Search and excavation of ancient Sarmatian, Hunnish and Turkic tombs

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2022/23

Starting point
In Central Tuva, Russian Federation, a dam has been built in the late 1980s for hydroelectric purposes leading to the emergence in the region of Sajano-Susenskoe of an artificial lake. (Fig.1+2) The lake is continuously growing in size. The region of Sajano-Susenskoe is of high historic and archaeological importance, since it is home to numerous ancient Scythian and Turkic tombs. Also ancient Turkic stone figures are to be found as well as on the mountain slopes petroglyphs from the Bronze Age. Since the construction of the dam, the area is annually under water and many, mainly Scythian tombs, have been flooded. Emergency excavations are only possible in summer when water is low.

Fig. 1: The artificial lake Sajano-Šušenskoe		Fig. 2: Lake Sajano-Šušenskoe in Central Tuva

Relevance
Many Scythian tombs have been surveyed and excavated in the framework of emergency excavations since the late 1980s, but little has been published. The Turkic tombs have so far been little studied and even less has been published on them so far. The Turkic tombs are located a bit higher and a bit further from the floor of the former, now flooded valley than the Scythian ones and have been thus - so far - less threatened and/or damaged by the raising level of the lake than the first ones. However, the continuously rising of the water level now also threatens these Turkic tombs.

Goals
The main, most urgent goal is to discover so far unknown Turkish tombs, to survey them systematically and to selectively excavate the most promising, unlooted ones. Also the discovery of tombs from the Bronze Age can be expected. The secondary goal is to find unknown Turkic stone figures and also Bronze Age petroglyphs.

Project leader
Pavel Leus, Doctoral Candidate at the Free University Berlin and member of the Interregional Association of Archaeologists, St. Petersburg. Scientific Collaborator in The Committee for the Cultural and Historical Preservation of Historical Monuments of the Republic Tuva.

In cooperation with:
The Interregional Association of Archaeologists, St. Petersburg.
The Committee for the Cultural and Historical Preservation of Historical Monuments of the Republic Tuva.

Report on the Field Explorations Regarding the Project „Archaeological Investigations of Old-Turkish Antiquities at the Sajano-Šušenskoe Reservoir in Tuva in the Year 2006
(Russian Federation)“

Thanks to the generous support of The Society for the Exploration of EurAsia, a survey, as well as the excavation of a burial mound, could be executed in the summer of 2006 in the framework of first field explorations for a research project regarding the investigation of locations of old-turkish finds at the Sajano-Šušenskoe Reservoir in Tuva (Russian Federation).

Fig. 1 The Reservoir in Front of the Sajan-Valley of the Enisej		Fig. 2 A Small Ferry on the Reservoir

The archaeological exploration in this area initially began much later than in most of the other parts of Central Asia, for the territory, which today is known as autonomous Republic Tuva, did not belong to the Russian czarist empire, and was only annexed to the Sowiet union in 1944. First archaeological excavations took place at the beginning of World War I and were continued as late as the 1920s, when exclusive interest was directed toward the Scythian Kurgans in the north of Tuva, where Russian colonists had been living since the 19th century.

Archaeology had a noticeable upturn only after the World War II, when, in several parts of Tuva, first scheduled explorations of the territory and excavations were undertaken by S owiet scientists. The building of the Sajano-Šušenskoe Reservoir was the incentive for archaeological explorations in the construction area, which encompassed a large part of central Tuva. During the grading and building work, numerous excavations were executed at find sites there and in the Sajan Valley of the Jenissej that later were flooded by the water of the reservoir. The recovery excavations lasted more than 20 years and were of great importance for Scythian archaeology; however, their results were only partially made public.

Even though in the course of this research hundreds of archaeological monuments were explored, the number of medieval Kurgans involved was low. South and east of the reservoir, several complexes with old-turkish and old-kirghiz burial sites were discovered and excavated. The northern and north-western banks however remain – with exception of an excavation on the left bank of the river Cinge, where in the 1970's several early Scythian burial mounds were uncovered – unexplored to this day. This territory is very hard to reach outside the frost period. The summit of the Sajan Mountains and the reservoir leave few possibilities to penetrate this territory. There is only a crossing over the Jenissej by ferry or the difficult passage over the mountains on horseback. Yet the arranging for fuel availability alone is here, far away from Kyzyl, capital of Tuva, a most complicated and cost-intensive logistical challenge, so that the motor boats on the reservoir rarely operate.

In the summer of 2006, our team was able to cross over to the other bank of the river Jenissej, near the estuary of the small tributary Cinge, and to search there for medieval Kurgans and stone portraits. Because of the extreme weather conditions with heavy downpours, the planned work unfortunately could not be accomplished as originally intended.

Fig. 3 The Storm from the Sajan Valley of the Enissej		Fig. 4 The Expedition Camp on the River Cinge

In order that the southern Sibirian cities down-river would not be flooded, the water this year was already dammed up very high in the reservoir, so that most of the archaeological monuments were already under water at the time of our arrival.

Fig. 5 A Flooded Burial Mound		Fig. 6 The Flooded Mouth of the River Cinge

Therefore a Kurgan from the burial ground Cinge was chosen for the excavation. This is situated on the second terrace of the bank of the Jenissej. It consists of more than 20 tumuli that belong to various historical epochs.

Kurgan 15 of the necropolis corresponded in its construction to the already familiar medieval kurgans in Tuva. It possessed a round deposit of rough stone and rubble with a diameter of 6 m and a height of 50 cm. Its base showed no recognizable reinforcement of larger stones, which would have been typical for burial sites of the Scythian period. A stele of stone in close approximity furthermore made it seem very likely that the „kurgan“ had been created in the old-Turkish period.

