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Sarmatians
L.T. Yablonsky, D.V. Pejemsky, A.N. Suvorova
Paleoanthropology of Southern Urals population in Late Sarmat time
(Pokrovka-10 burials)

in Establishment and development of Late Sarmat culture (from archeological and natural sciences materials)
Proceedings of the Center for Study of Sarmatian History and Culture, No. 13
Volgograd, 2010. pp. 143-183

Links

http://nasledie.org/v3/ru/?action=view&id=421431 (L.T. Yablonsky)
http://rusanthropology.ru/index.php?go=Files&in=print&id=71 (A.N. Suvorova suvorova@iea.ras.ru, nsuvorova@mail.ru)
http://www.antropos.msu.ru/sotrudniki/PezhemskyDV.html (D.V. Pejemsky)

Foreword

The offered unique, in the assessment of the authors, work offers materials and analyses of the people labeled "Sarmatians" and "Late Sarmatians", a preliminary genetical preview of whom was produced by Dr. Joachim Burger Mamas of Pokrovka Sarmatians, equipped with maps showing where the people could have come from. The extensive anthropological study of the Pokrovka-10 burials finds the local women occupying a majority of the female slots under kurgans, their male tribesmen buried elsewhere, and their place taken by the migrant newcomers from S.Siberia and Kazakhstan. The genetic analysis of mamas tells that either only most dedicated husbands dragged their sweethearts with them half a way across Eurasia, otherwise finding suitable spouses locally, or that only selected few women belonging to the local highest elite could get a ticket for a place under kurgan. Both works solidly corroborate each other, coming from entirely different directions to identical conclusions, and that include the source of the sample series. However, because Pokrovka is just one of many thousands kurgan burials, it allows only a statistically insignificant peek into history, and can be dismissed as an aberration in the whole picture of some particular-type theories. Much more honest and scrupulous research is needed. Many elements of that work are listed in the Bibliography section of the article.

Periodization and terminology

Map of Caucasus showing area where anthropological and genetical studies converge: Balkar/Karachai, Azeri and Kayi Huns/Savir Huns in the Caucasus (Component 3 in this study)

Early Sarmatian period (200-1 BC), aka Prokhorov
Middle Sarmatian period (1-150 AD)
Late Sarmatian period (150-400 AD), aka Pokrovka-10  

This anthropological study makes a crucial link in the Scytho-Iranian theory, hanging on the chain Iranian-Ossetian-As-Alan-Sarmatian-Scythian that led to the victorious equating Iranian = Scythian, quite delightful: as Sarmatians were Uraloids, and the core of that theory holds that they were kindred with the other links of the linguistic chain, that makes Iranians a type of Uraloids of a Chuvash-looking variety, or given that the fate did not bless the theory with low-faced cranially deformed Chuvashe-Iranians, that forces all those resting under kurgans deceased to re-learn their native kitchen languages to graduate to the luster of the Iranian-speaking Sarmats. The work clearly guides us from original Uraloid Prokhorov Sarmatians to the "Eastern complex" Late Sarmatians. It is noteworthy that like the Genesis chapter, the Scytho-Iranian theory relied for its survival on forced hearsay argumentation and absence of scientific studies; every ray of daylight shed on the subject always turns out to be its last straw.

The turn of Sarmatian history started with pra-Chinese colonizing Hunnic Ordos in the 4th c. BC. That started a 2-centuries long war that bled both sides dry, and allowed the weaklings Syanbi to take over control of the eastern steppe belt section, starting a drive of multimillion Hunnic masses to search for better and less defended pastures and subjects. Spreading like a Christmas Tree east to west, the Hunnic tribes and their affiliates settled in Kazakhstan, India, Bactria and Khorasan, Urals, Caucasus, Ukraine, and extended into Balkans and Central Europe, opening a new page of history wherever they passed. Barging on the "Sarmatians", who more likely were their subjects than just neighbors, Hunnic rulers and tribes asserted their god-given right for supremacy, by 150 AD they reached Itil in the north and Caucasus in the south.

Posting's notes and explanations, added to the text of the authors and not noted specially, are shown in (blue italics) in parentheses and in blue boxes.

L.T. Yablonsky, D.V. Pejemsky, A.N. Suvorova
Paleoanthropology of Southern Urals population in Late Sarmat time

Contents
1. Introduction
2. Craniological program
2.1. Paleodemographic reconstruction
2.2. Custom of artificial cranial deformation
2.3. Intra-and inter-group craniological analysis
3. Odontological study of the Southern Urals early nomads (A.N. Suvorova)
4. Paleoodontologic observations
5. Osteological description (D.V.Pejemsky)
6. Discussion of the results. Key findings of the three anthropological systems
Literature

1. Introduction

Burial kurgan Pokrovka-10 is located in the Sol-Iletsk district of Russia Orenburg province, at the confluence of the rivers Ilek and its left tributary Hobdy. The cemetery is located on a level second terrace of Ilek, under plowed field.

Over 100 burial kurgans were excavated, of them more than 80 kurgans are dated by Late Sarmat time, from the second half of the 2nd - beginning of the 4th c. AD (Yablonsky, 1999; Malashev, Yablonsky, 2003, 2004; Malashev et al., 2001).

In the excavations was obtained a series of paleo-anthropological materials of skulls and postcranial skeletons. Currently, this series is unique to Southern Urals in both qualitative and quantitative terms. The sex-age studies of the skeletal remains were performed by L.T. Yablonsky during field work, and then refined in laboratory conditions from the complex of the cranial, osteological and odontological results. Craniological and paleodemographic part of the studies were performed by L.T. Yablonsky, the osteological processing of the series was performed by D.V. Pejemsky, the odontologic processing was performed by N.A. Suvorova.

2. Craniological program

2.1. Paleodemographic reconstruction

The sex and age were determined for 71 skeleton (for all cases when bones could be detected in the grave). Thus, has been met one of the requirements generally applied for paleodemographic reconstruction (on the term, see Yablonsky, 1985), the presence of initial finds for fully excavated burials. In the funeral ritual were used two types of burial chambers, simple grave pits and pits with side niche (catacombs). The choice of the burial chamber type was not correlated with the gender of the deceased.

The further consideration of the demographic materials should in principle be calculated with a consideration of the synchronous generations represented by the age groups. In the present study, sufficient reasons indicate that this principle has been breached by established asynchronism of the graves. Therefore, all demographic calculations are somewhat conditional.

Another reservation concerns the calculations for the total age at death in this population in respect to the infant mortality. The burials contained improbably small number of children graves (only four out of seventy, or about 7%). What is known about infant mortality in ancient and not too ancient communities (Yablonsky, 1980, Table 1) suggests that in the Pokrovka-10 cemetery this figure is clearly too low. This phenomenon can only explained by a supposition that for some reasons not all deceased children of the population were buried in the cemetery. Therefore, in this case the calculation for the general index of the age at death is not reasonably accurate.

