Tagar culture

The Tagar culture existed from about the 9th to the 3rd century BC to the middle Yenisei, especially in Minusinsk basin. It was named after an island in the Yenisei, on which there is a greater accumulation tagarzeitlicher kurgans is named. Similar to the neighboring Aldy -Bel- culture in Tuva comes the archaeological material of the Tagar culture largely of graves, while is known about the human settlements relatively little. At several places, especially in the northwest, partly fortified settlements of the Tagar culture have so far only insufficiently explored, known; in Khakassia fixed height systems have also been used since the Bronze Age visited, but it is unclear whether these were permanent settlements. The buildings were widespread in many Siberian cultures pit houses ( Polusemljanki ). The economy was based, as shown by bone finds, on the livestock, supplemented by hunting and fishing; clear evidence of farming are not found. Due to the rich ore deposits, however, metallurgy was operated to a large extent, what remains of mine workings, slag heaps and workshops testify. Anthropologists interpret the skeletons as " Caucasian ", a term that many colleagues reject as outdated. In particular, the North Pontic Scythian show somatic similarities. The Tagar Culture is divided into three stages, which can be distinguished by tomb and find material.

Bainow - stage

The Bainow stage of the Tagar culture is by radiocarbon dating to the 9th - 8th Century BC referenced. There are clear relationships to the Bronze Age predecessor cultures. The tombs were small, square, fenced with stones stone boxes. The dead lay on their backs; the head pointed to the northeast or southwest. For the ceramic pots with straight or strongly einbiegendem top and ausbiegendem edge are typical. The ornamentation is relatively diverse; It found, for example hump rows, notches, grooves and flutes. But especially remarkable are the bronze objects of the Tagar culture, which are known under the name " Minusinsk bronzes " since the 18th century. Under these bronze objects are found Zugleinenhalter, knives and mirrors in which relations with the West Siberian Spätirmen culture show.

Podgornowo - stage

The following Podgornowo stage of the Tagar culture, the graves were increasingly covered with shallow landfills. Ceramic and bronze objects have been developed and showed more complex forms, relations with the Aldy -Bel- culture in Tuva have. During this time, the animal style was dominant in the Tagar art, for example in stylized bird beaks and "Roll Animals" manifested itself.

Sara Gasch- stage

The last stage of the Tagar culture is called Sara Gasch- stage and in the 5th - 3rd Century BC. The Grabaufschüttungen and their stone surrounds were getting bigger; in the corners high stones were also erected, whereby the characteristic " Ecksteinkurgane " emerged. For the first time also showed kurgans, for example in Khakassian Salbyk. In contrast to earlier times, almost no individual graves find more, instead prevail collective graves with up to 100 burials before. The ceramic was easier back in the Sara Gasch- level as in Western Siberia, the metal objects, however, reveal the heyday of " Minusinsk animal style ", which now represents a wide variety of animals.

In the 3rd century BC, the Sara Gasch- stage was replaced by the Tes - stage, establishing the transition to Taschtyk culture, which could indicate a population continuity.