Fig. 7 Object 15 Before the Excavation		Fig. 8 Object 15 During the Excavation Work

After uncovering the stone deposit, it was observed that the hillock was larger than initially assumed. The base and parts of the deposits were probably buried by stone rubble from mud slides that descended from the ravine situated on the opposite side. Thus it was found in the course of the excavation that the „kurgan“ measured approximately 10 m in diameter and approximately 1,l m in height. The round base of the burial mound was fortified with large stones and from the south covered by the rubble of a neighboring kurgan. It became obvious that originally this was an early Scythian kurgan of the so-called Aldy Bel'-Culture (7th – 5th cent. B.C.), modified in the Middle Ages in the course of a later burial.

Fig. 9 N.W.-Sector and the Base after Excavation		Fig. 10 The Object after Complete Excavation

The excavations brought to light six graves altogether. Two of them, graves 2 and 3, were situated in the west, directly outside the fortification ring of the kurgan. In each grave a small stone chest of stone slabs was found, each of which contained a child's grave, totally plundered by grave robbers. A first anthropological attention to the bone finds from the graves showed that in each box children between the ages of 1 – 2 years were laid to rest. The position of the dead found, as well as the composition of the grave inventory could no longer be determined.

Fig. 11 Graves 2-3 Before the Excavation		Fig. 12 Graves 2 and 3 (below) After the Excavation

In the center of the burial mound, on the original surface, two further burial sites (graves 1 and 4) were uncovered. Grave 1 was also a stone chest with remains of a child burial, the bones of which, because of regular flooding, were in very poor condition. The neighboring grave 4 showed a medieval after-burial. The bones of the dead were in bad condition as well.

Fig. 13 The Uncovered Grave 4		Fig. 14 The Tip of an Arrow from Grave 4

Skull and pelvis were broken or gone because of the flooding as well as the weight of the stone deposits, so that the exact determination of age and sex was no longer possible. In all likelihood this is the burial of a half-grown boy, who was placed on his back, with his head in the north-westerly direction. At a distance of 15 cm from the left elbow, a well-preserved three-wing iron arrow tip was found. Grave 4 can be dated from the old-Turkish period in the 6th – 8th cent.

In the northern section of the kurgan grave 5 was discovered, the excavation of which had to be abandoned in a depth of 1,4 m however, because the water level of the reservoir had reached the burial field, and the rising water was already visible in the burial pit. For this reason, burial site 5 was filled in again, and also at grave 6, which was discovered in the center of the hill, the actual main burial site of the hill, excavation was not continued because of its estimated depth. Both burial sites apparently were not plundered, because no shaft by robbers could be found. Excavations will be continued here in 2007.

Fig. 15 Grave 5		Fig. 16 Grave 6

Further investigation of the shore of the reservoir in the framework of a survey showed convincingly that the destruction of the archaeological find sites here is progressing on a great scale and with great speed.

Fig. 17 A Flooded Kurgan		Fig. 18 A Destroyed Stone Chest from the Scythian Period.

On the western and southern shore, several flooded and destroyed stone chests of the Scythian period, as well as burial mounds built of stone were discovered.

The search for unknown, as yet undiscovered old-Turkish monuments was continued afterwards south-west of the reservoir, since this territory is not threatened by floods and, as of now, also totally unexplored. Thus a heretofore unknown old-Turkish find with stone walls and steles was discovered on the left bank of the river Caa-Hol', in the area of Šoluk-Hovu. The complex of Šoluk-Hovu is situated approximately 2,5 km north of the village Ak-Durug and 500 m west of the river Caa-Hol'. It consists of six square stone enclosures that extend in a south-north alignment.

Fig. 19 River Caa-Hol'		Fig. 20 Šoluk-Hovu, Statue in Front of Enclosure 1

The enclosures of 1,8 x 1,8 m to 3 x 3 m in size were erected from stone slabs, placed on end. In front of three constructions (enclosures 1, 3 and 6) statues in human form had been placed – always in front of the east side of the enclosure and facing east. The complex Šoluk-Hovu I can be dated from the old-Turkish period ( 6th - 8th cent.).

Fig. 21 Šoluk-Hovu, Statue in Front of Enclosure 6

Such statues, often made very carefully, have been known to exist in different areas of central Asia, where they are connected to the First and Second Turkish Khaganat by most scientists. Tuva, which was incorporated in the First Turkish Khaganat around 555 A.D., also possesses a not insignificant number of these sculptures; thus today approximately 200 objects are known - most of them in the south and in the west of the autonomous republic. However, considerably more statues were found in Mongolia, in the Altaj and farther west. The complex of Šoluk-Hovu I enlarges the distribution area of this kind of medieval monument in central Asia. The survey will be continued here in 2007.

On the bank of the river Cinge, 500 m east of complex Šoluk-Hovu I, a partially-destroyed funeral site was discovered. Because of the erosion of the river bank, bones of a human skeleton were visible in the embankment; above, no traces of a burial site or of a mound were recognizable. It was probably a shallow grave, which in view of the vegetation in this area in most cases can only be found thanks to a coincidence; this is why until now only a few shallow graves have been discovered in Tuva. The difficulty in recognizing this form of grave, which not only presented a problem for today's archaeologists, but also for earlier grave robbers, renders the investigation of the burial site of Šoluk-Hovu II most important. It is entirely possible that this find represents part of a field of shallow graves, which would be an archaeological sensation for Tuva. The uncovering of this burial site and the search for further shallow graves in the surrounding area are planned for the upcoming campaign as well.

