Horse equipment

The work is devoted to describing of the complex of horse equipment of Yakuts. The research sources became archaeological and ethnographic collections of museums. Equipment a rideable horse of Yakuts consists of two main parts – the headband (reins) and the saddle with stirrups. The horse equipment of Yakuts has close analogies in forms and manufacturing technology, in terminology to the peoples of South Siberia and Central Asia. Parallels for elements of horse harness of Early Yakut burials XIV–XVII centuries ВС was found in Ust-Talkin culture of the nomadic herders of the South Angara region and the Upper Lena in XII–XIV centuries ВС. However, Yakut complex of horse harness has specific characteristics that clearly show his identity.
Работа посвящена описанию комплекса конского снаряжения у якутов. Источниками исследования стали археологические и этнографические коллекции музеев. Снаряжение верхового коня у якутов, состоящее из двух основных частей – оголовья (узды) и седла со стременами, имеет близкие аналогии в формах, технологии изготовления и терминологии у народов Южной Сибири и Центральной Азии. Параллели элементам конной упряжи раннеякутских погребений XIV–XVII вв. обнаруживаются в усть-талькинской культуре кочевников-скотоводов Южного Приангарья и Верхней Лены XII–XIV вв. Вместе с тем в якутском комплексе конского убранства, безусловно, есть и специфические черты, ярко показывающие его самобытность.

The evolution of horse usage, with the expansion of the cavalry from the fourth century onward, depended on quality livestock, the intensification of hippiatric medical research and the development of horse-related instruments both for the use of the rider and his mount.
The Early Byzantine and Roman cavalry were dependent on this triad, otherwise they could not have succeeded against more experienced Barbarians. The enemy's experience was matched with experimentation, the development and continuous improvement of an expertise which allowed them to reverse the situation to their advantage in later confrontations with nomadic people.
This triad actually took place almost simultaneously, contrary to what was thought for a long time. Specifically, these three pieces of the puzzle, directly linked to the expansion of the cavalry, appeared between the third and fifth / sixth centuries and bear witness to major efforts in an age that was believed to be less fruitful in such areas.

Whether knight's charger or beast of burden, horses played a vital role in medieval life. The wealth of medieval finds excavated in London in recent years has, not surprisingly, included many objects associated with horses. This catalogue illustrates and discusses over four hundred such objects, among them harness, horseshoes, spurs and curry combs, from the utilitarian to highly decorative pieces. London served by horse traffic comes vividly in view. The introductory chapter draws on historical as well as archaeological sources to consider the role of the horse in medieval London. It looks at the price of horses and the costs of maintaining them, the hiring of 'hackneys' for riding, the use of carts in and around London, and the work of the 'marshal' or farrier. It discusses the evidence for the size of medieval horses and includes a survey of finds of medieval horse skeletons from London. It answers the key questions, how large a 'Great Horse' was, and why it took three horses to pull a cart. A new introduction to this edition provides an update on research and a supplementary bibliography. This is a basic work of reference for archaeologists and those studying medieval artefacts, and absorbing reading for everyone interested in the history of the horse and its use by humankind.

Frühmittelalterliche Pferdesättel sind relativ selten. Ihr organisches Gerüst blieb bei einer Lagerung im Boden normalerweise nicht erhalten. Zu den Ausnahmen gehören die aufsehenerregenden Funde des Gräberfeldes Allejka-3 auf der Sambischen/Kaliningrader Halbinsel, in dessen vom Ende des 11. bis zum Anfang des 12. Jahrhunderts stammenden Bestattungen teilweise bemalte, aus Holz und Leder gefertigte Pferdesättel entdeckt wurden. Im Aufsatz ist von den figürlich verzierten Pressblechen aus Mitino (ehem. Stantau, Lkr. Konigsberg i.Pr.) die Rede.

Spurs with bent-in hooked extremities have attracted researchers attention for years. They are one of the best chronological markers for the older phases of the Early Middle Ages. Spurs from the West Balt Circle haven’t been studied extensively yet, and the older views became outdated, especially with regards to chronology. In the Western Balt lands this kind of spurs were found both at sites dated back to the late stage of the Migration Period and early phase of the Medieval Period. The author collected available data on previous discoveries, and an attempt to place them in a specific cultural and chronological context was made. Analysis of artefacts, their chronology proved that at least some of the finds have an older chronology than those originating from the North-Western Slavic territories and from the area south of the Carpathians.

