THRACIANS IN THE EAST. CULTURAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE LATE BRONZE AGE OF KAZAKHSTAN
THRACIANS IN THE EAST. CULTURAL TRANSFORMATIONS IN THE LATE BRONZE AGE OF KAZAKHSTAN

Summary/Abstract: In the 14th–10th centuries BC, a family of Cordoned Ware Cultures existed in the Eurasian steppe between the Carpathians and Altai. In the western zone, it included the Noua, Сoslogeni, Sabatinovka, and Belozerka cultures, and in the east, the Ivanovka and Sargary. The formation of these cultures occurred against the background of a decrease in solar activity, which ended with a minimum in 1385 BC. Two major volcanic events occurred close in time. Together, these processes led to the movement of the forest-steppe population to the south and the beginning of these cultures formation. Around the middle of the 12th century BC, a major volcanic eruption took place, causing a large-scale migration from the Carpathian Basin to the east. As a result, the Belozerka culture was formed in the Northern Black Sea region, and between the Urals and Altai, transformations began that formed the second stage of the Sargary culture. At this time, rod-shaped cheek-pieces of the Carpathian type, as well as bone objects decorated with Carpatho-Mycenaean ornaments, spread across the steppe up to the Altai. As a result of this process, the Thracian language was established in the Northern Black Sea region, where it survived until the time of Greek colonies. Thracian enclaves also apparently appeared in Central Kazakhstan, but there is no evidence of the preservation of the Thracian language there. The eruption of 1031 BC led to another climatic crisis and the disintegration of the family of Cordoned Ware Cultures. After a sharp drop in solar activity in the 8th century BC, the steppe began to empty. As a result, a new Iranian ethnic component came there from the east, and it was not associated with the previous cultural formations.

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