Fig. 22 The Project Leader Pavel Leus in Front of a Shamanist Cult Place at the Reservoir

In the framework of field explorations for the project „Archaeological Investigations of Old-Turkish Antiquities at the Sajano-Šušenskoe Reservoir in Tuva (Central Asia)“ new archaeological monuments from different historical epochs were discovered. All locations of the newly-discovered objects were determined precisely with the help of a GPS-receiver.

The excavation report of the investigations was presented to the Institute for Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The new excavation permit will be granted to the expedition leader after examination of his report. Furthermore, The Committee for The Cultural and Historical Preservation of Historical Monuments of the Republik Tuva was informed of the results of the field explorations.

Pavel Leus
Doctoral Candidate at the Free University Berlin,
Collaborator in The Committee for the Cultural and Historical Preservation of Historical Monuments of the Republic Tuva
December 2006

***


Archaeological Investigations of Old-Turkic Antiquities at the Sajano-Šušenskoe Reservoir in Tuva, Central Asia

---

The grave No.9- stone cyst at the slope’s edge		The grave No.9 - the second layer of the cyst’s covering

The grave No.9 - view after cleaning off the skeleton

One hand-made and one wheel-made ceramic vessel were found at both sides of the skull. The strongly corroded remains of an iron tool (probably a knife) were discovered by the deceased’s waist.

The grave No.9 - the ceramic vessels

The necklace made from 30 beads and several pendants made of glass, bone and bronze were found at the neck part of the skeleton. The polychromatic glass pendant and a pendant made from bear’s claw are most interesting among them.
The glass pendant has analogues from the Northern Black sea region and originated from there probably.

The grave No.9 - beads and pendants		The grave No.8- bronze belt buckle with Griffins

The samples (human teeth) from the graves No. 9 and 12 were dated by the AMS-method. The dates are 1st century BC, the same as for the grave No.2 excavated in the year 2008.
An unique bronze belt buckle was found under the stones from the damaged cyst (grave No.8). It features an image of 6 griffin heads. The stylistic analogues of it are still not known.

There are several exact analogues of the bronze belt buckle with the image of the fighting among two tigers and the dragon. Those buckles were found in situ in the four graves besides several stray finds:

Made of bronze: there are twin buckles from one grave and single one in other grave. All of them were discovered in the Trans-Baikal region
 

The fragment of the same buckle from the Andrianov’s collection is in State Hermitage in St-Petersburg (Russia)

- the stray find, probably from Southern Siberia or Mongolia. Also two bronze buckles are in the USA. The origin of the is not known exactly but most probable is Mongolia (Bunker 1997, 274-275, No.242; Bunker 2002, No.105).

The golden buckle from the Sidorovka cemetery


The nephrite buckle from the Hotung’s collection


Made of gold: two massive casting but not open-worked buckles with incrustations from the turquoise, corals and amber were found in burial mound No.1 in the grave No.2 in Sidorovka cemetery in Omsk administrative district Bunker 2002, Fig.45).
Made of nephrite: the open-work buckle made of dark grey-green nephrite is kept in the Joseph Hotung collection in Great Britain. It’s exact origin is not known but this mineral type of nephrite is mined only in Northern Mongolia, west of the Hangai Mountains (Rawson 1995, 311-312, No.23:1; Bunker 2002, 134, No.106).



In addition, a golden fitting probably from a belt was found in the sand at the Reservoir's shore line. It might date from the Middle Ages, most probably from the Mongolian period. A bronze belt buckle of the same period was found not far from this place in 2008. It's possible to suppose that these artefacts were from a damaged grave of a noble person. They're dated c. from 13th -14th centuries.


Conclusions:
The material culture known from the Terezin cemetery is identical to the Xiongnu culture including such elements like bronze implements, weapons, ceramics. At the same time, the funeral rite is different from both classic Xiongnu and previous Scythian cultures. But it’s nevertheless possible to identify some features of the Scythian funeral rites.
The archaeological investigations of the Terezin cemetery in near future and next laboratory work could answer the question about the origin of these people. One of the most interesting aspect of the next investigations is to analyze the physic anthropology of those populations. Did they belong to an indigenous population of the Scythian age or were they newcomers or a mixed group?

The sandy shores of the Reservoir – the Terezin cemetery

		The process of the topographical survey on the Terezin cemetery

© Pavel Leus
Project leader
28 December 2009

---

The archaeological investigations on Terezin cemetery, Tuva, in 2010
Sponsored by the Society for the Exploration of EurAsia

The archaeological investigations of Terezin cemetery in Chaa-khol district of the Republic of Tuva, Russia, were continued in spring 2010.


Fig.1 The shore of Sayan Reservoir. View from Terezin cemetery

The remains of another three cists made of stone were discovered by the shore. They’ve fallen down from the slope about ten years ago. They were marked as graves 13- 15. These three cists are located in the central, richest sector of the graveyard
An open-worked buckle made of bronze was discovered among the flat stones of the cist No.13. It represents in the style of the Xiongnu two oxen or two yaks.

Fig.2 Terezin cemetery. Grave No.13. View from NE

Fig.3 Bronze buckle from grave No.13 featuring two oxen or yaks


Fig.4 Bronze buckle from grave No.14


Two pieces of a stylistically identical buckle and an open-worked ring made of bronze were discovered among stones of the cist No.14.