Contents
10TH AND 11TH CENTURY BURIAL SITES, STRAY FINDS AND TREASURES IN THE TRANSYLVANIAN BASIN, THE PARTIUM AND THE BANAT
IX.1. The geography of the Transylvanian Basin, the Partium and the Banat
IX.2. List of the 10th–11th century cemeteries, stray fi nds and treasures in the Transylvanian Basin, the Partium
and the Banat
IX.3. A historical review of the research of the cemeteries, stray finds and treasures of the 10th–11th centuries in the regions of the Transylvanian Basin, the Partium and the Banat
IX.4. The evaluation of the archaeological research of the 10th–11th centuries in archaeology IX.4.1. The evaluation of the Hungarian Conquest and its directions in Transylvania in the archaeological publications. The Hungarian Conquest and the concept of Hungarians in the archaeological publications
IX.4.2. Cemeteries: the remains of the Hungarian Conquest, opinions on the burial places in literature
IX.5. Analysis of the burial customs
IX.5.1. On the general characteristics of burial customs
IX.5.2. On the sizes of cemeteries
IX.5.3. The topographical location of the cemeteries
IX.5.4. Graves
IX.5.5. The problem of the continuation of 10th century burial rites into the 11th century
IX.5.6. Conclusions
IX.6. The analysis of the material culture of the 10th–11th century cemeteries, stray finds and treasures. The relative chronological system of the 10th–11th century cemeteries
IX.6.1. Elements of dress and/or of fashion
IX.6.2. Weapons
IX.6.3. Articles of personal use
IX.6.4. Horse equipment
IX.6.5. Pottery
IX.6.6. Coins
IX.7. The material culture of the 10th–11th century and the issues connected to continuity and discontinuity .
IX.8. The chronological system of the cemeteries, stray fi nds and treasures of the 10th–11th centuries. The issues connected to the relationship of the 9th–10th century horizons of the finds
IX.9. On the gender characteristics of inventories of the 10th‒11th century burials in short
IX.9.1. On child burials in short
IX.10. Conclusions
IX.10.1. The occupation of the territory. Populations in the 10th century Transylvania, Partium and Banat
IX.10.2. A social model as it is supposed: the 10th century „Hungarian” social model
IX.10.3. Possible military and political centers in the Transylvanian Basin, the Partium and the Banat.
Landscape, topography and hierarchy: the conquerors and the conquered
IX.10.4. ‘Border zones’ and crossroads
IX.10.5. The 10th–11th century cemetery types
IX.10.6. The quantities of (precious) metal in the cemeteries
IX.10.7. The issue of 10th–11th century graves and the spread of Christianity
IX.10.8. Conclusions

X.1. Rövidítés- és irodalomjegyzék
X.2. List of the fi gures and the plates
X.3. Képek és táblák forrásjegyzéke/Bibliography of the sources of the fi gures and the plates

The paper has been prepared in connection with the 120th anniversary of the Zuevsky burial ground. Zuevsky (Zuevy Kliuchi I) burial ground is one of the few large Ananyino necropolises in the cis-Kama region, which items are used in cultural and chronological schemes of the early Iron Age antiquities. At the same time, there is still no complete publication of the monument. The author analyzes a collection of items used as the horse equipment. Details of horse harness during the I millennium BC got significant changes. Its comparative study in different regions allows to make conclusions of the horseman culture on the Kama river, time and directions of contacts with early nomade societies of Eurasia. The items of horse equipment take an important place in the dating and chronology of monuments. The selection of horse equipment in Zuevsky burial is not numerous, but it is represented by the most part of categories. Dating of ones fits into the framework of the middle period of the Ananyino culture (according to Sergey Kuzminykh and Andrew Chizhevsky) – 6th–5th BC. The items of horse equipment from the Zuevsky burials despite their fragmented nature demonstrate common features with other early Ananyino cemeteries. The presence in the materials of the burial ground of objects characteristic of the early Scythian complex allows the author to make an assumption about probably earlier beginning of the Zuevsky necropolis functioning.

