Reindeer Imagery in the Making at Ust’-Polui in Arctic Siberia

Dados Bibliográficos

ID6044170
AutoresT Nomokonova (0000-0002-8756-1681, University of Saskatchewan, autor correspondente), R J Losey (0000-0003-3615-8160, University of Alberta), Natalia V Fedorova (Arctic Research Center of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District), Andrei V Gusev, А В Гусев (0000-0003-1812-4741, Arctic Research Center of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District), Dmitry Arzyutov (0000-0003-3782-9296, KTH Royal Institute of Technology), Dmitry V Arzyutov
Ano2021
Volume31
Fascículo1
Páginas161-181
Data de publicação2021-02-01
Peer ReviewedSim
Open AccessSim
TipoARTICLE
PeriódicoCambridge Archaeological Journal (JOURNAL)
Identificadores do periódicoISSN: 0959-7743 • E-ISSN: 1474-0540
EditoraCambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1017/s0959774320000414
OpenAlexW3094490340
IdiomaEN
Citações recebidas4
Referências citadas43

The history of reindeer domestication is a critical topic in the study of human-animal relationships across Northern Eurasia. The Iamal-Nenets region of Arctic Siberia, now a global centre of reindeer pastoralism, has been the subject of much recent research on reindeer domestication. However, tracking the beginnings of reindeer domestication in this region and elsewhere in Eurasia has proved challenging. Archaeological imagery is an under-utilized source of information for exploring animal domestication. In this paper we explore the abundant reindeer imagery found at the Iron Age site of Ust’-Polui in Iamal, dating from ~260bcetoce140. While reindeer were hunted in Siberia long before the occupation of Ust’-Polui, portable reindeer imagery appears abruptly at this time period, co-occurring at the site with equipment thought to be for training transport reindeer. Training and working with transport reindeer required long-term engagement with specific animals that became well known and precious to their human keepers. Creating, utilizing and depositing the reindeer imagery objects at Ust’-Polui was a way of acknowledging critical new working relationships with specific domestic reindeer

Archaeology · Arctic · Biology · Domestication · Geography · Livestock · Pastoralism · Physical geography · Pleistocene · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies · Indigenous Studies and Ecology · Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology · Ecology · Forestry