Cultural Anthropology, Anthropology of Nomadic Societies; Oral Cultures

Introduction. Since early times, traditions of different nations gave rise to ideas about purity of the body, clothing, and household items; so, certain rules have been developed to observe hygiene and behavioral norms during natural physiological processes inherent to the human body. The Turko-Mongolic nomads to have inhabited the dry and arid regions of Inner Asia developed a peculiar culture of personal and public hygiene. Objectives. The paper seeks to investigate the traditional culture of personal and social hygiene of Mongols – and more widely Turko-Mongolic nomads of Inner Asia. Materials and Methods. The main corpus of sources used in the research consists of archaeological, ethnographic, and historical materials that demonstrate some daily routine and culture of Inner Asian nomads — from the Xiongnu to later Turkic and Mongolic peoples connected with the region. The harsh natural conditions of the territory and the nomadic lifestyle created certain difficulties for practicing personal hygiene and especially complicated women’s life. On the other hand, many hy¬gienic problems, such as overcrowding, accumulation of garbage and sewage, emergence of rodents spreading parasites and disease, – disappeared (i.e. there were no favorable conditions for spreading pathogenic bacteria). Results. The article reveals that nomadic communities established original ideas of purity of the body, clothes, utensils, and dwelling – completely correlate with the spiritual sphere and not closely connected with the hygiene as such. However, a number of ideas and traditions served as special measures to prevent any spread of infectious diseases. So, there was a custom to use one’s own dish while travelling or paying visits, and there was a ban to wear other people’s clothes. The dry and frosty climate did not contribute to the growth of pathogenic bacteria for most of the year. Archaeological finds of the Xiongnu and Khitan periods indicate the presence of special sets of hy¬gienic devices which had been integral parts of men’s and women’s costumes, and were preserved in costumes of nomadic cultures to the 19th – early 20th centuries. Among the archaeological finds, tooth¬brushes attract particular attention. Under the conditions of water shortage and cold winters, it was most difficult to observe body hygiene. Hands and face were washed daily, in winter skin was rubbed with snow. Body washing procedures mainly occurred during the warm season. Women, fearing the wrath of the owner of the water, made ablutions in secluded places. During the menstruation period, animal hair and moss were used as pads. Oil and fat were used as a means to protect skin from moisture loss under conditions of frost and strong winds. Furthermore, the nomadic way of life determined the observance of hygienic requirements in nomadic dwellings. Due to regular changes of residence, the felt yurt would not become a breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria and parasites and was well ventilated. Stationary wooden dwellings of Siberian Turkic peoples and Buryats were aired, freezed and thoroughly washed with sand and water during seasonal movements. The mentioned groups regularly dried, aired and freezed household items (bedding, carpets) and clothes.

Goryachev A.A.,  Egorova T.A., Yatsenko S.A.