The ratio of deceased men and women is 1:1.64 (25 males, 42 females), while the norm is approaching a ratio of 1:1, or a very slight predominance of the males (1,05-1,06), due to their higher birth rate in any population (Kuvshinova, 1985 pp. 422-423), and the graph of the sex-age pyramid normally approaches a symmetrical parabola. Therefore it must be accepted that in this population a normal sex ratio has been biased by an unusually high proportion of males. Distortion of the branch symmetry in the parabola is linked with external disturbances, which for example include wars that lead to a drop in birth rate and decrease of males, and permanent migration that lead to an increase in the working age male population (Batalina, Volkov, 1985, pp. 65-66). Males are found numerically predominant in the areas of permanent immigration (Volkov, 1985. p. 424). It is clear that a lack of reproductive age women can lead to depopulation. And this trend, given the apparently low figure of infant mortality (which may also indicate a lower fertility), seems to be observed in the materials from the Pokrovka-10 cemetery.

Other reasons that may cause an increase in the sex ratio is maternal age (the lesser it is, the the greater is the probability of a baby boy), and prolonged military activities (increase proportion of young parents and lowering the spousal age) (Kuvshinova, 1985. p. 423).

To determine the age at death was used conventional grading generally accepted in the national anthropology (Alekseev, Debets, 1964,. p. 39): Infantilis (child) 1 - from 0 to 6-7 years, Infantilis (child) 2 - up to 12-13 years, Juvenis (Youth) - up to 18 years, Adultus (young) - up to 30-35 years, Maturus (mature) - up to 50-55 years, Senilis - old age.

So, to calculate the demographic indexes for the population that left the Pokrovka-10 burials were used age intervals traditionally accepted in the national anthropology. The averaging was performed with the method proposed by V.P. Alexeev (1972). The resultant mean absolute figures for the gradation are as follows: Infantilis I - 4 years; Infantilis 2 - 10 years; Adultus - 30 years; Maturus - 45 years; Senilis - 65 years. A.G. Kozintsev (1971) proposed somewhat different methods to calculate these parameters, but according to N.N. Mamonova (1978) the differences between the two methods are insignificant.

In the cemetery were buried 25 women, four children under the age of 16 years old and 41 males. One skeleton was of a fetus.

The results on the sex-age composition of the deceased are given in Table 1. These results suggest that four individuals, or 6.2% of the population, died at teenager age; 26 people or 40% died young; 25 people or 38.4% died mature. Ten people, or 15.4% lived to the old age.

Among males, two people or 4.9% of the male population died in adolescence, 16 people or 39% died young, 20 people or 48.8% died at mature age, and three or 7.3% lived to old age.

Two women, or 8.3% of the female population, died in adolescence; ten women or 41.7% died young; five females or 20.8% died at mature age; and seven females or 29.2% died at the old age.

These results demonstrate the following trends: in both males and females is observed relatively high survival rate to the young age; the vast majority of people (both men and women) were dying at young and mature age. The survival rate to the old age was relatively high, but women were more likely to live to the old age than the men. In demography, the preponderance in the population of the females surviving to the old age over the males is usually due to protracted wars or other extreme events, which increase mortality among the male population reflecting the male basic sex-role functions . Judging by the features of the Pokrovka-10 funeral ritual, where the weaponry was found exclusively in the male burials, fighting was the sex-role function of the male population.

Converting age graduations to the mean values of absolute figures according to the above mentioned V.P. Alexeev method, the weighted average age at death for men was 39.3 years, for women 44.4 years, and the mean age at death in the adult population was 41.2 years. Tables 3 and 4 show the average age at death for selected ancient populations.

The average age at death of the men in the Late Sarmat epoch form the Pokrovka-10 cemetery approaches that age for the medieval population, and is only slightly less the average age figure for the townspeople of the Kipchak Khanate. As to the average age at death for women, the Pokrovka-10 figure is incredibly high. It is obvious that its high value is caused by the relative paucity of female sample that had a high proportion of females who lived to the old age. This figure also significantly influenced the total average lifespan of adults. With these caveats, the Later Sarmatians of the Southern Urals must be recognized to have a fairly long lifespan, and the noted above depopulation trend was apparently associated not as much with biological as with the social factors. We can expect that among these factors was migration of men culturally and ethnically alien to the native population, a risk factor from the protracted wars, and a factor of certain genetic isolation in the conditions of low female density in the steppe zones of the region.

2.2. Custom of artificial cranial deformation

Almost all skulls from the Pokrovka-10 burials have more or less distinct traces of intravital artificial cranial deformation. Singular exceptions in particular are the male skulls from the paired graves of the kurgan 19, which further underscores the particularity of these graves in the cemetery.

In accordance with the typology of E.V. Jirov (1940) and V.V. Ginsburg (Ginsburg, Jirov, 1949), this type of artificial cranial deformation is called circular or orbital. Following the publication of material from the Kenkol burials in Kazakhstan, this type of deformation became traditionally, though not always justifiably, called "Hunnic". Still in infancy, the head was tightly bandaged slightly above the frontal tubercles and across prebregmatic region of the skull. Analogous method of artificial cranial deformation was applied, for example, by the Indians of South America (Torres-Rouff, Yablonsky, 2005) (See Scientific American 2011, Vol. 305, No 5 The first Americans, and A.Karimullin, 1995, Proto-Türks and American Indians).

Sometimes in addition to the circular bandage was also applied another method of cranial deformation, when the shape of the head was changed in two steps. In that case was foisted circular deformation, and in addition was changed the shape of the head by applying pressure along the line from the crown to the lower jaw, so that the concave of the cranium surface from the deforming band or plate was formed not only in pre-, but also in post-bregmatic area. Precisely this method of deformation used the people that left the Pokrovka-10 cemetery.

Depending on the pressure force of the deforming object in the transverse or oblong direction the head acquired either high or relatively lower form. Also, the shape of the top of the skull was also affected differently. The distribution of these skull forms in the Pokrovka-10 burials in respect to the gender and the degree of deformation is shown in Table 5. The degree of deformation was determined empirically with the intra-group scale of four points (grade 0 - absence of the deformation, grade 1 - least pronounced degree of deformation, grade 2 - moderately expressed deformation, grade 3 - the most expressed deformation).

Table 5. Distribution of skulls forms by sex and degree of artificial deformation
Sphenoid Ovoid Ellipsoind Pentagonoid
Sex
N (n=52) - 2 1 2 14 7 17 9
Sdf - 3 - 1.5 1.4 2.6 2.5 2.4
Phenotype N/A Comp. 1 N/A Comp. 1 Comp. 2 Comp. 1 Comp. 2 Comp. 1
N- number
Sdf. - average deformation score
Таблица 5. Распределение форм черепов в зависимости от пола и степени искусственной деформации
Сфеноид Овоид Эллипсоинд Пентагоноид
Пол
N (n=52) - 2 1 2 14 7 17 9
Sдф - 3 - 1.5 1,4 2,6 2,5 2,4
Фенотип N/A Comp. 1 N/A Comp. 1 Comp. 2 Comp. 1 Comp. 2 Comp. 1
N- численность
Sдф. - средний балл деформации

The mean degree of deformation in men is 2.31, and for women 2.55. The trend towards a greater degree of deformation at women is apparently caused by easier to deform on the whole thinner female craniums. In the series sharply predominate the skulls of ellipsoid and pentagonoid forms. This equally applies to the men and women. Skulls of sphenoid form were found only in two cases, and only in women with severely deformed heads. Isolated cases of ovoid form were associated with a small degree of cranial deformation. The males with ellipsoidal shape of the skull have on the average a relatively weak degree of deformation. The pentagonoid form of the head is gender neutral in relation to the degree of deformation, both men and women had strongly deformed heads.

