Sargat (Sargatka) culture was a sedentary archaeological culture that existed between 7th century BC and 5th century AD in the forest-steppes of Western Siberia. It was closely related to the neighbouring Gorokhovo culture to the west (which it seems to have gradually assimilated).

The Sargatka tribes are known for using heavy Sarmatian-style armor and for protecting their settlements with earthen ramparts and timber walls (sometimes featuring watchtowers).Борзунов В.А. Городища с бастионно-башенными фортификациями раннего железного века в лесном Зауралье // Российская археология. 2002. № 3. С. 79-97. This may be the polity mentioned as Northern Wuyibie in the Records of the Three Kingdoms and placed to the north from the nomadic confederacy of Kangju.Матвеева Н. П. О миграциях из Западной Сибири в Европу в раннем железном веке и в эпоху Великого переселения народов // Археология евразийских степей. 2018. №6.

Archeological and genetic evidence suggest that Sargatka culture was a potential zone of intermixture between native Ugrian and/or Siberian populations and steppe peoples from the south, possibly of early Iranian or Indo-Iranian stock.

Territory Sargatka cultural horizon encompassed northern forest steppe zone between the Tobol and Irtysh rivers, which is currently located in Russia and Kazakhstan. The northernmost Sargatka culture presence is found near Tobolsk, on the border of the forest zone. In the south, the area of culture coincides with the southern border of the forest-steppe. Eastern foothills of the Urals make up the western boundary of the culture, meanwhile Baraba forest-steppe forms the eastern edge for Sargatka settlements and burial grounds. The culture is named after the village of Sargatskoye on the Sargatka River, which is located near a Sargatka burial ground.

Society

Metallurgy

Sargatka metallurgy shows a domestic character. The remains of simple blast furnaces and forges have been discovered in some settlements associated with the culture. The increasing production of Sargatka iron supplied the local population and its nomadic neighbors. Metallographic examination of Sargatka material shows that objects made of malleable iron and steel of average and high quality were prevalent. Unevenly carbonized steel was produced directly in the blast furnace. On average, carbonized steel resulted from a special process of cementation was used for weapon production. Forging, multilayered welding, and tempering was known as well, though quality of welding was not high and the temperature regime was rather unstable.

Genetics mt-DNA samples isolated from individuals associated with the Sargatka culture showed that A, C, T1, Z, B4a, N1a1a1a, U5a1, H, H8, and C4a2c1 haplogroups were present among the population. N1a1, R1a1, Q1 and R1b are the Y-chromosomal haplogroups that were isolated from Sargatka remains.

According to a 2021 study that examined genome-wide data of various ancient Central Asian steppe peoples, the northern sedentary Sargatka-related cultures show a close genetic proximity with the eastern nomadic Scythians, the Sakas. The examined Sargatka individuals also display additional affinity not found in the Scythian groups, ultimately related to a northern Siberian lineage. They represent a typical Saka combination of Khövsgöl and Steppe_MLBA ancestry with a small BMAC contribution, and a small specific Siberian contribution (Ekven IA). The results affirms the historical hypothesis that the Sargatka culture formed as a result of admixture between incoming Scythian groups and an unknown local or neighboring population that possibly carried this extra Siberian ancestry.

See also

Ingala Valley

References