Fig.5 open-worked ring from grave No 14, typical for the Xiongnu period

Various artifacts or bones were found among stones of the cist No. 15.
Parallels to the bronze buckles from graves No. 13 and 14 are known only in the Minusinsk Valley north of the Western Sayan mountains. It’s interesting that the Terezin cemetery is located at the beginning of the Sayan canyon of Enisey which is a most suitable water route to the Minusinsk Valley. Due to this waterway, so many bronze artifacts were discovered in Terezin which have parallels in the area behind the Sayan mountain range. The local population had trade connections with the population of the Minusinsk Valley and controlled this trade route.
What is important, while all such bronze buckles found in the Minusinsk Valley were chance finds, these from Terezin Graveyard are the first discovered in a scientific controlled excavation.
Also several stray finds were found on the Terezin cemetery area which were not directly related to any grave, although they were located near tombs No. 14 and No. 15: a bronze buckle like in grave No. 5, a small bronze buckle with images of oxen (it has parallels with the buckle found here at 2008), open-worked “kettle-like” pendant, as well ceramic fragments of a vessel. All of them have parallels to finds from classical sites of Xiongnu and dates to 1st century B.C.
A Chinese wu zhu coin issued by the Northern Qi Emperor Wen Xuan Di in 553 A.D. was found as well 30 m next to this central graveyard sector. This date corresponds to the time of the Ancient Turks.

Fig.6 bronze buckle		Fig.7 small bronze buckle with images of oxen
Fig. 8 open-worked “kettle-like” pendant		Fig.9 Chinese wu zhou coin from 553 A.D.

The optimal time to carry out archaeological investigations in this area is end of April- beginning of May. This is the period immediately after thawing. At that time the sand is already dry which allows to make archaeological works. At the same time the Reservoir has not been filled yet. Because of this, the fishermen and collectors/looters of artifacts haven’t reached the site yet.

Fig.9 Excavation of grave No. 13.

Local people says that somebody found artifacts here recently several times. But nobody knows where they’re now. Only a ceramic pot found here is kept in school museum in Chaa-Khol village.

Besides the works on the Terezin cemetery, the collapsing cemeteries Sume-Besh 1 and 2 were investigated. They are located on the opposite shore of the Chaa-Khol river. Two washed away burials were discovered at Sume-Besh 1 cemetery. They weren’t visible last year. It means that the collapsing of them happened during summer-autumn of 2009. In total, several dozens of the graves of the early Scythian period are known here. They partly were discovered by the Tuvinian archaeological expedition of IIMK RAS.

Fig.10 View from Sume-Besh to Terezin cemetery		Fig.11 The cist on Sume-Besh 2 cemetery

The wooden frame-work of a tomb partly washed out by water was found on Sume-Besh 2 cemetery. It dates to the early Scythian period 6th century B.C.. The human bones were visible among wooden structures and stones. The knife made of bronze was found here as well.
The stone cist partly washed out by water was found a bit downhill.

Numerous human bones, sculls were spread around this cist. The burial of the early Scythian period in situ has been discovered inside this cist.

		It was burial of the young man laying on left side with bended knees.
Fig.12 Sume-Besh 2 cemetery. Grave 1.

Fig.12 Sume-Besh 2 cemetery. Grave 1. View from East

The head oriented towards North- East. The bow and quiver with arrows was at the belt. Three arrows were made of bronze, two made of wood and one probable made of bone. Unfortunately, the wooden remains were very wet and had poor preservation because of water activity. The wooden dish and scoop were found at the face of the deceased. They were in such poor preservation, that it was impossible to save them. The bronze knife and wooden comb were found by the belt. Both of them were taken out for the restoration. Thus, the collapsing of the archaeological sites by the Reservoir shores is continuing; the objects are washed out every year.

Fig.13: Walking on the frozen lake		Fig 15. The beginning of Sayan canyon

Finally, a place already located in the Enisej-Valley was surveyed by walking over the frozen lake which was an ideal timing (that place would be later in the year either flooded or would emerge as an island, and there would be a risk, that owners of motorboats would follow.) At least 10 Scythian kurgans are already highly damaged by the water, others have disappeared. Some Bronze chance finds were made on the surface of mirrors, buckles, knives, daggers and battle axes. The pieces were handed out to the archaeological authority in Kyzyl, Tuva.


Fig 14: Chance finds at the entry to the Enisej-Valley.

Outlook 2011: It is planned to conduct the geo-magnetic prospection of the major parts of the Terezin necropolis.

Pavel Leus, Berlin, 20. 01. 2011
Collaborator in The Committee for the Cultural and Historical Preservation of Historical Monuments of the Republic Tuva

---

The archaeological expedition to the Terezin Cemetery, Tuva, in 2011

From 27 April till 5 May 2011 a geomagnetic survey was conducted at the site of the Hunnish Terezin Cemetery, situated at the southern shore of the Sayano-Shushenskaya dam lake. The survey was conducted by A.V. Chudin from the St. Petersburg State University, Faculty of Physics, Department of Quantum Magnetic Phenomena.

The objective was to determine borders and structures of the total burial site of Terezin by finding in situ graves (stone chests), stemming most probably from the Hunnish period. The ca. 1 km long graveyard is covered by sand. 7 places amounting to a total surface of 1 hectare were explored.

Unfortunately the whole magnetic search failed to reveal any significant anomaly in the surveyed terrain, no further tomb was found. As a hypothesis, the chosen method of this magnetic survey was not appropriate to the specific properties of the terrain.

For further information, please refer to the full report (PDF).

East of Terezin a few above-the-ground stone chests and 4 already flushed-out kurgans from the Kyrgyz period (9th-10th century CE) were found. The geographical coordinates were given to archaeologists from St. Petersburg who conducted there in summer a rescue excavation and found in and next to one of these 4 kurgans numerous arrow heads, bronze and silver belt plates and pieces of horse-gear. The owner of this tomb was probably a wealthy warrior. Finally a single, large medieval iron cauldron was found in the dunes.