The main conclusion is that the same cranial deformation method however resulted in the diversity of the cranial forms, which may be predicated by the heterogeneity of population with different traits of the initial (before deformation) form of the cranium.

During deformation process were more or less impacted the bone shapes and sizes the not only of the cranium, but also of the facial part. The deformation process changed the shape of the cranium arches, inclination angles of the forehead and occipital inflection, and the width of the frontal bone. With the deformation of the frontal bone changed the shape of the orbits - they became higher, the shape of nose (it becomes flatter), the width and height of the nose bridge, the angle of the nasal bones (tendency to reduction), the height of the nose (increased), nasomalar angle (increased). At the same time, the deformation did not affect the original structure of the skull below the plane of the zygomatic diameter. It almost did not change the size of the nose width, the length and width of the alveolar arch and palate, the values of the zygomaxillary angle, and the median width of the face. In addition, the deformation did not affect the length of the sagittal and transverse arches, as well as the values of the indices of the cranium, computed from the three overall sizes of the cranium and the overall size of the facial skeleton.

All these circumstances must be considered in the following craniometric studies.

2.3. Intra-and inter-group craniological analysis

After restoration 29 male and 19 female skulls from the Pokrovka-10 burial kurgans of the Late Sarmat time were suitable for measurements. Craniometric measurements of the series was performed by L.T. Yablonsky following anthropological methods accepted in Russia (Alekseev, Debets, 1964).

Median craniometric indices for male and female skulls are given in Tables 6 and 7. The dispersion in values of certain traits with race-diagnostic significance may reflect anthropological heterogeneity of both male and female samples. Thus, the length of the skull base (Mart.5) in both men and women varies from very small to very large numbers. The same holds for zygomatic diameter (Mart.45), which ranges in males from 122 mm (very small) to 149 mm (very large) and in females from 121 to 146 mm. The series is extremely heterogeneous in the nose protrusion angle (March 75 (1)), with values ranging from 18° to 40° for men, and from 7° to 29° for women.

The raised divergence of the cranium three main diameters, the height of upper face, the height of the orbits, and some other features can be explained by the influence of artificial cranial deformation. Therefore, when comparing empirical statistical parameters against the standard values, attention should be given to the traits that have not been affected by the distorting mechanisms, or have been affected to a minimal degree without significant changes. The names of such parameters in the Tables 6 and 7 are highlighted by italics. The values of quadratic deviations exceeding in magnitude the global standard values are highlighted in bold and by underlining (Alekseyev, Debets, 1964, Table 12, 13), testifying to their higher variability compared with the global standard span.

Quite convincingly, increased variability for both the male and female series was found in the majority of the selected attributes. Increased variability in both samples was also found in the cranial and facial skeleton indices. According with the absolute values of these indices in the series, along with transitional forms are present maturated hypermorphic and gracile hypomorphic skulls. It can be posited that the initial increased variability was typical for all major craniometric parameters, including those that have been distorted as a result of artificial cranial deformation of the deceased.

The conclusion that the sharp cranial heterogeneity of the Southern Urals Late Sarmat population does not conflict with the impression received during a visual inspection of the skulls. In this case, the averaged craniometric indices of the male and female samples are phantom and do not reflect reality of the studied population's physical diversity.

The artificial deformation, which is a trait of the absolute majority of both male and female skulls, is precluding a valid intra-group craniometrical statistical analysis, because the base dimensions of the cranium and facial skeleton of the skulls were changed from the original norm. Nevertheless, the visual inspection of the series allows to distinguish quite clearly distinctive morphological components, and the with transitional forms.

Component 1 is a group of male and female artificially deformed skulls characterized by the following features:
(Extremely high degree of artificial cranial deformation).
The group is numerically dominated by the female skulls.
They are meso-brachicranial with low crania, relatively gracile, hypomorphic, low-faced (Uraloid).
These skulls have underdeveloped glabellar and brow relief.
Their orbits are of medium height, nose bridge area is somewhat flattened at nasion level, and also in cross-section at symotic points, which as a rule leads to large values of the nasomalar angle (with median values of the zigomaxillar angle).
Some skulls of this group, along with general flattening of the facial skeleton in the horizontal plane, have a slight alveolar prognathism.
The nose protrusion angle is most often moderate.

Component 2 in contrast, is represented by mostly male skulls.
First of all, they are distinguished by extremely high degree of artificial cranial deformation, which is most often performed in two stages.
These are massive mesocranial Caucasioids with high skull vault and developed macrorelief.
First and foremost, stronger macrorelief is salient in the brow and glabellar development.
The face is large, wide and high, sharply profiled in the horizontal plane, and orthognathic.
The nose angle is large or very large.
The orbits are low.
The nose is large, of medium width, the nose bridge is well profiled in the cross section.
The cheekbones are located frontally.

Component 3 skulls in the series are not numerous, but very distinct.
They are weakly deformed and, moreover, above all differ from those described above by exceptional overall massiveness, combined with sharp dolichocrania (the skull from burial kurgan 58 had longitudinal diameter 202 mm, the skull from burial kurgan 98 had longitudinal diameter 191 mm, the skull from burial kurgan 42 had longitudinal diameter 208 mm).
With the medium-developed macrorelief, the brow and glabellar area is very well developed.
The skulls are hypermorphic and very high-faced in absolute dimensions (the skulls from kurgans 63 and 78 have the size of the upper height of the face 79 mm).
However, the large width of the facial skeleton makes the face relatively low.
The face with very deep fang sockets is well profiled in the horizontal plane.
The orbits are high.
The nose is high and narrow, strongly protruding.
It is interesting to note that this group is represented with only male skulls.

Transitory variations between the described forms are not numerous in the series, which may indicate that the hybridization process in this population did not have time yet to advance too far.

The search for analogies for the morphological complexes described in the series leads to the following conclusions:

The Component 1 skulls show the greatest resemblance to the series of the same cemetery Pokrovka-10, but of the previous Early Sarmat time.
They also are meso-brachicranial, relatively gracile, with moderately developed macrorelief of the skull.
The face, somewhat flattened in the horizontal profile, is not large, of medium width, and relatively low.
The orbits are large, of medium height.
The nose is of medium size, sometimes moderately protruding (especially for women).
The area of nose bridge is somewhat flattened, the nasal bones are narrow.

Thus, it should be asserted that one of the anthropological components forming the series of the Late Sarmat time was a local, Uralic. In principle, this craniological complex is comparable to the complex which is usually typical for the modern representatives of the Uralic race (Uraloid).

The Component 2 that we have isolated has closest analogy of comparable skulls in the synchronous materials originating from the territory of Kazakhstan and Central Asia. In the last centuries of the 1st millennia BC and in the first centuries AD, artificially deformed meso-brachicranial, broad-faced, sharply profiled in the horizontal plane skulls with strongly protruding nasal bones were found in a wide area from southern Tajikistan to the Aral Sea (Ginsburg, Trofimova, 1972, Kiyatkina, 1976, Yablonsky 1999). A series of such skulls (but with some Mongoloid traits) was described, in particular, in the Kenkol Cemetery (Ginsburg, Jirov, 1949), whose origin was tentatively connected with the Huns. Nowadays, this conclusion is disputed, but the Caucasoid base of the Hun-time (200 BC-!00 AD) Central Asian and Kazakhstan population can not be doubted. The skulls of the "Central Asian-Kazakhstan version" of the Pokrovka-10 is notable for the absence of any expressions of the Mongoloid admixture. It is supposed (Alekseev, Gohman, 1984, p.55) that the anthropological layer of the Hun or Usun time (200 BC-!00 AD) in Central Asia and Kazakhstan displays a genetic continuity with the population of that region in the previous eras. In the Southern Urals territory, in particular in the Pokrovsk cemeteries, the inflow of the Central Asian population is documented still during the Early Sarmatian time (Yablonsky, 1997, 2000a). Apparently, in the Late Sarmat epoch the Central Asian nomads also were migrating into the Southern Urals territory, and were one of the anthropological components among the indigenous population.