""U podnožju 2132 metara visokog Storžiča, iznad sela Bašelj, podiže se uzvisina Gradišče (873 m). Arheološki lokalitet rasprostire se na stjenovitom vrhu, strmim padinama i terasama. Razvedena površina pokazuje da se pod njom nalaze ostaci naselja. U iskopavanjima 1939. i 1998. godine otkriven je dio kasnoantičkog bedema koji je s tri strane okruživao naselje. Pored uskog ulaza, otkrivena je kamena kuća, prislonjena na bedem. Ostaci pokazuju da je položaj bio naseljen već u kasnoantičkom i ranosrednjovjekovnom razdoblju. Paljevinski sloj koji prekriva kasnoantičke ostatke sastojao se od brojnih željeznih predmeta i ulomaka keramike iz razdoblja između kraja 8. i početka 10. stoljeća.
Važnost ostataka dokazuje prije svega brojnost i vrijednost nalaza. Narodni muzej Slovenije čuva više od 1700 predmeta, među kojima prevladavaju dijelovi opreme jahača i oružje (ostruge, mačevi, noževi, strelice), oprema konja (stremeni, uzde, razvodnici), oruđe, predmeti iz svakodnevnog života i pojedinačni nakitni predmeti. Dijelovi opreme jahača i konja nisu samo vješto izrađeni i lijepo ukrašeni nego je njihova površina i pokositrena, a kod nekih brončanih predmeta i pozlaćena. Najvjerojatnije su izrađivani za pripadnike višega društvenog sloja.
Ranosrednjovjekovni lokaliteti s tako iznimnim ostacima, kao što je onaj na Gradišču nad Bašljem, rijetki su ne samo na području Slovenije nego i u širem europskom kontekstu. Posebice je rijetko oružje, dijelovi opreme jahača i konja, otkriveni u ranosrednjo-vjekovnim grobovima u Sloveniji, zbog čega naše znanje potječe upravo od lokaliteta kao što je Gradišče nad Bašljem."

"This article presents the archaeological site Gradišče above Bašelj, situated in the foothills of the 2132 m high Storžič mountain, extending on a 50 × 100 metres large area. The uneven surface indicates the remains of a settlement hidden beneath it, where numerous attractively decorated metal objects were discovered, among them military (spurs, weapons) and horse equipment (stirrups, bits, bridle and saddle parts).
The artefacts from Gradišče above Bašelj have not only been skilfully wrought and decorated, but also their surface is tinned which additionally protected and improved their look. The bronze and gilded artefacts worn by members of the highest rank are particularly valuable. Gradišče above Bašelj is surprising for the number of finds as well as the high quality manufactured objects decorated with various techniques and with various motifs. Most of the finds have been dated to between the beginning of the 9th and the first half of the 10th century. The reasons for the decline of the settlement after this period are unknown. Gradišče above Bašelj is mentioned in the 12th century in medieval documents as a hill near Bašelj village where there used to be a castle."

While Kenkol burial in Talas valley excavated by Bernshtam in 1938-1939, is a famous enough monument, only a half of the proceeding of 1939 is published, and the ones from 1938 haven’t been published yet at all. In this article, a set of objects from the barrow 2 of Kenkol burial researched in 1939, is discussed. The objects from this burial, together with other materials from Kenkol were placed in The State Hermitage Museum. Field documents are situated in IIMK RAN archives.
The barrow 2 occupied a separate place in the burial and was situated at a distance from the main cluster of barrows of P-group. In T-shaped catacomb two adults, a man and a woman were buried. Despite the robbery, a lot of wooden objects preserved in the burial (the remains of a bow, arrow shafts, small wooden tables, a mug, pieces of wooden vessels, a walking stick and many fragments of some objects that couldn’t be identified).
The most interesting feature of this burial is the presence of horse equipment: bits, bridle straps’ buckles, and a wooden pommel and cantle of a semi-rigid saddle. For Kenkol culture’s burials the presence of horse equipment in the grave is not a ceremonial norm, and a semi-rigid saddle is a unique find for Middle Asia. Judging by the design of the pommel and the cantle, the saddle from the barrow 2 may be attributed to early semi-rigid saddles that had appeared at the turn of the eras. Specifically the details of horse equipment and a set of arrowheads suggest that the barrow 2 of Kenkol burial can be dated within the III century A.C. and is one of earliest in the burial.

In 2013–2014 a collection of metal objects originating from various sites in Moravia and in the eastern half of Bohemia
was handed over to the Regional museum in Vysoké Mýto. The only artefact which can be securely da -
ted to prehistory is a club-shaped head of a bronze pin. The other objects date back to the Middle Ages and the
Modern Period. No certain information is available about the origin of this collection, but if we sum up the
available facts (exclusively metal objects, originating from fortified manors, castles, hillforts or their surroundings),
it is most probably a collection created with the help of a metal detector.
Some tools which are only rarely represented in museum collections (such as a scythe from Potštejn) may
be of more interest. The same is true for militaria – especially the finds of fragments of iron gun barrels and a
lead projectile from Velký Vřešťov are interesting. Although these objects were found in the immediate vicinity
of a prehistoric hillfort, it is beyond doubt that they are related to a siege camp established near the castle in
1467. In their majority, these are trivial objects which would only be of some indicative value if they were discovered
during a systematically led excavation including appropriate documentation.

