Ornamentation of ceramics from structures of Shelomok II settlement

Due to its widespread nature and applicability of statistical comparison methods, ceramics is one of the essential elements in cultural attribution of monuments and general description of an ancient culture. The analysis focuses on ornaments. The article describes remnants of ceramic tableware from Shelomok II, a settlement of the Early Iron Age (Tomsk District, Tomsk Oblast). Being important for understanding the history of the Upper Ob region, this monument has been studied repeatedly since the 1970s. A variety of artifacts, including armaments, equestrian equipment, bronze casting, and artifacts that shed light on the worldview of the ancient local population, have been analysed. Results of this analysis have been published in sufficient detail. As for the ceramic items discovered in Shelomok, the findings are published only on the basis of excavations in 1972, 1973 and, partly, 2001. This article compares ornaments of ceramics from six excavated hollows and a cultural horizon of the archaeological monument Shelomok II. The analysis is aimed at giving a general description of these ornaments using statistical comparison methods. Based on the results of the study, ten groups of ornaments (78 compositions) can be identified. The classification is based on the presence or absence of pearls in ornamentation. Groups 1-4 include vessels with ornaments consisting of pearls in combination with other elements (61.4%). Group 1 includes two subgroups - A and B. Subgroup A is represented by ornaments with pure pearls, which encircle a vessel in one row (17.4%). Subgroup B comprises vessels decorated with pearls that are separated by specific elements (holes, carved lines, combs, triangles) in a single row (12.4%). Group 2 includes pearls and impressions of triangular and square sticks (16% of vessels). Group 3 is represented by pearls with comb impressions (7%). Group 4 comprises pearls with carved lines (8.9%). Groups 5 and 6 include through holes and pierced pearls in combination with other elements (7.7%). Groups 1-6 (ornamentation of vessels with pearls, pierced pearls and through holes) account for 75.6% of the vessels. Utensils from the cultural horizon and the hollows are similar in terms of ornamentation: utensils with pearls, pierced pearls and through holes make up 78% in the cultural horizon and 75.6% in the hollows. The other four groups, which do not have pearls, pierced pearls or through holes in ornamentation, account for 24.4% of the vessels. The analysis of the ceramics in individual structures revealed some specific features of ornamentation, which can be explained by several reasons: purpose of structures (dwellings, production facilities, buildings of worship), family and marital relations, the presence of foreign population (other than local residents), other ethnic and cultural components from different archaeological cultures. In general, the author has concluded that this ornamentation of ceramic vessels is typical of the Early Iron Age cultures located in southern taiga, forest-steppe and steppe zones of Western and Southern Siberia. This conclusion confirms that the Shelomok culture, including one of its monuments, Shelomok II settlement, can be attributed to these cultures.

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