The Component 3 makes a more difficult case to find analogous anthropological component for the Pokrovka series.

Among the known craniological materials the skulls morphologically similar to the Pokrovka skulls, but of the preceding period, were found only in the Caucasus, in the territory of Armenia. This is a series of burial Tsamakaberd (40.55°N 45.0°E). The publication by V.P. Alexeev (1974, Table 20) they are given together with a series of late 2nd - 1st millenniums BC, but according to R. Mkrtchyan (2001, Table 8), they date from the 17th-16th cc. BC. V.P Alekseev by the morphological similarity combined this series with another series, also originating from the territory of Armenia, from the Narduz burials (38.9°N 46.2°E). According to the author (Alekseev, 1974, pp. 97 -98), the expression of Caucasoid distinctions in these skulls does not differ from the modern Armenians. Of the other features attention is drawn to a large size of the face in conjunction with a sharp dolichocrania. In the opinion of V.P Alexeev, people from Tsamakaberd and Narduz can be viewed as direct descendants of the people who left Lchashen and Sevan burials. However, R. Mkrtchyan (2001, Table 8), having refined the chronology of the Lchashen, dates it to the same or even later time (17th-16th cc. BC). In the context of our theme it is important to note that the craniological complex, recorded in the Late Sarmat time Pokrovka, finds analogies only in the S.Caucasus, where it is present still in the Bronze Age and represents, in particular, the aborigines of the Armenian Highland. It should be considered that (at least, as long as the analogy of this complex is not found in other areas) among the people who left kurgans in the Pokrovka-10 cemetery, could also be people from the Caucasus.

Assyrian literary records name a number of tribes in the Northern Mesopotamia with suspiciously Türkic-sounding names, all of them depicted as horse pastoralists, with dating starting at 21st c. BC and extending into 8th c.BC: Tukriş (Turuk, Tuγri), Guties (Guzes), Kangar (Kangly), Subartu (Suvar/Chuvash/Savir etc.) and Kumans. In the 21st -8th cc. BC these nomadic tribes were also aboriginal tribes of the Armenian Highland, and wide-faced Armenians are as typical for Armenian phenotype as Micronesians are for Scandinavian phenotype. In the context of our theme the anthropological analogy of the N.Mesopotamia aborigines with the S.Urals component of Late Sarmatians is fascinating and educational. See W.B. Henning Guties.
Assyria

Thus, the analysis of the Late Sarmat time craniological series from the Pokrovka-10 burial leads to the following conclusions:

The population that left this cemetery was anthropologically extremely heterogeneous and included at least three morphological components.

One of them constituted a majority of the deceased, mainly women, had a local Uralic origin, it is comparable with the modern representatives of the Uralic race (Uraloid).

Two other groups have appeared in the South Urals as a result of migration.

One (small) group came from the Central Asia and Kazakhstan territory. By its physical type, it has no exact analogies in the modern populations, but closest to it are relatively gracilized (relative to it) representatives of the northern variant of the Pamir-Fergana race. \

Another, also a small group of migrants, by their physical type has no (known) analogies in the Eurasian steppes and semi-deserts, and their genetic origins apparently is connected with the S.Caucasus territory.

These findings, in principle, not in conflict with the archaeological data, which detects the funeral burial inventory Caucasian and Central Asian imports.

The buried in the cemetery people equally used the custom of the circular type artificial cranial deformation. But all three anthropological components transpire clearly enough, with a small (percentage-wise) number of transient (metisized) forms. The latter circumstance allows to assume quite reasonably that the process of metisization in the population has not advanced too far, and in this case we observe a mechanical rather than a biological admixture. In turn, this conclusion suggests that this population has existed for a relatively short time. This assertion in principle is supported by the materials testifying about relatively narrow chronological span of the Late Sarmatian part of the cemetery, and in addition the anthropological materials testify that the mixing arena was precisely the South Urals region.

Given the archaeological evidence, which records a chronological gap between the left bank Ilek people of the Early and Late Sarmatian time, it may be presumed that the population as a whole migrated to the confluence of Ilek and Hobda as a result of migration, but its core were females of the local Ural population.

3. Odontological study of the Southern Urals early nomads from the materials of the Pokrovka-10 burials (A.N. Suvorova)

The complex of odontological traits in principle is genetically independent from the complex of craniological traits, which gives reasons to view the results of the odontological analysis also independent of the craniological analysis. Therefore not surprisingly the results of the odontological analysis studies may or may not concur with the craniological conclusions, and precisely the different conclusions of both studies present a particular interest in ethnogenetic studies.

The purpose of the performed analysis of the ancient Ural population odontological features was to determine its place among the synchronous northern Eurasian groups and clarification the paths of the genesis. Therefore, the main task was to describe the dental morphology of nomads buried in the Pokrovka-10 cemetery, and to conduct a retrospective analysis of the studied groups on a broad background of the ancient East European (and Central Asian) population.

The research program includes the traditional for the national school of dentistry set of discrete traits that differ in the time of formation, taxonomic significance, and genetic causation (Zubov, 1968, 1973). In addition, to gain a better understanding of the lifestyle and health status of the studied population, were reviewed such features as prevalence of dental caries, periodontal disease, dental enamel hypoplasia, fluorosis, and the overall incidence of the dental diseases (presence of at least one of these pathologies in an individual).

In general, the morphology of the dental system allows to regard the Prokhorov people as belonging to the western odontological stem (Table 8). They are characterized by complete absence of spatulate upper medial incisors, but with the presence of spatulate lateral incisors, low reduction levels of the second upper molar metacone and moderate frequency of Carabelli cusp, and low frequency six-cusp first lower molars. About Prokhorov people can stated significant gracilization of the mandibular molars: a large frequency of four-cusp first molars, incidence of three-cusp second molars. A reflection of the general gracilization of the tooth-jaw apparatus is manifested in the reduction of alveolar process, which entails, among other things, increase in the frequency of fused roots (Zubov, 1973. 151). In that respect, notable is the low frequency of differentiated premolar and molar roots (three-root molars were not observed).