THE BONE PLATE WITH ENGRAVING COMPOSITION FROM THE EARLY IRON AGE SETTLEMENT KYZYLBULAK-IV IN THE UPPER PART OF TURGEN GORGE
The plate of original 13–15sm length made of horse`s left scapula bone (fig. 1, 3) was found in 2015 in the upper part of Turgen’ Gorge in the NW part of Tien-Shan Mountains, near Almaty city (SE Kazakhstan). It was found in the 1st-2nd cc. CE house of Wusun nomadic culture season settlement Kyzylbulak-IV (the point ca. 2280 m high) (fig. 1, 1), near the fair place (fig. 1, 2). The plate was, probably, the detail of unknown wooden artifact. It have the complete engraving composition, probably, demonstrated the triumph over the mutineer of the same ethnic group (with the same costume, hairstyle etc.). The details of the haircut, the armor, the swords, the severed head motif and the struggle of two groups of the same tribe union, the instruments for engraving are similar to the belt buckles from Orlat, barrow 2, and the plate can be included in Kangju “Nomadic Empire” art (fig. 3). It was the part of series of plates with battle and hunting scenes made of bone or horn in Trasoxiana in the 2nd c. BCE – 2nd c. CE (fig. 4). The wagon details are similar to Sarmatian images of the 2nd c. BCE – early 3rd c. CE (fig. 2: 4, 6-7). Possibly, the plate got to dependent population of the western part of Wusun in the time of the most active Kangju expansion in the 1st–2nd cc. AD. There the ruler (the left figure) brings the severed head of the enemy from the hands of the military group commander (the far right figure). Behind the ruler we see the fragmented big eagle, the symbol of power. Probably, the ruler will keep the important enemies heads (comp. in Karamania, SE Iran: Strabo. 15.2.14) in his residence and prepare the bowls for wine (comp. Herod. 4.64-65 and Xiongnu traditions). For common enemies the scalping was usual (comp. Herod. 4. 64). The meeting of winner was organized not in the residence but near the road wagon. The most likely, it was the episode of the ethno-political legend. 
[There are some editorial mistakes in the text. Among them, the important FIG. 1 was printed very bad. That’s why in the end of the article three main parts of this Figure pasted in more quality version].
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS:
FIG. 1. House No 1 and the bone engraved plate from Kyzylbulak-IV settlement:
1 - Kyzylbulak-IV plan and the excavation trench of 2015 y. with house No 1; 2 – house No 1 with the point of bone engraved plate find; 3 – the drawing of engraved bone artifact.
2. FIG. 2. Nomadic and semi-nomadic wagons and mobile houses:
1 – Znamenka (Khakasia, Okunevo Culture, Bronze Age, after Tainstvo 2014); 2 – Pazyryk, barrow 5, the 4th-3rd cc. BCE (after Rudenko 1953): 3 – wooden coffin near Shanmacheng Village, the 4th c. CE (Gansu, China, after Hexi zoulang, 2011);  4 – Sarmatian graffiti on Bayte III temple, the 3rd-1st cc. BCE (Ustyurt Plateau, Western Kazakhstan); 5 – Kyzylbulak-IV; 6 – burial models of Sarmatian wagons from Panticapaeum / Kertch, the 2nd-3rd cc. CE (after Yatsenko 1994); 7 – tombstone fragment from Tanais, the 2nd-3rd cc. CE (after Yatsenko, 1994).
FIG. 3. The armor, weapons (1-7, 13-14, 17-18) and hairstyle (8-12, 15-16):
1, 13, 15-17 – Kyzylbulak-IV; 2, 5-5а, 7-9, 12, 18 – Orlat, barrow 2, the 1st-2nd cc. CE (after Il’yasov 2003); 3, 14 – Zhaltyrak-Tash petroglyphs, Kyrgyzstan (3 – after Samashev 2013; 14 – non-published drowing of E.A. Miklashevitch); 4 – Indo-Saka coin of Azes II, 35-12 BCE (after http://www.coinarchives.com); 6 – Khalchayan, the Northern Bactria, the 1st c. CE (after Pugachenkova 1971); 10 – bronze lamp detail, near Tataz, South Kazakhstan (after Gorelik 1993); 11 – Tepsei Mointain, Khakasia, Tashtyk Culture (after Gryaznov 1971).

FIG. 4. Plates with battle and hunting scenes made of bone and horn, from Transoxiana of the 2nd c. BCE – 2nd c. CE (1-4), and warrior ritual with severed head (5):
1 – belt buckle from barrow 2 in Orlat, Sogd, the 1st-2nd cc. CE (after Il’yasov 2003; Yatsenko 2000); 2 – top of unknown artifact from Kalalay-Gyr 2, Khwarezm, the 2nd c. BCE (after Il’yasov 2013); 3 – belt buckle detail from Tillya-bulak, the Northern Bactria, the 1st c. BCE – the 1st c. CE (after Gruger, Il’yasov, Kaniuth 2012); 4 – belt plate from Takhti Sangin, the Northern Bactria, the 1st c. BCE – the 1st c. CE (after Livinsky 2002); 5 – the golden ‘cap’ from Kurjips barrow, the 4th c. BCE, Adygeya, the NW Caucasus (after Galanina 1980).

The article examines a broad range of archaeological and written sources, drawing on comparative historical, ethnographic, and folklore materials, to evaluate and summarize the available data on the age differentiation among the ancient Turks of the 6th–10th centuries. The authors argue that there may be pinpointed four distinct age categories,
whose members must have differed in regard to their social functions.
Keywords: Ancient Turks, age differentiation, social structure, Central Asia, written sources, archaeological evidence

ACTA EUROASIATICA
Studies on the Eurasian Nomadic Societies and Their Relations with the Outside World.
Institute of Archaeology and Ethnology of the Polish Academy of Sciences
&
Institute of Classical, Mediterranean and Oriental Studies
University of Wrocław
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Aleksander Paroń (Editor-in-Chief), Gościwit Malinowski (Editor),
Bartłomiej Sz. Szmoniewski (Editor), Hanna Urbańska (Secretary)
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