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Chronology of the Bronze Age Krotovo Site Vengerovo-2, Baraba Forest-Steppe: Archaeology and Radiocarbon Dating
https://doi.org/10.17746/1563-0110.2026.54.2.045-060
Abstract
We present the results of comparing archaeological observations and radiocarbon dating of materials from the Bronze Age settlement Vengerovo-2, Novosibirsk Region – the largest excavated site of the Krotovo culture, with ten dwellings and an extensive space between them. The structure of the site, the architectural uniformity of the dwellings, the stratigraphy and topography, the distribution of artifacts, the homogeneity of the ceramic assemblage, and the repaired walls and fence surrounding the village suggest that the settlement functioned for a short time. A large series of samples was subjected to radiocarbon analysis with Bayesian modeling. The earliest construction date is estimated on the basis of charcoal remains from burned structures (19 samples); and occupation duration, from animal bone samples from undisturbed utility features such as bronze-casting areas and storage pits inside dwellings (28 samples). We also used charcoal from central hearths (4 samples). We conclude that Krotovo people led an intense life in the village for no more than two centuries, from 2000 to 1800 BC, which is consistent with ethnographic evidence about the duration of life at permanent villages.
Keywords
Baraba forest-steppe,
Bronze Age,
Krotovo culture,
settlement,
occupation duration,
radiocarbon chronology,
Bayesian modeling
Supporting agencies: The authors are grateful to the AMS Golden Valley (GV) researchers who carried out the sample preparation, graphitization, and the AMS-analysis: A.V. Petrozhitsky, D.V. Kuleshov, O.V. Ershova, Y.V. Sryvkina, and E.V. Kuznetsova. The archaeological study was carried out under the R&D Project “Siberia and Adjacent Territories: Study and Reconstruction of the Historical and Cultural Past” (FWZG-2025-0001) of the IAET SB RAS. The graphitization work and the AMS-analysis were carried out under the R&D Project “Ground-Based Methods for Cosmic Ray Studies and Electron Beam Simulation of Particle Flows Around Space Vehicles” (FSUS-2025-0008) of the Novosibirsk State University
About the Authors
V. I. Molodin
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
630090; Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17; Novosibirsk
M. S. Nesterova
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
630090; Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17; Novosibirsk
L. N. Mylnikova
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
630090; Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17; Novosibirsk
P. N. Menshanov
Novosibirsk State University; Novosibirsk State Technical University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
630090; Pirogova 1; 630073; Pr. K. Marksa 20; Novosibirsk
K. A. Babina
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences; Novosibirsk State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
630090; Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17; 630090; Pirogova 1; Novosibirsk
E. V. Parkhomchuk
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences; Novosibirsk State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
630090; Pr. Akademika Lavrentieva 17; 630090; Pirogova 1; Novosibirsk
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For citations:
Molodin V.I., Nesterova M.S., Mylnikova L.N., Menshanov P.N., Babina K.A., Parkhomchuk E.V. Chronology of the Bronze Age Krotovo Site Vengerovo-2, Baraba Forest-Steppe: Archaeology and Radiocarbon Dating. Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia. 2026;54(2):45-60. https://doi.org/10.17746/1563-0110.2026.54.2.045-060
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