siberia and other territories; assessment of the semantic connotation of the image of an owl in the traditional culture of Ob Ugrians (Khanty and Mansi). To article employs the traditional methods, such as comparative-historical, typological, comparative-typological, formal-stylistic, semantic methods, as well as method of analogies. As a result of the conducted research, the clay figurine of an owl is attributed to the Yudinskaya archaeological culture and dated within the framework of the XI – XII centuries. It is established that it is the only item in Western Siberian region depicting a bird in the technique of small clay plastic. Based on the analysis of ethnographic literature and medieval archaeological finds, it is established that for a long period of time, the image of an owl had positive semantic connotation due to its high sacred status. The author assumes on the use of figurine of an owl in religious rites associated with hearth and home.