A medieval iron cauldron in situ	Flushed-out stone chests

Conclusion
We will further analyze the report from the magnetic survey in order to understand why it failed to identify any significant anomaly in the searched terrain. In view of the rich accidental previous finds and discoveries, it seems unlikely that the graveyard of Terezin would be already empty and all tombs would have been identified. In this process we will consult external experts in the field of geomagnetic prospection before reaching a conclusion how to further proceed.

Publication
In 2011 Pavel Leus published a comprehensive and illustrated report entitled “New Finds from the Xiongnu Period in Central Tuva. Preliminary Communication” in Volume 5 of the “Bonn Contributions to Asian Archaeolgy”, edited by Ursula Brosseder and Bryan K. Miller.

Please refer to the PDFs of the contribution as well as of the preface to the volume and its complete Bibliography here below:

Xiongnu_References_Glossary_Authors (PDF)
Xiongnu_Contents_Foreword_Preface (PDF)
Leus Xiongnu in Tuva (PDF)


Christoph Baumer, 29. 03. 2012

---

Validation of the geomagnetic survey and completion of the project

Following the negative results from the geomagnetic survey conducted by the St. Petersburg State University, Faculty of Physics, Department of Quantum Magnetic Phenomena, all data were re-analyzed in 2012 by the Bavarian Archaeological Survey, Section of Geophysics, Munich. This second analysis confirmed the overall negative results and came to the conclusion that the specific mineral composition of the sand dunes stretched over the graveyard of Terezin would not allow for better results, irrespective of the chosen methodology. Therefore the Bavarian Archaeological Survey couldn’t recommend conducting a second survey using another technology.

In view of the huge size of the necropolis where the visible above-the-ground tombs have been investigated by the Society’s previous expeditions and that excavations without visible guidance are not feasible, it has been decided to close the project. In two to three years the site will be re-checked, in the meantime a final report is due to be established.

C. Baumer

 

---

Ala-Tey: New archaeological findings from the Xiongnu period in Tuva, 2015

Pavel Leus, Berlin


In late May and early June 2015, a group of the TAE , St. Petersburg, performed an archaeological field survey at the Sayano-Schuschensker Reservoir in Central Tuva (Russia). Archaeological objects were prospected far from the shore line, which remain below the water surface of the reservoir for almost the entire year. Flooded from around the end of June to early July, the area is only free of ice, snow, and condensation again in mid- to late May.


Fig.1 Reservoir bed in the research area.

During the field survey of the isolated mountain Ala-Tey (translated from Tuvian as "Colorful Mountain"), portions of the burial sites (so-called stone boxes) were found to be partially exposed. They recalled the stone boxes of Xiongnu period that were discovered a few years ago at the Terezin burial ground about 4.5 km away.


Fig.2 One of the exposed stone boxes.

This area is usually flooded again with the water of the reservoir around late June to early July. The burial sites are then 20 meters below the water level.  


Fig.3 When the reservoir is filled up, the research area is beneath the water.

A total of 15 graves were exposed, which – extraordinarily – proved to be fully intact. Thanks to the archaeological findings, it is possible to provisionally date them all to the Xiongnu period (approx. 1st century BC.). A more precise estimate, however, will not be possible until the planned AMS dating.


Fig.4 Excavations at Ala-tey

Three AMS dates have already been obtained for the Terezin graves, which clearly date the grave sites there to 1st century BC. As the two burial grounds show many parallels in the burial rites and the archaeological findings, we suspect a similar dating for the graves of Ala-Tey.  


Fig.5 Expedition camp on the reservoir bed

The Ala-Tey burial ground forms a compactly situated group of juxtaposed flat graves with different grave constructions and placements of the dead. There are graves in stone boxes made of stone slabs, where the dead were laid in a stretched supine position or with bent legs. Furthermore, there are graves in wooden coffins made of boards (?), with and without a stone framework. Most stone boxes could already be seen from above, as they were constructed in barely sunken sand pits. As a result, some cover slabs were exposed.


Fig.6 An exposed grave in a stone box. Ala-Tey

The archaeological findings from Ala-Tey have parallels to other Xiongnu-period burial grounds, not only in the nearby Terezin burial ground, but also in Transbaikalian, the Minussinsk Depression, northern China and Mongolia.
In Grave 11 from Ala-Tey, for example, there are beautiful openwork bronze plates and rings from a belt set, a large openwork belt buckle showing two yaks, and a bronze mirror, which resembles some Chinese mirrors from the Han Dynasty (including the mirrors of Terezin).

In Grave 12 from Ala-Tey, besides the openwork bronzes, the belt plates of argillaceous shale were also found, and, in between them, a very rare artifact inlaid with coral and turquoise beads (?). Such argillaceous shale plates are known from the trans-Baikalian burial grounds of the Xiongnu period, e.g. from the burial ground of Ivolga.


Fig.7 An exposed grave in a stone box. Ala-Tey

In comparison to Terezin, it is interesting to note that only handmade ceramics have been encountered so far at Ala-Tey, not those made on the rapidly rotating wheel.


Fig.8 An exposed grave in a wooden coffin. Ala-Tey.

From an anthropological perspective, the people buried at Ala-Tey also seem to be different. This, however, can only be clarified after the intended in-depth anthropological examination. It is possible that not only the immigrant Xiongnu were buried there, but also the local post-Scythian population.


Fig.9 A handmade pot with repair site. Ala-Tey.