Table 8. Odontology of Sarmatian series from Pokrovka-10 burial
Traits Groups
Early Sarmatians
(4th-2nd cc. BC)
(Same as
Lower Dnieper Scythians)
Late Sarmatians
(2nd-4th cc. AD)
(Sarmats + Kangars/Huns)
Spatulate I1(∑2-3) 0,0  (7) 42,9  (7)
Spatulate I2(∑2-3) 28,6  (7) 10,0  (10)
Reduction I2(балл 1) 9,5  (21)  3,6  (28)
М2 (∑3+, 3) 12,5  (16)  20,0  (25)
Carabelli cusp (∑2-5) 41,7  (12)  23,1  (13)
Oblique crest at М1 92,9  (14) 100,0  (17)
Р1 (∑2-3) 10,0  (20) 28,0  (25)
Р2 (∑2-3) 100,0  (17) 100,0  (17)
М1(4) 30,8  (26)  23,3  (30)
М1(5) 61,5  (26) 76,7  (30)
М1(6) 7,7  (26) 0,0  (30)
М2(3)  4,6  (22) 0,0  (34)
М2(4) 81,8  (22) 82,3  (34)
М2(5) 13,6  (22)  11,8  (34)
М2(6)  0,0  (22) 5,9  (34)
Distal trigonid crest on M1  7,7  (13) 11,8  (17)
Angular metaconid fold on M1 33,3  (6) 0,0  (4)
Epikristid on M1 7,7  (13) 0,0  (15)
Tami  М1 7,1  (28) 3,1  (32)
Inter-root pocket of enamel on М2(∑ 5,6) 41,7  (24) 54,8  (31)
Inter-root pocket of enamel on М2(∑ 5,6) 44,4  (18) 46,2  (26)
Split root Р1 (∑ 2-3) 17,6  (17) 15,6  (32)
Hypodontia М3 61,9  (21) 50,0  (34)
Таблица 8. Одонтологическая характеристика Сарматских серий могильника Покровка-10
Признаки Группы
РАННИЕ САРМАТЫ
(IV-II вв. до н.э.)
ПОЗДНИЕ САРМАТЫ
(II-IV вв.)
Лопатообразность I1(∑2-3) 0,0  (7) 42,9  (7)
Лопатообразность I2(∑2-3) 28,6  (7) 10,0  (10)
Редукция I2(балл 1) 9,5  (21)  3,6  (28)
М2 (∑3+, 3) 12,5  (16)  20,0  (25)
Бугорок Карабелли (∑2-5) 41,7  (12)  23,1  (13)
Косой гребень на М1 92,9  (14) 100,0  (17)
Р1 (∑2-3) 10,0  (20) 28,0  (25)
Р2 (∑2-3) 100,0  (17) 100,0  (17)
М1(4) 30,8  (26)  23,3  (30)
М1(5) 61,5  (26) 76,7  (30)
М1(6) 7,7  (26) 0,0  (30)
М2(3)  4,6  (22) 0,0  (34)
М2(4) 81,8  (22) 82,3  (34)
М2(5) 13,6  (22)  11,8  (34)
М2(6)  0,0  (22) 5,9  (34)
Дистальный гребень тригонида  на М1  7,7  (13) 11,8  (17)
Коленчатая складка метаконида на М1 33,3  (6) 0,0  (4)
Эпикристид  на М1 7,7  (13) 0,0  (15)
Tami  М1 7,1  (28) 3,1  (32)
Межкорневой затек эмали на М2(∑ 5,6) 41,7  (24) 54,8  (31)
Межкорневой затек эмали на М2 (∑ 5,6) 44,4  (18) 46,2  (26)
Расщепление корня Р1 (∑ 2-3) 17,6  (17) 15,6  (32)
Гиподонтия М3 61,9  (21) 50,0  (34)

A typical feature of the group is extremely high hypodontia of the wisdom tooth molars (M3), which finds no parallels among the synchronous populations of the Early Iron Age: the absence of at least one third molar was recorded in 61.9% of the Prokhorov people. More or less similar rates were observed only in the Eastern Aral Sea area among the people of the Jetyasar Culture buried in the crypts (Tentatively attributed to the Kangars - Kangly tribe, 200 BC - 800 AD). The Jetyasar people are the only group where hypodontia was recorded in 55.6% of the cases; however, that series is small and composed of materials from different cemeteries, which reduces the reliability of the indicator. In addition, it dates from relatively late time (Levina, 1996). Just how high the was hypodontia of the Prokhorov people demonstrate the comparative data: the frequency of congenital absence of the M3 rarely exceeds 20% in the ancient populations and 30% today.

A quick trip to the library may not erase the ambiguity of the Jetyasar-Kangly association, but a quick 1-day trip to the Kangly area in Kazakhstan, and a quick survey of the of the local Kangly people dentistry would definitely greatly advance our instant knowledge of the Late Sarmatians and Jetyasar people. Any dental clinics in Kyzyl-Orda has thousands of X-rays associated with ethnically-transparent last names, and any meaningful deviation from an averaged norm would signal that the researcher is up to something. A day trip on the Syrdarya on a free-floating log may even bring the researcher to the Jetyasar, demonstrating that Jetyasar and Kyzyl-Orda in 200 BC belonged to the same neighborhood, as they do in our days. A scholar is a learned man, a scientist is a curious man, and there is a sea of difference between them.

The presence of the southern vector connection of the Early Sarmatians is indicated by a very high frequency of such traits as the distal crest and epicristid. The latter usually occurs in populations in 1-2% of cases, but in the analyzed sample it is present in 7.7% of the cases. The high frequency of epicristid can simultaneously serve as a pointer to some archaic odontological complex, which is supported by very high incident frequency of oblique ridge on the first upper molar.

The Late Sarmatians of the Pokrovka-10 as a whole also slant to the western population circle by significant levels of the reduction. This is evidenced by the frequency of four-cusp M1 and M2, the indicator of the reduction of the metacone on M2 (Table 8). However, compared with the Early Sarmatian series, are observable the increased frequencies of some markers of the eastern orientation. First and foremost, this refers the spatulate of the upper incisors, one of the leading race-differentiating phens in ethnic dentistry. If in the Prokhorov series the expressed lingual side marginal ridges of the crowns were never recorded, for the Later Sarmatians they are recorded in 42.9% of the cases. This indicator should be interpreted with caution, since it was obtained only from a sample of seven observations, but at the same time among the examined sample three left incisors also had expressed spatulate. Confirmation of the general trend towards the appearance of the eastern features in the frontal area of the dentition serves the ratio of the first and second spatulate cutters: among the Late Sarmatian the spatulate frequency of the first incisor substantially exceeds the frequency of the second, which is most typical for the examples of the eastern odontological stem. Also increased the size of such phens of the eastern orientation as the distal trigonid crest, significant differentiation level of the lower premolar crowns (both first and second) and the fusion of the first upper premolar root.

Is observable a significant, but not reaching a statistical validity level, reduction in the frequency of the Carabelli cusp. The values noted in the Pokrovka-10 Late Sarmatians (23.1%) is typical for the groups of mixed origin, containing a mixture of the Eastern and the Southern Caucasoid components, the people of the southern gracile odontological type.

In the Prokhorov group, the frequency of the inter-root pocket of enamel on the second molars are rather high, it increases in Late Sarmatian time, reaching values typical for the members of the Eastern (I.e. Asian) odontological stem. Noteworthy is that the growth of the Eastern (I.e. Asian) complex was not directional, but mosaic: along with the rise of some traits, the others are eliminated. So, disappeared the six-cusp first lower molars.

Considering that even in a highly symbiotic and mixed environment the ethnic tribal affiliations survive practically indefinitely (for example, Usuns and Kangars are still with us, 2 millenniums after their appearance in the Chinese chronicles), the last example shows the opposite, a directional impact, when certain ethnic component emigrates and is replaced by a different ethnic group, like Magyars/Majars migrated to Levadia, leaving the field to the newcomers. The overall continuity remains intact, but the changes are detectable. Among the mobile nomadic pastoralists, such scenarios are not abnormal, they are the norm.

