The Abashevo Culture

Abstract

The article is devoted to a brief description of the Abashevo culture. This culture emerged in forest areas of Eastern Europe at the end of the Middle Bronze Age. Abashevo monuments date back to the 22nd–19th centuries BC. It was the culture of cattle herders and metallurgists. The Abashevo culture is represented by barrow cemeteries, settlements, hoards and random finds. This article analyzes the funeral rites of the Abashevo culture. Several types of vessels are distinguished in the ceramic material, and their ornamentation is described (elements, motifs, composition, style). The article presents a typology of metal, bone and stone artifacts (weapons, tools, adornments, symbols of power). The Abashevo culture is represented by two local variants — in the Middle Volga (two territorial groups are known here — on the right and on the left banks of the Volga) and and in the South Ural. The origin of the Abashevo culture, most likely, had the character of transformation. It was based on cultures with Central European roots and local, Eastern European cultures. The end of the Abashevo culture is associated with the emergence of the Seyma-Turbino cultural group in Eastern Europe. The confrontation between the Abashevo and Seyma-Turbino military units led to the withdrawal of the Abashevo culture from traditional territory. In the new cultural environment, under the influence of the southern Ural variant of the Abashevo culture, Sintashta culture was formed. Pokrovka culture was formed under the influence of the Middle Volga variant of the Abashevo culture. Therefore, a significant role of the Abashevo culture in the formation of the Volga-Ural cultural genesis centre is evident.