Next year, the field research will continue at the Ala-Tey burial ground.
A brief survey was also carried out this year at the Terezin burial ground. In some places, the recent extensive deterioration to the shoreline was discovered. Along with some human bones, a fragment of the ornamental bronze mirror was found on the shore. Another extensive exploration of the area has been planned for the coming year.

July 6, 2015

New excavations of the Xiongnu's epoch burial ground Ala-Tey in Tuva in 2016
(download here)

Pavel Leus

With the support of the "Society for the Exploration of EurAsia” an unknown burial ground from the Xiongnu period, named Terezin, was discovered in Central Tuva in 2007. This archaeological site was about to collapse due to the natural erosion provoked by the Sayan-Shushenskoe hydrostation reservoir and its annual rising water level. During its research we have manage to identify and locate 15 burials, including several intact ones. In the burials and around the already destroyed stone constructions, rich funeral inventory was discovered, including typically Xiongnu weaponry and bronze details of belts, items imported from China – a fragment of Han' bronze mirror for example. Large openwork bronze belt buckles belong to the most interesting findings because of parallels among Xiongnu period sites of the neighboring areas: the Minusinsk Basin, Transbaikalia, Mongolia, Ordos and others. (Fig. 1)

 Fig 1. Xiongnu’s period cemetery of Terezin and some excavated artefacts   

Such buckles were so far unknown in Tuva, except one from the Urbiun cemetery at the confluence of Chaa-Hol' river and Yenisei, only 6 kilometers away from Terezin burial ground.

In that area there is also another burial ground called Aimyrlyg located 10 kilometers upstream the Chaa-Hol' river. About 200 burials were excavated by E.Stambulnik in the 1970-80s , some belong to the Xiongnu period (up to now the excavations data has not been published, precise dating of most of the burials is impossible). About 40 kilometers up the Yenisei river valley, near the town of Shagonar, big mounds of the Xiongnu's nobles were discovered and excavated by A.Mandelshtam in 1965-66 and 1976-77, resembling the burials of Noin-Ula in Mongolia. Unfortunately those in Tuva were heavily looted.

Overall, there are several sites of the Xiongnu period in this part of Ulug-Khem basin besides Terezin, but most of them were looted in the past, or the funeral inventory was rather poor. Dating of those sites also remained relative. This part of Ulug-Khem basin at the entrance to Sayan canyon is strategically an important area: here begins the way across the Sayan ridge to the Minusinsk Basin; moreover the largest and best pastures in Central Tuva were situated here. This is also the reason why numerous archeological sites, which belong to the Bronze Age, times of Scythians, Xiongnu and ancient Turks (settlements, fortresses and burial grounds), are all concentrated in this part of the valley. (Fig. 2)

Fig. 2 Part of the Scythian’s time cemetery on the reservoir floor, before flooding

At the beginning of the 20th century Chaa-Hol' village was the most important trade center in Tuva, later this settlement had been moved to another place because of the flooding zone. Control of this area was an important task during all historical periods, so a detection of the Xiongnu period sites, was not a surprise. The main problem is however that the central part of this territory is covered with water of the Sayan-Shushenskoe hydrostation reservoir. (Figs. 3, 4).

The difficulty of finding flat graves in the flooding zone is that time for archeological work is here very limited. Snow melts at the end of April-beginning of May, and only when the smelting water left it is possible to start working. By the middle of June the water of reservoir raises and the main area of investigation is flooded again and inaccessible for researchers until the following year.

Fig. 3 The reservoir floor at the beginning of June

Fig. 4 The reservoir at the beginning of July, after flooding

In 2014 our expedition managed to find another untouched burial ground of the Xiongnu period – called by the name of the nearest cliff: Ala-Tey. This cemetery is situated 4,5 kilometers from Terezin, on the flooded part of the steppe where excavations are only possible 3-4 weeks within one year. When full, the surface of the Sayano-Shushenskoe reservoir is 540 meters above  mean sea level, while the Ala-Tey cemetery lies at 523 m AMSL, hence it lies almost 20 meters below the water surface.

During the 2015 expedition objects 1-15 were excavated (s. report 2015). The upper layer of soil was washed away by the reservoir as well as the upper stones of a few funeral stone boxes. To date there are 33 objects excavated here, mostly containing untouched burials of Xiongnu. (Fig. 5)

Fig. 5 Excavation of the Ala-Tey cemetery, before flooding

The excavations at the Ala-Tey cemetery were continued in 2016. The expedition lasted from 03 June to 18 June 2016. In this year, the Sayano-Shushenskoe reservoir filled up with water somewhat earlier, so that by 17 June the water had already come quite close the excavation site.

Objects 16-33 were discovered and exposed during the excavation. Objects 17-33 are flat graves, Object 16 is not a grave, merely a pair of small stone panels lying in a shaft.

The deceased had been deposited in the excavated graves in supine extended position. Double burials were found in four of the graves: 2x2 adults, 1x 2 children (a stone cist  atop the other in a burial pit), 1x mother and child.

There are several types of burial constructions – stone boxes – (Figs. 6-7), often built in two levels (like in the burial # 9 from Terezin), burials in narrow pits (where the contours of burial pits are impossible to track as since the end of the 1980s this sandy landscape is at the bottom of the water reservoir most time of the year), overlaid with stones or stone tiles. Those constructions are usually rectangular (in one case – boat-shaped – (Fig.8), sometimes we could notice remains of a wooden frame inside (maybe a coffin, but due to the regular water erosion, the condition of the wood is either extremely bad or there are no remains at all).

