The Urals and Western Siberia in the Bronze and Iron Ages

This book is the first synthesis of the archaeology of the Urals and Western Siberia.

Ludmila Koryakova (Author), Andrej Vladimirovich Epimakhov (Author)

9781107653290, Cambridge University Press

Paperback / softback, published 24 March 2014

408 pages
25.1 x 17.8 x 2.3 cm, 0.7 kg

'This volume is the first synthesis in English of the archaeological research on the area including the Urals and Western Siberia, and it presents an extensive overview of the many late prehistoric cultures that are thought to be key to understanding long-term changes across Eurasia.' Journal of Indo-European Studies

This book is the first synthesis of the archaeology of the Urals and Western Siberia. It presents a comprehensive overview of the late prehistoric cultures of these regions, which are of key importance for the understanding of long-term changes in Eurasia. At the crossroads of Europe and Asia, the Urals and Western Siberia are characterized by great environmental and cultural diversity which is reflected in the variety and richness of their archaeological sites. Based on the latest achievements of Russian archaeologists, this study demonstrates the temporal and geographical range of its subjects starting with a survey of the chronological sequence from the late fourth millennium BC to the early first millennium AD. Recent discoveries contribute to an understanding of issues such as the development of Eurasian metallurgy, technological and ritual innovations, pastoral nomadism and its role in Eurasian interactions, and major sociocultural fluctuations of the Bronze and Iron Ages.

Introduction
Part I. The Bronze Age: The Rise of Economic and Cultural Complexity: 1. The development of bronze metallurgy
2. The achievements and collisions of the early and middle Bronze Age
3. Stabilization, colonization and expansion in the late Bronze Age
4. On the eve of a new epoch: final Bronze Age
Part II. The Iron Age: Forming Eurasian Interactions: 5. The transition to the Iron Age and new tendencies in economic development
6. The Southern Ural within the nomadic world: at the cultural crossroads
7. The world of cultures of Cis-Urals forest zone of Eastern Europe: the maintenance of identities
8. The forest-steppe cultures of the Urals and western Siberia: on the northern periphery of the nomadic world
9. Social trends in north-central Eurasia during the second and first millennia BC.

Subject Areas: Prehistoric archaeology [HDDA], Ancient history: to c 500 CE [HBLA], Asian history [HBJF], European history [HBJD]