Svitavy groove, Polička municipality (Pardubice region in Eastern Bohemia) is not a traditional residential area. Yet we encounter rare prehistoric findings here, the numerical increase of which is related to the increasing use of detection techniques in recent years. Identified artifacts mainly date to the Bronze Age and Roman Period and illustrate the communication importance of the given region.

The article concerns the analysis of stirrups, discovered during excavations of funeral complexes of early medieval Turks in Mongolia. The author examines both published and not entered into scientific circulation results of excavation of about 50 objects related to the nomadic culture of the community under consideration. Stirrups were recorded in 18 burials of the early medieval Turks in Mongolia. They were in 12 graves with a horse, in three rock burials without an animal, and also in the inventory of three ritual structures. The analyzed collection of stirrups from the burials of the early medieval Turks in Mongolia has 36 exemplars. The classification of these products made it possible to distinguish five basic types of items that demonstrate the variability in the design of the category of finds and their evolution in VII–X centuries AD. It is established that all types of stirrups found during excavations of Mongolian nomads' burials have analogies in the materials of Turkic complexes studied in other parts of Central Asia.

A half of a mould made from an alloy of copper, tin, zinc and a considerable percentage of lead intended for the production of brooches of Type Almgren 132 was discovered at a Germanic settlement in the cadastral area of Kočí, Eastern Bohemia, dated by other finds to the period of the Marcomannic Wars. Finds of production waste indicate that non-ferrous metals were worked there some time around the Marcomannic Wars. Brooches of Type Almgren 132 have been very rarely documented from the territory of Bohemia and Moravia. J. Tejral points out the specific situation in the Central Danube region after Commodus had made peace with the Germans, as we encounter an intesive inflow of Roman imports into the East Germanic milieu while products of East Germanic origin also appear there. J. Tejral explains this situation in the rise of specific conditions for mutual cultural exchange, in which the hinterland of Noricum and Pannonia hled an extraordinary position. The territorial impact of tehse manifestations was probably much greater than it has seemed so far, however.

The article concerns systematization and analysis of one of the demonstrative categories of horse equipment — horse-bits and cheek-pieces, found during excavations of the burial complexes of the early medieval Turks in Mongolia. Such products were found in more than 20 sites, investigated in different parts of the country. In most cases these were burials with a horse, and sometimes individual graves without an animal. Classification of horse-bits and cheek-pieces allowed distinguishing eight types of products demonstrating features of the morphology of objects. All finds have numerous analogies in the materials of excavations of the Turkic complexes in the Altai-Sayan region, as well as in synchronous sites in adjacent territories. The author establishes that horse-bits and cheek-pieces from Mongolian burials demonstrate the development of this element of horse equipment during the 7th — 10th centuries AD. An important indicator is the absence of early forms of products, which were spread at the early
stages of Turkic culture and known in the adjacent territories of the Altai-Sayan region. In addition, sets reflecting the influence of other nomad groups on Turks at the end of the 1st millennium AD were recorded. Comparison of the results of the analysis of horse equipment with the indicators of the funeral rites will allow us to thoroughly consider the complex ethnocultural processes that took place in various parts of Mongolia during the early Middle Ages.
Keywords: Turks, Mongolia, horse equipment, horse-bits, cheek-pieces, early Middle Ages, analysis.

Written sources link the castle in the Boršov cadastral zone, near Moravská Třebová with military campaigns of 1285-1286. Metal-detector prospection in the surroudings of the fortification conformed the siege of the castle in the 13th and 14th centruries. On the other hand, the connection betwenn castle and a defunct communication below it was not proved.

The typochronology of selected mounts of bridle and saddles found at Sösdala and Fulltofta in Scania is discussed. The parade bridle Sösdala I has mounts from different sources, one closely related to late Roman craftsmanship, the others to “Barbarian” settings. It is dated to the early Migration Period. The bridle Sösdala II is of lower quality and probably from the end of the Late Roman Iron Age. The Fulltofta bridle was probably produced in the Late Roman Iron Age but updated with silver covers in “Sösdala” style and deposited in the early Migration Period. Between seven and thirteen saddles were
cut to pieces at Sösdala I. At Fulltofta only few remains of a saddle were recovered. The Sösdala mounts define a common “Sösdala saddle type” and the Fulltofta mounts define a rare “Fulltofta type”. The two types are placed in between earlier saddles of “Ejsbøl type” and later saddles of “Högom type”.

