Begash (Phase 3a)
Basic information
Sample name: Begash (Phase 3a)
Reference: M. Frachetti and N. Benecke. 2009. From sheep to (some) horses: 4500 years of herd structure at the pastoralist settlement of Begash (south-eastern Kazakhstan). Antiquity 83(322):1023-1037 [ER 3760]
Geography
Country: Kazakhstan
Coordinate: 45° 54' N, 79° 30' E
Latlng basis: stated in text
Time interval: Holocene
Section: 3760
Unit number: 4
Unit order: below to above
Max Ma: 0.002657
Min Ma: 0.00243
Age basis: radiocarbon (uncalibrated)
Geography comments: "The settlement at Begash is located in eastern Kazakhstan (Semirech'ye) in the piedmont zone of the Dzhungar Mountains (950m asl). The site nestles on a flat ravine terrace enclosed by steep canyon walls on the north, west and south, and is situated along a spring-fed stream".
Radiocarbon dates for Phase 3a range from 2657 ± 84 to 2430 ± 45 BP (970-400 cal. BC).
Radiocarbon dates for Phase 3a range from 2657 ± 84 to 2430 ± 45 BP (970-400 cal. BC).
Environment
Lithology: not described
Taphonomic context: human accumulation, settlement
Archaeology: burials, ceramics, stone tools, other artifacts, other structures
Habitat comments: "The geography of the site indicates that Begash was a seasonally occupied winter time settlement for regionally mobile pastoralists".
"Phase 3a represents the early Iron Age at Begash, contemporary with Saka material culture. The earliest part of the phase is dated primarily by a burial, though the material culture and archaeological contexts across the site also suggest that the site was inhabited at the time of the burial. The interment itself is a simple pit dug approximately one metre deep, re-filled, and capped with large flagstones. Skeletal analysis indicates that the individual was a young adult woman, buried in a fully extended position. The only artifact recovered from the burial was a golden hair-ornament found beneath the skull of the individual. In addition to the burial, a few corresponding surfaces across the site during Phase 3a indicate a broadly similar pattern of occupation to that of Phase 2".
"Phase 3a represents the early Iron Age at Begash, contemporary with Saka material culture. The earliest part of the phase is dated primarily by a burial, though the material culture and archaeological contexts across the site also suggest that the site was inhabited at the time of the burial. The interment itself is a simple pit dug approximately one metre deep, re-filled, and capped with large flagstones. Skeletal analysis indicates that the individual was a young adult woman, buried in a fully extended position. The only artifact recovered from the burial was a golden hair-ornament found beneath the skull of the individual. In addition to the burial, a few corresponding surfaces across the site during Phase 3a indicate a broadly similar pattern of occupation to that of Phase 2".
Methods
Life forms: carnivores, ungulates, birds
Sampling methods: quarry, screenwash
Sample size: 60 specimens
Years: 2005 - 2006
Net or trap nights: 0
Basal area status: not applicable
Sampling comments: "Begash was excavated in 2005 and 2006. During the excavation, faunal remains were carefully collected by hand in all trenches of the site and screening of 50 per cent of the excavated soil was performed through a 10 mm screen. We also wet sieved and floated representative hearth and midden samples from nearly all stratigraphic contexts. While overall bone preservation is good, the remains are characterised by a high degree of fragmentation with only very few bones being complete".
Metadata
Sample no: 4017
Contributor no: Benjamin Carter
Enterer: Benjamin Carter
Created: 2022-10-17 16:59:30
Modified: 2023-05-30 02:20:24
Abundance distribution
Each square represents a species. Square sizes are proportional to counts. Values are logged.
Statistics
11 species
5 singletons
total count 60
geometric series index: 28.9
Fisher's α: 3.951
geometric series k: 0.6969
Hurlbert's PIE: 0.5864
Shannon's H: 1.4343
Good's u: 0.9178
Register
| Ovis aries (sheep) | 3 | |
| Capra aegagrus hircus (wild goat) | 1 | |
| also 57 Caprinae indet. | ||
| Bos taurus (cow) | 37 | |
| Equus ferus caballus (wild horse) | 3 | |
| Canis lupus familiaris (gray wolf) | 1 | 43.0 kg |
| Cervus elaphus (red deer) | 8 | |
| Ovis ammon (argali) | 1 | |
| Capra sibirica (Siberian ibex) | 2 | |
| Sus scrofa (pig) | 2 | |
| Vulpes vulpes (red fox) | 1 | |
| Sturnus vulgaris | 1 | 7.9 g |