To estimate the degree of proximity between the Prokhorov and Late Sarmat groups, was computed the average taxonomic distance (STP) between them using Fisher F-criteria (Zubov, 1986, p. 143). The STP value between the Early and Late Sarmatians, calculated from the seven key parameters that constitute the Eastern and Western complexes, was found to be 0.58. This value indicates a significant difference between the compared series.

Interestingly, although the time gap between the Prokhorov and Late Sarmat groups is at least two and a half centuries, was observed violation of the epochal variation dynamics in most traits forming a reducing complex. It was proved that the frequency of reduced lateral incisors and the hypocone M2, Carabelli cusp, and hypodontia of the third molars increased from antiquity to the modern times. The materials of the Pokrovka-10 cemetery demonstrate the opposite trend (except for the reduction of the hypocone). Such situations have been reported previously (Donina, 1969; Rykushina, 1977). In particular, in the Krasnoyarsk Territory from the Neolithic Epoch to the Iron Age the changes in the frequency of certain traits associated with the reduction process in the jaws, are subject to a sinusoidal pattern (Rykushina, 1977. 146). At the neighboring, to the area of the present study, territory of the Eastern Caspian littoral the material from the Kazybaba burials also demonstrated the decrease in the Carabelli cusp frequency, hypodontia M3, reduction of the lateral incisors (Bagdasarov, 2000). Perhaps the observed violation of the temporal variability may be due to admixture, i.e. inclusion into the Pokrovka-10 Late Sarmatians of the new groups of population, which led to the "failure" of the epochal dynamics.

The "epochal dynamics" model presupposes a stationary demographic situation, and "internal" evolutionary development, a scenario little applicable to any populations, save for those who live in total isolation. Thus, the results of millenniums-long admixtures are accepted as a constant of "epochal dynamics", and the mechanism of effecting the changes thus appear to be "violator" of the static model. Applying a stationary model developed for sedentary populations to the non-static sedentary populations is imprudent, but applying that model to the nomadic populations is a violation of the rudimentary scientific tenets.

To clarify the origin of the study population is performed synchronous and diachronous analysis, step by step considering localization of the Southern Urals early nomads in a acoordinate system "east-west", on the background of geographically and chronologically close populations (mainly of the Eurasia steppes).

Figure 1 shows relative positions of the Prokhorov and Pokrovka-10 Late Sarmatian people against Early Iron Age groups. The abscissa represents averaged values of the eastern complex, expressed in radians: spatulate I1, distal trigonid crest, and six-cusp M1; the ordinate represents western complex: Carabelli cusp, four-cusp M1 and M2. From the traditional in the national dentistry complex of the eastern markers is excluded such trait as the angular metaconid fold, because of too small observable incidence of the molars in the series.

The graph shows that the early and late Pokrovka-10 groups, belonging to the same array comprising mainly a series of Scythians and Sarmatians, are located on the opposite poles: the Prokhorov people are grouped together with the Scythians of the Lower Dnieper (Upper Tarasov burials) (Verhnetarasov) and forest-steppe Scythians (Light Waters burials) (Svetlovodsk) occupy position with low values of the Eastern complex, while the Pokrovka-10 Later Sarmatians with Tagars are grouped in the zone with more pronounced Eastern complex. At the same time, variation in the values of the Western complex in the group forming this array is not large.

Graph 1 shows the proximity of the Prokhorov series to the Scythian samples. Two possible explanations for such location may be suggested: either the groups are coupled by the commonality of their gene pool, i.e. common substrate, or the proximity is the result of direct contacts (i.e. genetical admixture). A valid interpretation of the situation requires further accumulation of factual materials.

Thus, the visualization of the odontological study in Figure 1 confirmed the impression received from the morphological analysis: of the Pokrovka-10 Later Sarmatians differ from the Prokhorov people by greater concentration of the Eastern odontological stem traits, suggesting participation in the Later Sarmatian genesis of the oriental origin groups, morphologically similar to the Tagar culture people from the Minusinsk depression.

The Tagar tribes have been Caucasoids of the Scythian circle with light hair and blue or green eyes, noted for huge royal kurgans fenced by stone plaques, with four vertical stelae marking corners. Their artifacts are close to the Scythian artifacts from Pazyryk. They lived in Their economy was pastoral with subsistent agriculture, the herds were predominantly large horned livestock and horses, goats and sheep. Their permanent settlements contained timber dwellings heated by clay ovens and large hearths, some settlements were fortified. Males had Y-chromosome haplogroup R1a, female mtDNA had haplogroups T3 and H.

To find earlier analogies for the odontological type of the Southern Urals early nomads, the study group is superimposed against populations of the preceding historical period, the Bronze Age. Graph 2 (Fig. 2) shows the proximity of the Prokhorov people to the people in the Middle Volga region, the people of the Balanov culture on the one hand, and the people of southern Uzbekistan that left the Sapallitepe cemetery on the other hand. The Late Sarmatians are closest to the Andronovans of the northern Kazakhstan and the population buried in the Gonur necropolis (southern Turkmenistan).

4. Paleoodontologic observations

Paleoodontic material is not only an independent source of race-genetic information, it also provides an opportunity to indirectly compose a picture of the ancient populations' overall health, to the level of its resistance to the environmental impacts (both natural and social), and some peculiarities of the lifestyles and economic activity.

The Prokhorovka and Late Sarmatian population experienced increased loads on dental apparatus, which caused premature erosion of crowns, loss of teeth, and atrophy of the alveolar processes of both jaws (Table 9). In 12 out of 19 individual cases (63.2%) of the Prokhorov time (200-1 BC) the "odontologic" age estimated by a certain wear level of the teeth crowns, substantially outpaced the "craniological" age established by the healing degree of the skull sutures. In the Late Sarmat series the disharmony was recorded at 37.5% of the skulls.

The values of this magnitude could occur in ancient populations starting from Neolithic times, when the high wear of the enamel was caused by consumption of solid, hard-fiber plant foods and practically raw or poorly cooked meat (Rykushina, 1993a, p. 247; Angel, 1966, cited . by: Bujilova, 2000, p. 400). However, at the considered time this situation would likely be triggered by use of teeth as an aid in the labor process: production of plant and animal fibers, treatment of hides. In favor of this suggestion points a high incidence of specific horizontal (helical) wear of one, or more often several teeth.

The considerable pressure on the dental apparatus is also indicated by hypercementose, i.e. increased deposition of cement in the apical third of the root. The hypercementose is a compensatory mechanism that serves to strengthen tooth in the alveolar socket and is noted on the teeth affected by overload (Weiss, 1965, p. 59). In Pokrovka people it is found with a frequency of 10.0%, among the Late Sarmatians 17.0% ( Table 9). In many cases, even the help of this compensatory mechanism could not prevent a loss of one or more teeth, which often leads to the atrophy of the alveoli. So, 31.6% of the Pokrovka people had notable atrophy of the distal part of the upper and lower jaws, over time this proportion was falling, but not significantly so, and among the Late Sarmatians the atrophy (not only of the distal, but also of the frontal area) was recorded in 28.6% of the cases.

A particularly strong strain experienced people whose teeth were involved in "professional" activities. So, in that group craniological age falls behind odontological age more frequently, and such intense "exploitation" of teeth resulted in atrophy significantly faster.

