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<article article-type="research-article" dtd-version="1.3" xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xml:lang="en"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">nsc</journal-id><journal-title-group><journal-title xml:lang="en">Archaeology, Ethnology &amp; Anthropology of Eurasia</journal-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title>Археология, этнография и антропология Евразии</trans-title></trans-title-group></journal-title-group><issn pub-type="ppub">1563-0110</issn><publisher><publisher-name>IAET SB RAS</publisher-name></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.17746/1563-0110.2026.54.1.083-090</article-id><article-id custom-type="elpub" pub-id-type="custom">nsc-2407</article-id><article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="heading"><subject>Research Article</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="section-heading" xml:lang="en"><subject>THE METAL AGES AND MEDIEVAL PERIOD</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="section-heading" xml:lang="ru"><subject>ЭПОХА ПАЛЕОМЕТАЛЛА</subject></subj-group></article-categories><title-group><article-title>The Technological Analysis of Earrings from a Burial with a Horse Skin at the Koybaly Cemetery, Khakassia</article-title><trans-title-group xml:lang="ru"><trans-title></trans-title></trans-title-group></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9303-4565</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name name-style="western" xml:lang="en"><surname>Volkov</surname><given-names>P. V.</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Leading Researcher, Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences; Leading Researcher, Novosibirsk State University.</p><p>Akademika Lavrentieva pr. 17, Novosibirsk, 630090; Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk, 630090</p></bio><email xlink:type="simple">volkov100@yandex.ru</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff-1"/></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" corresp="yes"><contrib-id contrib-id-type="orcid">https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7741-3167</contrib-id><name-alternatives><name name-style="western" xml:lang="en"><surname>Mitko</surname><given-names>O. A.</given-names></name></name-alternatives><bio xml:lang="en"><p>Associate Professor, Laboratory Head, Novosibirsk State University.</p><p>Pirogova 2, Novosibirsk, 630090</p></bio><email xlink:type="simple">omitis@gf.nsu.ru</email><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff-2"/></contrib></contrib-group><aff-alternatives id="aff-1"><aff xml:lang="en">Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences; Novosibirsk State University<country>Russian Federation</country></aff></aff-alternatives><aff-alternatives id="aff-2"><aff xml:lang="en">Novosibirsk State University<country>Russian Federation</country></aff></aff-alternatives><pub-date pub-type="collection"><year>2026</year></pub-date><pub-date pub-type="epub"><day>04</day><month>04</month><year>2026</year></pub-date><volume>54</volume><issue>1</issue><fpage>83</fpage><lpage>90</lpage><permissions><copyright-statement>Copyright &amp;#x00A9; Volkov P.V., Mitko O.A., 2026</copyright-statement><copyright-year>2026</copyright-year><copyright-holder xml:lang="ru">Volkov P.V., Mitko O.A.</copyright-holder><copyright-holder xml:lang="en">Volkov P.V., Mitko O.A.</copyright-holder><license license-type="creative-commons-attribution" xlink:href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/" xlink:type="simple"><license-p>This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.</license-p></license></permissions><self-uri xlink:href="https://journal.archaeology.nsc.ru/jour/article/view/2407">https://journal.archaeology.nsc.ru/jour/article/view/2407</self-uri><abstract><p>We reconstruct the manufacturing process of unique earrings from a medieval burial at Koybaly, Khakassia, presumably representing the Old Turkic goddess Umay. The composition of the alloy is assessed, tools presumably involved in the manufacture are described, stages of the technological process are evaluated, design defects and reasons underlying mechanical damage are discussed. On the basis of the results of the technological analysis, a two-stage manufacturing process was reconstructed. First, bird-like figures with convex anthropomorphic images were made in the center of a flattened plate decorated with filigree. The material was an alloy consisting of silver (up to 98 %) and copper (up to 3 %). Individual elements were joined using silver-lead solder. At the final stage, fire gilding of the entire surface was carried out. All these operations testify to a high professional level. Next, additional elements were attached, and the ornaments were radically reshaped into earrings with an entirely different design. Globular pendants were rather carelessly attached with thin silver wire. On the outer surfaces, traces of wear were found, apparently caused by long use after the reshaping of the plates into earrings. The condition of the ornaments at the time of burial suggests that the manufacture, reshaping, and repair were performed by three different persons. Each used his own tools and materials, and their professional habits and skills, too, were different.</p></abstract><kwd-group xml:lang="en"><kwd>Southern Siberia</kwd><kwd>Middle Ages</kwd><kwd>jewelry</kwd><kwd>alloy composition</kwd><kwd>technological analysis</kwd><kwd>functional analysis</kwd></kwd-group><funding-group xml:lang="en"><funding-statement>This study was carried out under the state assignment of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation in the field of scientific activities under Projects FSUS-2025-0009 “Specific Aspect of Formation of Intercultural Communications in Siberia—from the Stone Age to the Early Modern Age (Based on Archaeological and Written Sources)” (O.A. Mitko) and FWZG-2025-0001 “Siberia and Adjacent Territories: Study and Reconstruction of the Historical and Cultural Past” (P.V. Volkov). The authors express their especial gratitude to D.V. Selin, Senior Researcher at the Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS, for his consultations during the preparation of this article.</funding-statement></funding-group></article-meta></front><back><ref-list><title>References</title><ref id="cit1"><label>1</label><citation-alternatives><mixed-citation xml:lang="ru">Amzarakov P.B., Lazaretov I.P., Mitko O.A., Polyakov A.V. 2015 Etnokulturnaya prinadlezhnost srednevekovogo zakhoroneniya so shkuroi konya v doline reki Idzhim v Zapadnykh Sayanakh. Vestnik Novosibirskogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta. 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