On Eastern border of polichrome style objects spreading

This article is aimed at identifying the eastern border of polichrome style objects that have been culture indicators demarcating the influence area of the Hunnic cultures after receiving new materials from 9 burial complexes in the Western Siberia and Northern China during recent 50 years (Tugozvonovo, Eras'ka, Sopka 2 (tomb № 688), Ivanovka 6, Timeryazevskii kurgan burial 1, Krokhalevka 23, Krokhalevka 16, Arzhan-Buguzun, Boma). The analysis of the burial-memorial complexes, containing polichrome style objects, helped to identify both the burials of cultures from other regions, that is, belonging to the Huns and the burials representing local cultural traditions. The Hunnic burial-memorial complexes belonging to a different culture were a source of cultural innovations and transformations, which in their turn led to a change in the culture of the vast region. Those burial complexes are distinguished from the local graves by the larger depth of phreatic burial pits, ring deformation of skulls, a complex of polichrome style objects (not just single instances of polychrome style objects), single graves (not as a part of burial field). Polychrome style objects marking the eastern border of their distribution are similar in their stylistic peculiarities. Identification of geographical coordinates of the burial-memorial complexes with polichrome style objects, led to draw the eastern boundary of their distribution, which is in the area between 80 and 90 degrees East longitude. The most easterly is burial-memorial complex Arzhan-Buguzun, located at 89 degrees East longitude. The eastern border of the polychrome style objects distribution has made it possible to put forward a hypothesis about the inclusion of the Western Siberia archaeological cultures in the early Middle Ages in the range of cultures belonging to the Hunnic cultural unity characterized by prevailingly West direction of cultural contacts, and draw a border with the cultures of predominantly eastern direction of cultural ties. Such inclusion of huge territories (of Western Siberia) in global historical processes of the Great Migration Period allows to take a fresh look at the early Middle Ages period of the region, the history of which is closely connected with the turbulent historical events of that most interesting period of the world history, when the basis for most modern ethnicities was laid.

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