Archaeological and Geophysical Research at the New Ground Cemetery of Nechunaevo-3 in the Aleyskaya Steppe

The cultural-chronological collections from a new archaeological site of Nechunaevo-3 located on the high remnant (elban) in the floodplain on the left bank of the lower Aley River are described. During survey and precursory work for geophysical research, a few bronze items of horse harness of the Early Scythian Period (distributor and clasp) were found in the southern part of the remnant. The geomagnetic sounding has shown several anomalies which correspond to the found archaeological objects by size and physical characteristics. Test pits were established at founding places of the Early Scythian artefacts and derived geophysical data. Of the eight established pits, four trenches located in the southern, medial and eastern parts of remnant have shown destroyed cultural layers dating to the range of the Bronze Age to the recent period. The Bronze Age is represented by the looted Andronovo Culture double burial (man and woman). Ceramic vessel and anthropological remains were redeposited; only recomposed wooden cover at the margins of the chamber’s lower part remained in situ. The oxides on traced on human bones suggest that both individuals were interred with bronze grave goods. The burial was partly overlapped by a pit with traces of fire and bivalve shells. A similar shell fragment was found in the lower part of burial among human bones. Possibly, it was a ritual pit, which was made upon looting. The Early Scythian artifact collection was supplemented by separate bronze horse harness elements from test pit 1 (figured plaque and bit). The Scythian-Saka collection includes a miniature iron three-wing arrowhead. Unornamented fragments of thick-walled pots associated most likely with Russian settlers of 18th – early 20th centuries were found in the medial part of the remnant. In sum, archaeological materials associated with four cultural-chronological periods were found during the archaeological and geophysical studies of the new site of Nechunaevo-3; the site borders were identified.