The Zítkov castle (Pardubice Region, Czech Republic) near Choceň was investigated by means of metal detection in 2007–2011. The research was led by the archaeologist of the Regional Museum in Vysoké Mýto and focused on surface layers endangered by the illicit use of the metal detecting technology. The collection of finds illustrates life in the castle, mainly in the later 14th century and the early 15th century when the castle was besieged. Traces of unknown activities from the 13th century were detected as well.

The article is dedicated to weapons and horse equipment discovered at the monuments of the Saltovo-Mayaki culture located in the middle stream of the Seversky Donets river. In the upstream (within the forest-steppe zone) these items are generally found in the burials of catacomb and cremation necropolises. In the steppe, they are less frequently discovered, which accounts for the versions concerning the poor familiarization of the local population with military art. An analysis of the materials discovered in the middle stream of the Seversky Donets demonstrates the inconsistency of these viewpoints. Weapons and horse equipment items are rather often found at the monuments located in this area. Thus, in a large settlement near Mayaki village of Slavyansky District, the number of items from this category is about 20% of the total number of the discovered metal items. This conclusion is quite consistent with the concept of the presence of a group of fortified settlements (Donetsk fortified settlements) in the region, which could be defended without a significant military contingent. It is rather logical that the majority of discovered weapon items are concentrated at these monuments.

From the surroundings of the Late Bronze Age fortified settlement in the cadastral area of
Kladky (Olomouc region, Czech Republic) near the old sunken lanes, a small collection of objects dating
from the Early Middle Ages to the Early Modern Period was discovered. Due to their wide chronological
range, artefacts are most likely related to traffic on these roads that are no longer in use.

A defunct medieval village was discovered and investigated with surface prospection in the Orlické
hory mountains in 2009–2014. Oral tradition refers to the village as Hynkovice. No written records
have survived; however, material finds indicate that the village came into existence in the late 13th or the
early 14th century and ceased to exist at the end of the 15th century at the latest. The reasons for the establishment
of the village situated relatively high (670 m above sea level) are unknown, mining activities were
not confirmed. The settlement is an important indicator of the presence of man in the landscape settled,
according to written sources, as late as the early 16th century.

Untersuchung eines Arrangements von Altfunden, bestehend aus mittelalterlichen und frühneuzeitlichen Blankwaffen und Reitzubehör aus dem Bestand des Archäologischen Museums Bayreuth. Examination of an arrangement of old finds, consisting of medieval and early modern blade weapons and horse equipment kept at the archaeological museum in Bayreuth, Franconia.

This article introduces a Pazyryk kurgan, unearthed at Khankarinsky Dol, in the northwestern Altai. On the basis of the funerary rite, burial goods, and radiocarbon analysis, the kurgan dates to the late 6th or early 5th centuries BC and is one of the earliest Pazyryk kurgans in this area known to date. A detailed description of artifacts is provided, including a bimetallic dagger, bronze hairpins, a quiver hook, a mirror, a belt buckle, a slotted clip, a knife, and a torclined with foil. Special attention is paid to the details of a horse harness, which include bronze bits, two bone plaques, cheek-pieces, four strap distributors, a shackle, two clasps, and a bone girth buckle. The analysis of zoomorphic images on cheek-pieces suggests that the images of a wolf and a short-snouted feline carnivore are interchangeable in Scythian- Saka art. Evidently, the distinction between them mattered less for the nomads than did the fact that the animal was a carnivore. The reconstruction of the early Pazyryk horse harness is proposed. The burial rite and the burial goods indicate a high social status of those buried.

