On the nature of the early Medieval fortified settlements in the Trans-Urals

Abstract

In this article we discuss the characteristics of the medieval fortifications of the forest-steppe population from the Tobol-Ishim interfluve region (Trans-Urals). We aim at determining the functions of fortified settlements of the 4th–9th c. AD Bakal Culture. The primary objective is to identify the main features of the defensive architecture, defence and storm of settlements based on archaeological material. Fortresses-hillforts predominated over other types of sites in the Bakal Culture. Only their residential areas have been studied extensively, and the fortification lines have been discovered in trenches due to the high complexity of their study. We have eight objects that have been identified, and the series have been selected for the first preliminary conclusions. Methods for determining the protection levels of fortifications in the light of expert assessment of the state of military science in the early Medieval period (4th–9th c. AD) have been proposed. They have been used taking into consideration the following features: height of the floodplain, height of the rampart, depth of the ditch, presence of ledges, towns and bas-tions, the ratio of the sizes of citadel and outer territory. Hillforts differ in the sum of points in average by three times. The indicators vary as follows: the height of the floodplain from 10 to 54 m, the height of the rampart from 1.5 to 4 m, the width of the rampart from 2 to 7 m, the depth of the ditch from 0.5 to 3 m, the ratio of the citadel to outer territory sizes from 1:1 to 1:9. These figures demonstrate the different functions of the fortifications, sugges-ting that some of the sites were border forts (Ust-Utyak-1 and Lastochkino Gnezdo-1), some were economic and political centres (Ust-Tersyukskoye), and others were shelters for smaller settlements (Kolovskoye, Krasnogor-skoye, Papskoye, Staro-Lybaevskoye, Bolshoye Bakalskoye). Improper carrying out of excavations at some of the sites may be the result of unfinished construction work.