Seima-Turbino bronzes in Odinovo and Krotovo cultures

The issues related to the study of the Seima-Turbino metallurgy in 1980s were examined by E.N. Chernykh and S.V. Kuzminykh in the fundamental research [Chernykh, Kuzminykh, 1987; 1989]. They are still relevant even with discovery of the new materials. It is especially important that such bronzes were in the archaeological complexes related to a particular archaeological culture. At least two of these cultures are known on the Western Siberian forest-steppe area. Currently Odinovo and Krotovo cultures (Bronze Age) are currently well-studied on the materials of burial complexes and settlements [Molodin, 2010: 61-76; Molodin, 2012; Molodin, Grishin, 2016]. The burial complexes of both cultures contained classical bronze artifacts of Seima-Turbino type. The stable repetition of this phenomenon on different burial sites of Odinovo and Krotovo cultures indicates that this phenomenon wasn’t accidental, but quite well-established. Moreover, the burials of Krotovo culture contained foundry molds for manufacturing classical axes and spears of Seima-Turbino type (Rostovka and Sopka-2|4BV sites) [Matyushchenko, Sinitsyna, 1988; Molodin, Grishin, 2016], as well as equipment for their production [Molodin, 1985]. In addition, three solid two-edged daggers with the bronze handle were found in situ in the burials of this culture. Author of this paper associates them with the Seima-Turbino phenomenon in Central Asia and South Siberia [Molodin, 2015]. Researchers have noted some specific character of the Seima-Turbino artifacts found, on the one hand, in the burial complexes of the Odinovo culture, and on the other hand, in the Krotovo culture [Molodin, 2012; Kuzminykh, 2011; 2019; Grushin, 2019]. This specificity could be explained by the chronological differences of their existence. The traditions associated with the Seima-Turbino bronzes’ manufacture were received by the Krotovo culture’s bearers and quite adapted in their environment. This is most clearly illustrated by the findings of foundry molds for the manufacturing of these artifacts that were found in the settlement of Krotovo culture, for example, Vengerovo-2 [Molodin et al., 2015] and the Chernoozerie-VI settlement [Kondratyev, 1976; Stefanova, Stefanov, 2007]. The tradition of Seima-Turbino bronzes’ manufacturing in the Krotovo culture was actively used even in the late period of Krotovo culture existence [Molodin, Durakov, 2018]. It was finally extinguished only with the arrival of Andronovo (Fedorovo) culture’s bearers to this area. These features may indicate that the Seima-Turbino artifacts found in the Odinovo complexes were imported to the West Siberian forest-steppe as a result of the migration of Seima-Turbino phenomenon’s bearers, while the artifacts of Krotovo culture were largely local. The Odinovo culture’s bearers were apparently assimilated or replaced by the Krotovo culture’s bearers to the taiga region of Western Siberia, having lost the Seima-Turbino tradition and developing the indigenous mettalurgy.

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