Fig. 6 Cist grave 

Fig. 7 Cist grave

Fig. 8 „Boat-shaped” stone burial construction

There are also graves without any burial constructions – (Fig. 9), which could have been wooden and did not survive.

Most of the skeletons lay in supine position like in the burials of Xiongnu in Transbaikalia and Mongolia, also in the burials of the Tes’ culture of Minusinsk Basin. In few instances the deceased was buried on the back with the legs bent. There were pot-shaped molded vessels standing in all the burials beyond the deceased’s head. No weaponry was recovered, but several belt and cloths’ decorations, necklaces, pendants and earrings, local copies and imports of Chinese mirrors and fragments were excavated.

Fig. 9 Grave without burial construction, with a stone belt buckle with insets of coral, turquoise and mother of pearl.

There was also an intact bronze mirror in one of the burials with an inscription in Chinese: “When I look at the sky, I always think about the ruler” (Fig. 10). A similar mirror is kept in the Minusinsk museum. In two of the burials, belts were found, decorated with bronze models of cowrie’s shells and wu zhu coins – (Fig. 11), which provide a terminus post quem – 118 B.C. – the first year when such coins appeared into circulation in China.



Fig. 10 Chinese bronze mirror with inscription

Fig. 11 Chinese Wu Zhu coins, bronze models of cowries shells and buckle with insets of coral, turquoise and mother of pearl.

Openwork bronze belt buckles made of different types, found in the Terezin and Ala-Tey cemeteries, present themselves as masterpieces of the metal art casting and attract a great interest. Firstly we should mention large plaques with the image of two yaks walking towards each other (for now we have found 4 such buckles – 2 in Terezin, 2 in Ala-Tey) – (Fig. 12). Their massive bodies are decorated with drop-shaped patterns, representing fur and four legs with hooves. The heads are depicted en face with horns, nostrils and “bulging” eyes. Notched relief on the back shows the mane. The frame of the buckles is designed with set-in rectangles, as well as drop-shaped ones for colored insets. Such large belt plaques with the image of two opposing bulls or yaks are known, mostly on the territory of the Minusinsk Basin, where several intact buckles and their fragments were found (totally 19 examples), in the main those are casual findings. Another such buckle, likely comes from Inner Mongolia, and a pair of buckles from the burial ground of Early Han' dynasty on the north-east of Liaoning Province in Manchuria. We obtained an absolute date for one of the burials with such buckle on Ala-Tey – 2092 +\- 27 BP.


Fig. 12 Openwork bronze belt buckle with two yaks

A unique large buckle with an en face depiction of a bull was found on Ala-Tey – (Fig. 13). Ears and horns are shown with drop-shaped patterns, the muzzle is long with opened mouth, “bulging” eyes, the body seem shortened and stretched also en face. It is difficult to grasp the pattern design because all surface of buckle is covered with leaf and drop-shaped indentations.

Fig. 13 Large belt buckle with depiction of a bull or yak

A belt buckle with the image of two Bactrian camels was found in one of the Ala-Tey burials – (Fig. 14). Although buckles with camels have been found in the monuments of Mongolia and the Ordos, we have found no direct analogies for this buckle from Ala-Tey.

Fig. 14 Belt buckle with two Bactrian camels

Because all the burials in Ala-Tey were intact, we were able to identify the construction of belts, which were an important part of the ancient nomad's dress. A series of belt plaques made of shale and decorated with color insets is quite interesting. There are small plaques, which probably served as analogy to the small bronze belt plaques and large ones – analogies of large belt buckles. We found also a stone plaque that is drilled so it could be attached to the belt. This big buckle from Ala-Tey has the impressive size 19x9 cm, and is decorated with insets of coral, turquoise and mother of pearl – (Figs 9, 11). Undoubtedly a prestige item, which belonged to a man of high social status. Such plaques are well known from Transbaikalia but in most cases they are damaged and the color insets are lost.

It is notable that the women’s graves have relatively rich grave goods (e.g. bronze mirror, earrings  made of gold and bronze, openwork belt plaques, Wu-Zhu coins, etc.) By contrast, grave goods in the men’s graves are fairly scanty, aside from ceramic pots they only occasionally feature smaller objects made of iron.

There are no items executed in Scythia-Siberian animal style in the burials of Xiongnu in Tuva, since in the late Scythian burials there are no such stone belt buckles with fishnet pattern. We meet only single items, which could be referred to Xiongnu. Although some of these monuments coexist, because some late Scythian burials could be dated to the 1st century B.C. At the same time, Scythian funeral rites with placement of bodies with the legs bent into stone boxes exist on the burial grounds connected with the Xiongnu, like in Terezin or Ala-Tey.

Presumably, these people in Central Tuva who settled in a key location at the entrance of the Yenisei River to the Sayan canyon, had close contacts with the Xiongnu of Mongolia and Transbaikalia and also with the Tes’ culture of the Minusinsk Basin. Along with them, the last bearers of the late Scythian culture existed here. We think that with the expansion of the Xiongnu Empire an assimilation of the Scythian culture took place and as a result of a merging process, both cultures disappeared, or transformed into the Kokel’ culture.

 

19 March 2017

 

Excavations of the Cemeteries of Ala-Tey and Terezin in Tuva in 2017

In 2017 the Tuvan Archaeological Expedition of IHMC RAS (St.Petersburg, Russia) continued the excavations at the cemetery of Ala-Tey.

 

Fig.1 Excavation of the cemetery of Ala-Tey in 2017

The excavation was scheduled to take place over the course of one month, from the 20th of May to the 20th of June, when the meltwater had already drained away and the filling of the Sayano-Shushenskoye Reservoir had not yet started. For technical reasons the filling of the reservoir was delayed for two weeks this year so it was decided to continue the excavations until the reservoir was filled, which occurred on the 3rd of July.

