Abstract
Since 2014 Czech-Uzbekistani Archaeological mission has focused on research on the cultural landscape in the northern part of Paskhurt valley (Surkhandarya province, Sherobod district). Besides a considerable number of settlement sites dated predominantly to Yaz I period (ca. 1500-1000 B.C.), in the vicinity of nowadays villages of Kayrit, Zarabag and Karabag, there were detected 122 simple stone structures in total, occurring isolated or in clusters of five to fifteen features.
These cairns were tentatively interpreted as kurgans, burial mounds commonly associated with nomadic peoples inhabiting Eurasian steppe zone. For their examination, there were employed predominantly non-destructive methods, however eight of them were excavated in the seasons 2014-2017.
Three of them were dated to Yaz I period. Kurgans in question - diverse in their size and distribution - are situated at three principal locations: 1. to the north-west of the Kayrit village; 2. in the plain between the villages of Kampyrtepa and Zarabag; 3.
To the north of the Karabag village (Karabag - North area). According to the features clustering, it is possible to divide these three areas into four to ten clusters and subclusters.
Features of larger dimensions (d. up to 6 m) and regularly circular shape were detected only to the north-west of Kayrit, approximately between Yaz I sites Burgut Kurgan and Kayrit Tepa, in visual contact with these settlements, and to the north of Karabag. Two almost identical larger (d. 8-9 m, h. 0,5-1,4 m) circular-shaped kurgans (Kayrit 01_001; 01_007) gave us no evidence for their dating, however, medieval pottery in the pits suggests that they were robbed in this period.
Neither any o traces of burial nor other structures within the mounds were detected. Pottery assemblages discovered beneath three less regular-shaped features not far from site of Burgut Kurgan allow us to date them to the Yaz I period, nevertheless their purpose was not identified with a sepulchral use, but rather with a ritual one.
In case of kurgan Kayrit 01_008 (6,8x6,9 m, h. 1,4 m), were under the mound discovered a stone ring (d. 3,5 m) around the miniature mound, beneath of which was found a circular pit filled with stones and Yaz I pottery. Near the stone circle, beneath the edge of the upper mound, there were under simple stone paving detected six shallow tiny pits filled with ashy soil and pottery of Yaz I period.
Similar pit was discovered also beneath the edge of small oval-shaped mound (3x2 m h. 0,5 m) of kurgan Kayrit 01_016. Within the construction of kurgan Kayrit 01_014 (6,10x4,50 m, h. 0,45 m) was recognised an inner ring made of larger stones, which probably delimited a small earthen mound situated under the stone construction.
Yaz I pottery was found within this mound. Beneath its central part, there was a small shallow pit detected filled with stones.
In case of three other smaller (d. 2-3 m) structures which were excavated in vicinity of Burgut Kurgan (site Kayrit 3), no archaeological material was found. In the northern part of Paskhurt valley has been proved certain relation between at least three excavated stone mounds and Yaz I culture.
Differences from the other kurgans in the area can be observed not only in presence (initial deposition?) of Yaz I period pottery, but also in shape of this features, which is more irregular (oval or oblong), and in the inner constructions shaped as lesser mounds and stone rings. The purpose of all these objects remains, however, still unclear.
The absence of bones or another human skeletal remains indicates that the purpose is not (at least primarily) connected with sepulchral use. The collected evidence may, however, suggest rather a ritual (purification? sacrifice? veneration?) than a utilitarian function of these features, apparently tied with the surrounding settlement of Yaz I culture.
In the future, it is necessary for additional excavations to acquire more comparable data.