New Approaches in the Study of Morphological Variability of the Ancient Cattlemen of Altay (On the Example of the Kamenskaya Culture of the Scythian Period)

The anthropological indicators of the population of kamenskaya culture, depending on paleoclimatic conditions, are considered. The humidity and heat supply index for the territory from Pavlodar Priirtyshye to the Upper Ob basin is taken as a main climatic factor. This indicator defines forest-steppe borders and is calculated as a ratio between precipitation amount during May-September and the sum of temperatures during the same period. The calculation of this index is performed based on the contemporary weather data and the temperatures and annual precipitation for the reviewed periods reconstructed with natural scientific methods. The two periods of ka-menskaya culture are analyzed: the early (VI-IV centuries BC) and the late (III-I centuries BC) ones. Cold-wet and dry-warm climate phases corresponded to these periods. For the purpose of analysis the available data on postcranial skeletons was also divided into pertaining to the early and late periods. Early the most of the distribution area of kamenskaya culture was in conditions conducive for the adjoining and distant-pasture cattle breeding. During this period, the kamenskaya population had the most good demographics. Since III century BC the draining of this territory and the displacement of conducive climatic parameters in a northeasterly direction takes place, and the area occupied by population of Rogozikha-1 and Kirilovka-3 turns out to be in adverse conditions. At the same time the population of Novotroitskiy-1,2, as well as of Kamen-2, Maslyakha-1,2 and Bystrovka-2 remains in an environment conducive for the conduct of its economy. The population that left Novotroitskoe-1,2 burial grounds was in cooler and wetter conditions for the entire period of kamenskaya culture and is characterized by a greater stability of morphological indicators. It is this group of the kamenskaya population that all the considered time was in the forest-steppe zone, including the northern forest-steppe. The study of spatial and temporal specifics of the longitudinal dimensions characterizing osteometric constitution of the kamenskaya population showed that the variability of indicators in longitudinal dimension complex demonstrates the relationship with climatic changes.

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