Sample name: Begash (Phase 2)

Reference: M. Frachetti and N. Benecke. 2009. From sheep to (some) horses: 4500 years of herd structure at the pastoralist settlement of Begash (south-eastern Kazakhstan). Antiquity 83(322):1023-1037 [ER 3760]

Lithology: not described

Taphonomic context: human accumulation,settlement

Archaeology: ceramics,hearths,stone tools,other artifacts,other structures

Habitat comments: "The geography of the site indicates that Begash was a seasonally occupied winter time settlement for regionally mobile pastoralists".
"The archaeology of Phase 2 reflects a period of less consistent occupation of the site. Stratigraphically, Phase 2 is characterized by material-rich fill layers as well as a number of hearths and pit features not associated with aligned foundations or stone constructions. Phase 2 also represents a change in material culture, especially in ceramics and bronze metallurgy. Decorated pots are more prevalent, and ceramic forms are more diverse than those of Phase 1b. Although small in number, the appearance of bronze artifacts such as pins and buckles in Phase 2 also suggests a wider arena of social and economic relationships with regard to metal".

Life forms: carnivores,ungulates

Sampling methods: quarry,screenwash

Sample size: 255 specimens

Years: 2005 - 2006

Sampling comments: "Begash was excavated in 2005 and 2006. During the excavation, faunal remains were carefully collected by hand in all trenches of the site and screening of 50 per cent of the excavated soil was performed through a 10 mm screen. We also wet sieved and floated representative hearth and midden samples from nearly all stratigraphic contexts. While overall bone preservation is good, the remains are characterised by a high degree of fragmentation with only very few bones being complete".

Sample number: 4016

Contributor: Benjamin Carter

Enterer: Benjamin Carter

Created: 2022-10-17 16:29:13

Modified: 2023-05-30 02:20:26