With significant frequency in these groups is also recorded the loss of teeth during lifetime: in 45.2% (Pokrovka) and 47.0% (Late Sarmatians) of the surveyed individuals. There are several reasons leading to such significant lifetime loss: first, the dental caries, when as a result of it "aggressive" advance and complications happens a complete destruction of the crown and periodontal inflammation, leading to the loss of the teeth, and secondly, periodontal disease - a chronic degenerative and dystrophic disease of the tissue surrounding the teeth, leading to the impairment of the teeth stability and most often resulting from the increased stress on the dental apparatus.

Dental caries is the most common disease of modern man, but it became such only in the last few centuries. In the ancient groups dental caries points to their susceptibility to nutritional stress, which is caused by insufficiently calorific meals, periods of starvation, lack of certain elements in the diet (calcium, fluorine), and excess of others (sucrose, fructose, lactose). The development of caries is also provoked by a lack of ultraviolet light, lack of warmth, and lack of comfort, which give a rise to reduction in resistance to the diseases (Bujilova, 1998, p. 128). Among the nomadic groups that left Pokrovka-10 burials, the prevalence of general dental caries is observed with moderate frequency. The Prokhorovs were susceptible to that disease to a greater extent than the Late Sarmatians (20.7% and 12.8%).

Periodontal disease among the early nomads of Southern Urals (Reference to Khvalynsk ca. 5000 BC? Or Early Sarmatians?) was common to a much greater extent. It should be considered a main cause of teeth loss during lifetime. Indirect evidence in favor of such assertion gives the fact that the proportion of incisors lost during lifetime exceeds the proportion of the molars. Meanwhile, it is known that the incisors, along with canines, are most resistant to decay class of the teeth, while the molars, in contrast, are least resistant. A periodontal disease at various stages (from the tartar to the atrophy of alveoli) was observed in the teeth of all individuals without exception both in the Prokhorov and Late Sarmatian series.

A specific distinction of the Pokrovka-10 early nomads of the Prokhorov (200-1 BC) and Late Sarmatian (150-400 AD) time is a significant frequency of the tooth crown defects in the form of artificial flutes, i.e. interproximal grooves. Several versions of this anomaly differ by the number of grooves and their localization:
1. Oblique groove. The groove obliquely intersects mesial or distal surface of the crown. The defect is mainly observed on the incisors (upper and lower) and in one case out of four on the first lower molar. It can be speculated that the cause of this defect could be a passage of veins (Or sinew?) or plant fibers between the teeth. In all cases (in the lower and the upper teeth) the wearing motion runs forward and down.
2. One-side groove is observed only on one of the lateral surfaces of the crown. It is observed mainly on the first molars, and sometimes on premolars.
3. Bilateral groove located on the lateral (mesial and distal) sides of the dental crown.
4. Skirting groove. The groove encircles the crown on three sides, without extending to the vestibular (buccal) surface. Perhaps we are observing consequences of some basic hygiene procedures (use of "dental floss") for cleaning interdental spaces of food debris or against plaque deposits, which was not uncommon among the Pokrovka people (51.6%) and among the Late Sarmatian people (42.9%).
5. Groove between adjacent teeth. The defect affects the lateral contact surfaces of adjacent teeth. It is mainly localized between the molars, sometimes between the second premolar and first molar. Similar defects were described in the anthropological literature. Their formation is associated with a "bad habit of using something like toothpicks, of wood or bone" (Bujilova, 2000, p. 401). Such damage is noted on individual teeth of the fossil hominids, on the ancient forms of the neotrops, and also in some recent populations. For example, such anomaly was observed among the American Indians (Ubelaker, Phenice, Bass, 1969).

The Pokrovka-10 materials recorded such marker of episodic stress as enamel hypoplasia, which is an effect of enamel malformation caused by metabolic disorders in emerging teeth. However, the enamel hypoplasia is not a local process only affecting the hard tissue of the teeth, but a result of severe metabolic disturbances in a young body, a lack of calcium and phosphorus during formation and calcification of enamel and dentin (Weiss, 1965,. 76 Groshikov, 1985). It can be an indicator of specific diseases: rachitis, tetany, acute infectious diseases, diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, toxic dyspepsia, incidental malnutrition, and also an indicator of chronic malnutrition.

The Pokrovka-10 groups under study are very different (at a veritable level) in the prevalence of hypoplasia: the Prokhorov series' disease is observed in 86.7% of individuals, whereas in Late Sarmatian group it is observed only in 11.3% cases. The frequency of hypoplasia in Pokrovka people is extremely high even for the ancient populations, and it certainly indicates a dysfunctional population of South Ural in the 4th - 2nd cc. BC, whereas the incidence of this anomaly among the Late Sarmatian matches the average level of its prevalence in modern populations (Weiss, 1965, p. 74).

The differences can also be traced in the localization of the sites affected by hypoplasia, pointing to the age when occurred a disturbance in the metabolism of the developing tooth follicle. The maximum expression of enamel hypoplasia as a rule falls on the age of the intervals of 1.5-2.5 and 3-4 years (Bujilova, 1998, p. 144), and according to the researchers is connected with weaning (in some populations earlier, in others later, depending on the breast-feeding tradition). In our group the delay in the growth processes, manifested in forming defects of enamel, often happened at a later date, at 5-7 years. The late hypoplasia was observed in 50% of individuals from the Prokhorovka burials and in 73.3% of the Late Sarmatians. Such significant prevalence of late hypoplasia perhaps indicates a protracted duration of breast-feeding, which, judging by ethnographic, sociological, and epidemiological observations, is practiced in groups of low socio-economic status (, cited from Bujilova, 2000, p. 402). The weaning causes a weakening of immune system, reduces resistance to infectious diseases, provokes gastrointestinal disease. The situation is exacerbated if the group as a whole is characterized by dysfunctional or irregular nutrition, precisely which we observe at the early nomads of the South Urals steppes.

The applicability of Corruccini et al. observations to the pastoralists living year-around on kumiss and meat is dubious, milk was available for adults and children year-around in as-needed quantities, except for episodic interruptions. The reason for 73.3% hypoplasia over generations must be caused by another, systemic reason. The benchmark for comparisons must be the modern horse husbandry populations: Mongolia, Russia, Kazakhstan, Iran, Afganistan, and China. The effect is genuine, the cause appear to be fictitious.

Very high hypoplasia at Prokhorov people may be a consequence of constant interruptions of food supply, or a consequence of a general loss of adaptation by the group to the changing environmental conditions. Judging by the paleoclimatology studies, precisely in the 4th-2nd cc. BC progressed some aridization of the Ural steppes landscapes (Demkin, Ryskov, 1996. 51). At the same time, this period is characterized by maximum increase in population density in the study area compared to other eras (from the Middle Bronze Age to the Middle Ages) (2000-1500 BC to 1500 AD respectively) and very high concentration of ancient population (Jelezchikov, 1983; Skripkin, 1990), which led to the depletion of the food resources (The hypoplasia peak of 73.3% falls on the period of 150-400 AD, conflicting with the above dates and periods).

