Cult complex of Kulai culture in Kuznetskiy Pritomye

The article covers the data, collected in Kulai Early Iron Age complex in Ivanovka 1/2 in 2013 during the stationary research of Krokhalevo's Bronze Age culture, that was conducted in Ivanovka 1 in Yashkino area of Kemerovo region. The elements of stone constructions (masonries) laid in a row, remains of the cremated human skull, broken ceramic vessel and shale abrasive were found in the small territory of excavation, which was carried out to distinguish the borders of the archeological find. All the objects mentioned above were situated in the same stratigraphic horizon, which, on the basis of vessel's decoration analysis, belonged to the period between Early Kulai and Late Kulai development stages of the Kulai culture. In absolute chronology it may belong to the time period between the III-I century B.C. and, probably, the end of 1000 B.C. It was established, that the similar combination of archeological objects was persistently found in the several monuments containing Kulai antiquities. The common traits of the monuments are as follows: absence of residential facilities, masonry constructions located on the surface in a way of parallel chains, directed from the northwest to the southeast, presence of the sacral and polyfunctional finds, as well as traces of ritual activity. Such complexes were found on the territory of Samus IV settlement, (Tomsk Priob'ye) to the numerous findings of which also belong Kulai materials, which were discovered in sanctuary settlement Ust'-Polui (Nizhneye Priob'ye) and Ryuza-kovo settlement (Tomsk Priob'ye ). Researches of the mentioned monuments emphasize their sacral (cultural) nature. Apparently, the archaeological monument Novoromanovo 2, located down the Tom river from Ivanovka 1 settlement, and which was examined earlier, also relates to the one of religious and sacrificial complexes mentioned above, since in occupation layer of the monument rectangular and rounded masonry constructions were found. However, for lack of the clear cultural and chronological identifiers of the archeological material, it is not yet possible to reckon the complex to the group of Kulai monuments. The compatibility of the objects and findings constantly found in other archeological complexes is considered as "ethnographical situation" of archeological monument. Ethnographical situation gives us reason to raise a question considering a specific type of cultural complexes of Kulai cultural-historic community. Ivanovka 1/2 complex is the first archeologically identified monument that was left in the research area by the migrants coming from Sredneye Priob'ye - creators of the Kulai culture and its cultural-historic community. Obviously, the information collected in complex will help to clarify cultural-historic processes, which were taking place in Nizhneye Priob'ye in the period of the Early Iron Age. At the same time, the discovery of Kulai archeological complex, situated in the immediate vicinity of Tomsk carving, apparently actualizes the cultural and chronological identification problem of the certain petrographic images found in Nizhniy Tomsk area which was been actively discussed by scientisst for decades, as well as the genesis of the Kulai graphic tradition.

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