 

Fig.2 The cemetery of Ala-Tey during flooding

The area excavations included the objects excavated in the previous years to make sure no blind-spots were left within the territory of the cemetery. The majority of the objects previously excavated were located at shallow depths or even on the surface, so the contours of the grave pits were untraceable. The regular submersion of the cemetery has resulted in mixture of the upper layer of sand which also makes tracing the contours impossible there. In 2017 we started the excavation of the graves located at a depth of 1 – 1.5 meters, sometimes 2 meters. In many cases it became possible to trace the contours of the grave pits.

 

Fig.3 The contours of the grave pits

During the 2017 excavations, 53 new objects were discovered. Thus the total number of objects found at the cemetery of Ala-Tey increased to 86. Most of the objects were excavated; a few were conserved for next year’s excavations.

Fig.4 Excavated graves at Ala-Tey

The excavation area tends to expand, and the discovery of new objects is expected next year. All the Ala-Tey finds are currently kept in IHMC RAS (St. Petersburg) for scientific research and restoration. Subsequently they will be sent to the National Museum of the Republic of Tuva.
All of the graves excavated this year belong to the Xiongnu period and date to the 2nd-1st centuries BC.

 

Fig.5 Burial in wooden coffin with stone siding

The graves revealed several types of burial rituals. Most of the burials are made in large rectangular or occasionally boat-shaped stone boxes or in wooden coffins or frames with stone siding. There are also burials without any grave structure. The orientation of the deceased varies; most are oriented south-west and north-west. The burials are generally individual, rarely paired.

 

Fig.6 Individual burials

Most of the dead were interred in an extended supine position, in some cases lying on one side with the legs flexed. Men’s arms are usually laid by their sides; women have their arms crossed over the pelvis or chest, some have the left arm flexed with the hand towards the left shoulder.

 

Fig.7 Burial with bronze belt buckle and Chinese mirror

The most interesting and rich grave goods were deposited in women's graves. What captures the attention first is the central element of the belt set: large belt buckles depicting animals, e. g. bulls, camels, horses, and snakes. Most often these are openwork buckles depicting a pair of yaks or bulls; 5  such pieces have been found to date at the cemetery of Ala-Tey (plus two pieces at the cemetery of Terezin). In some cases the wooden base to which the buckle was attached has also been preserved.
In women’s burials we found bronze mirrors, both entire and in fragments. Most of them are original Chinese mirrors of the Western Han period (2nd - 1st centuries B.C.) or local copies of such mirrors, some with a Chinese hieroglyphic inscription “When I look at the sky, I always think about the ruler”. Fragments of two earlier Chinese mirrors belonging to the preceding period of Warring States - a mirror with T-shaped symbols and a mirror with a pattern of zigzag rhombi and spirals - were found last year. As yet no mirror of the Eastern Han period (1^st - 2^nd  centuries B.C.) has been discovered here.

 

Fig.8 Burial with stone belt buckle

Fig.9 Stone Belt Buckle with inlays

 

Fig.10 Engraved Stone Belt Buckle

In some women’s graves there were beads of different types and materials and earrings of golden and bronze wire.
In men’s burials we found mainly iron artifacts - belt buckles and shoe buckles, knives, iron rings and hooks. In two burials two bone plates from composite bows of the Xiongnu type were found. No other weapon has been discovered to date. Bronze spoon-shaped strap-ends decorated with zoomorphic or geometric patterns should be considered part of the men’s belt set.
In two burials (one woman’s and one man’s) horse skulls were found situated near the legs of the interred. One of the skulls (from the man’s burial) was bridled, the bridle consisted of iron with bronze details. 

 

Fig.11 Man’s Burial with a horse scull

The cemetery yielded a wide range of various ceramic vessels. These are mainly jar-shaped pots, but there are wheel-thrown vases with vertical polishing as well. On the former ground surface above some of the burials (or on the edge of the grave pits) standing shallow vessels divided into two compartments with a hole in the middle of the partition were found. 

Fig.12 Pottery from the cemetery of Ala-Tey

Many of the items from the cemetery of Ala-Tey have analogies at the Xiongnu sites of Trans-Baikal, Mongolia, Northern China, also in Minusinsk Hollow and Altai.
This year we inspected the bank of the reservoir at the cemetery of Terezin and discovered a burial of the Xiongnu period, parts of which had fallen down from the precipice. Among the grave goods there were two ceramic vessels, one of which was a typical Xiongnu vase. A noticeable layer of bronze oxides covered the bones of the pelvis, probably from a big belt buckle. The buckle was absent; it may have been removed by local residents, who had discovered the burial before we did.

Fig.13 Xiongnu period grave from the cemetery of Terezin

The excavation of the cemetery of Ala-Tey and the inspection of the Terezin cemetery area in 2017 yielded a vast amount of new material and showed the necessity for further research at these locations. It is essential to create a detailed map of the reservoir area using modern technology and aerial photography. It is necessary to check the archives in Moscow and Saint-Petersburg to collect data regarding the objects previously excavated in this area and compare this to the contemporary situation. Further excavations on a regular basis in the submerging area and on the banks of the reservoir are required. Every year new burials are exposed and consequently destroyed due to the impact of the water and hurricanes.
Three research articles on the Ala-Tey and Terezin finds are to be published at the end of 2017.

Pavel Leus
Independent researcher, Berlin/St.Petersburg

 

Selected Bibliography

---

| copyright by The Society for the Exploration of EurAsia| E-mail | Home |