The article presents two previously unknown stirrups from the collections of the Krasnoyarsk Regional Museum of Local Lore and the Minusinsk Regional Museum of N.M. Martyanov. These items are accidental finds discovered in the pre-revolutionary period in the territory of the Minusinsk District. Both stirrups belong to the rare group of flat plate stirrups having a T-shaped footplate. The front side of these items is almost completely covered with an ornament in the form of triangles. In this study, we analysed information on all known early plate stirrups from the sites of Central and North Asia. The number of finds amounted to more than 30 items. While a significant part of this collection (about 20 items) is made up of accidental finds and objects from destroyed sites, only 11 stirrups are recorded in closed complexes. The analysis of available materials helps identify key typological features of items demonstrating the evolution of the morphological characteristics of objects, as well as the traditions of their use. It has been established that flat plate stirrups existed in Central and North Asia in the second half of the 5th — beginning of the 7th centuries AD. The distribution analysis of finds in archaeological complexes suggests that early plate stirrups are associated with various population groups of nomads from Central and North Asia. These stirrups from museum collections can be preliminarily associated with the material culture of Tashtyk population. It is likely that the appearance of such items in the territory of the Minusinsk Hollow is due to contacts with more southern territories. A further increase in materials, primarily due to field research in Mongolia and Northwest China (Xinjiang), will contribute to a more thorough cultural and chronological interpretation of early plate stirrups.
Key words: stirrups, museum collections, Early Middle Ages, Central Asia, North Asia, Tashtyk culture, chronology, Türks.

The paper is the initial publication of a hoard found near Odoevskie Gory village in the Spassky District of the Ryazan region and transferred to the State Historical Museum in 2013. The hoard includes adornments for clothing, primarily headdresses, and elements of horse equipment with a total of 231 items. General comparisons with artifacts allow the authors to correlate them with the antiquities of the Ananyino cultural and historical area and date not later than the middle of the 7th century BC. The context of the hoard was not established during the field studies of 2014, but a possible connection with the Tyrnovo 14 settlement of the late Bronze – Early Iron Age was determined, which existed approximately until the 7th-6th centuries BC. In the course of field studies, archaeological and anthropological material has also been identified, which indicates the presence of a burial ground of the 10th–11th centuries at the site, which featured cremation burials and, possibly, a settlement which operated for a short period of time in the late Middle Ages.

В статье рассматривают новые случайные находки предметов конской упряжи пред­ скифского времени в лесостепном Подонье. Выявлены аналогии для обнаруженных предметов, проведена их классификация и датировка.
The article discusses new accidental findings of Prescythian time horse equipment items in the forest-steppe Don region. Analogies for the discovered items are identified. Their classification and dating are provided.

Статья вводит в научный оборот результаты исследования кургана пазырыкской культуры, раскопанного на могильнике Ханкаринский Дол в Северо-Западном Алтае. На основе анализа погребального обряда, инвентаря, а также данных радиоуглеродного датирования он отнесен ко второй половине VI – началу V в. до н.э. В настоящее время это один из самых ранних курганов пазырыкской культуры, исследованных в Северо-Западном Алтае. В статье подробно анализируются основные категории погребального инвентаря: биметаллический кинжал, бронзовые заколки, колчанный крюк, зеркало, поясная пряжка, прорезная обойма, нож, гривна, обложенная фольгой. Особое внимание уделено изучению элементов снаряжения коня, которое включало бронзовые удила, две налобные костяные бляхи, псалии, четыре распределителя ремня, чумбурный блок, две застежки и костяную подпружную пряжку. На основе анализа зооморфных изображений на псалиях отмечено, что для скифо-сакского искусства характерна взаимозаменяемость образов волка и короткомордого хищника семейства кошачьих, поскольку для мировоззрения кочевников первостепенное значение имело само понятие «хищник», а не его видовая принадлежность. На основе полученных данных проведена реконструкция узды, которая использовалась на раннем этапе развития пазырыкской культуры. Результаты изучения погребального обряда и особенностей сопроводительного инвентаря позволили сделать вывод о высоком социальном статусе погребенных людей.

This article introduces a Pazyryk kurgan, unearthed at Khankarinsky Dol, in the northwestern Altai. On the basis of funerary rite, burial goods, and radiocarbon analysis, the kurgan dates to the late 6th or early 5th centuries BC and is one of the earliest Pazyryk kurgans in this area known to date. A detailed description of artifacts is provided, including a bimetallic dagger, bronze hairpins, a quiver hook, a mirror, a belt buckle, a slotted clip, a knife, and a pectoral lined with foil. A special attention is paid to details of horse harness, which include bronze bits, two bone frontlets, cheekpieces, four belt distributors, a shackle, two clasps, and a bone girth buckle. The analysis of zoomorphic images on cheekpieces suggests that the images of wolf and a short-snouted feline carnivore are interchangeable in Scythian-Saka art. Evidently, the distinction between them mattered less for the nomads than did the fact that the animal was a carnivore. The reconstruction of the early Pazyryk horse harness is proposed. The burial rite and the burial goods indicate a high social status of those buried.