Thus, the analysis of the prevalence of certain dental abnormalities allows to formulate the following conclusions:
1. Among the Prokhorov people (200-1 BC) the diseases of the dental system were much more common than at the Late Sarmatian people (150-400 AD);
2. This observation may indicate on the one hand a significant influence of the environment on the population and a larger exposure to the mechanical stress of dental-maxilla apparatus of the Early Sarmatian population. On the other hand, the lower prevalence of caries as a rule increasing towards the present, among the Late Sarmatians in conjunction with a decrease (Or increase?) of hypodontia, with the trend towards reduction of the lateral incisors (grade 1), of the second upper molar metacone, of the Carabelli cusp, and the increased frequency of oblique ridge may be a confirmation of the Late Sarmatian more archaic odontological complex versus Prokhorov people and/or increase in the concentration of the Eastern dental trunk odontological features.

The noted facts can testify to the arrival to the Ilek area during the Late Sarmatian time (150-400 AD) of new nomadic groups, carriers of a different odontological type, which is characterized by a more pronounced Eastern complex.

The number of Southern Huns in China in the 3rd c. AD is assessed at 3 mln people; the number of Huns that joined Syanbi in 100 AD is assessed at 0.5 mln people; it is known that Syanbi Huns and China's Southern Huns combined constituted a lesser fraction of the whole Hunnic population; thus the number of Hun people who migrated westward in ca 150 AD was in excess of 3.5 mln people. A part of the Hun migrants remained in the Middle Asia, a part migrated to Afganistan and India, and the balance of 1-2 mln people migrated to the area from the Aral Sea to Itil. The Pokrovka-10 Late Sarmatian studies examine a tiny spec of the major Hunnic migration wave, which displaced some of the previous population, as demonstrated by the Paleoodontologic observations.

5. Osteological description (D.V.Pejemsky)

Osteological analysis of the postcranial bone skeleton from the Pokrovka-10 burials was conducted by D.V. Pejemsky (2008, with tables). Leaving aside particulars, from the results of the osteological analysis can be drawn the following conclusions:
- The female osteoscopic complex notably differs from that of the male. Generally, for women was not typical the feature called "equestrian complex", their activities probably were not so closely connected with the horse as is observed for the male sample. According to the macrorelief of the long bones, men and women in the study group had dissimilar types of "habitual" movements associated with different physical loads, and probably with different roles in the economic and household activities.
- The Pokrovka-10 group of South-Ural Late Sarmatians according to the osteology can be characterized as heterogeneous (the female part of the sample to a lesser extent than the male). Despite the existence of similar traits, men and women have a number of differences that can be interpreted in favor of different genetic origin of both parts of the population (or the female part includes a component with origin not connected with nomadic communities).
- The Southern Urals Late Sarmatians at the population level can be characterized as medium massive, with body length of males 168-169 cm and females154-155 cm. Both parts of the sample have inherent constitutional peculiarities, expressed in shortened lower extremities relative to the arms length (primarily due to the short shank).
- The upper diaphyses cross-section forms of the long bones in the studied group are in good agreement with the Sarmatian population's nomadic type of economy, and testify to a significant role of mounted riding in their life activities.
- The peculiarities of elements in the long bones macrorelief of the Pokrovka-10 Late Sarmatian also shows the "equestrian complex" that allows to refine morphological status of the female population, for whom the horse-riding probably played a much lower role.
- May be suggested a close relationship of the Pokrovka-10 Late Sarmatian group with the synchronous (nomadic) populations of the Lower Volga and with the Eastern Aral Sea nomads (Jetyasar culture) (Tentatively attributed to the Kangars - Kangly tribe, 200 BC - 800 AD. On crucial conflict of exclusively Eastern Asian/Mongoloid haplogroups with the Caucasoid phenotype see I. Ovchinnikov, A. Buzhilova, M. Mednikova, W. Goodwin, G.B. Curry, 1999, "Ethnic affinities of the ancient human Jety-Asar population by mitochondrial DNA analysis" http://www.mendeley.com/research/ethnic-affinities-ancient-human-jetyasar-population-mitochondrial-dna-analysis/#page-1). Their sharp dissimilarity with the neighboring tribes of the Eastern Urals of the same chronological period is profound.

6. Discussion of the results. Key findings of the three anthropological systems

Craniological analysis of a series from the Late Sarmatian time Pokrovka-10 burial leads to the following conclusions:

The population that left this cemetery was extremely heterogeneous in anthropological composition and included at least three morphological components.

One of them, constituting a majority of the deceased and predominantly women had a local Urals origin; it is comparable with the modern representatives of the Uralic race. The conclusion about anthropological specificity of the Late Sarmat female population is independently confirmed osteological study. The female part of the population demonstrates a definite similarity with the craniological component recorded in the Southern Urals during the Early Sarmat era (200-1 BC). The complex of the cranial features of this component can be held as autochthonous.

However, the odontological materials indicate the proximity of the Prokhorovka series (aka Early Sarmat series, 200-1 BC) to the Scythian samples. It appears that both groups are united by the commonality of their gene pool, i.e. the common substrate ascending to the Bronze Age (ca 3000-600 BC). To the same substrate in particular belongs population that has left a later burial stratum in the Middle Asian (kurgan) cemetery Sapallitepe (37.7°N 67°E) at Molalla stage (?) of that monument (Yablonsky, 1996) (Balkh area, populated at the turn of the eras by horse nomadic tribes of Tokhar/Bulgar circle).

In any case, all three anthropological types show significant differences between the series of the and Prokhorov burials and Late Sarmat time burials. These differences are most easily explained by a strong migratory impulse that took place in the Late Sarmat era. The breach of the epochal transformational changeability of the craniological and odontological traits in the Southern Urals population may be a consequence of admixture, i.e. the inclusion within the Pokrovka-10 Late Sarmatian group of the new populations, which led to the "breach" of the normal epochal dynamics.

According to the craniological studies, at least two alien populations came to the Southern Urals as a direct result of migration. One (not numerous) group probably migrated from Central Asia and Kazakhstan. In physical type, it has no absolute analogies in the modern populations, but the closest to it are relatively gracilized (relative to the first migrant group) modern representatives of the northern variant of the Pamir-Fergana race (on the term, see Yablonsky, 2000b). In this case, both the cranial and odontological evidence shows increase at this time of the "Eastern" complex, which is in particular manifested by the increase in the percentage of traits usually associated with the great Mongolian race. The osteological materials, in turn, eliminate the eastern Ural region as a probable ancestral home of the Eastern migrants, which makes more likely their Kazakhstan (considering the odontological results) or South Siberian origin (Kazakhstan/South Siberia at the turn of the eras was a home of the numerous and powerful Tele and Kangar tribes). Notably, the anthropological distinctions of these migrant groups unite the Late Sarmatian people of the Southern Urals with the synchronous populations of the Lower Volga region, and with the relatively later inhabitants of the Syr Darya delta (Jetyasar culture burials).

Another, also not numerous group of migrants by their physical type has no analogies in the Eurasian steppes and semi-deserts, and by their genetic origins is apparently connected with the territory of the South Caucasus.

The buried in the cemetery people used in the same degree the custom of the circular type artificial cranial deformation. But all three anthropological components are distinguished clearly enough, with a small (percentage-wise) number of transient (metisized) forms. The latter circumstance makes fully justified a suggestion that the process of admixture in this population has not advanced very far. This conclusion, in turn, suggests that this population has existed for a relatively short time.

In view of archeological data, which observes exceptionally small population of the Middle Sarmat time in the Urals steppe region, we can admit that the Late Sarmatian population came to the confluence area of the rivers Ilek and Hobda as a result of migration, but its female core consisted of the local Ural (in a broad sense) population.

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