Ancient Agriculture in Western Siberia: Problems of Argumentation, Paleoethnobotanic Methods, and Analysis of Data

Ancient Agriculture in Western Siberia: Problems of Argumentation, Paleoethnobotanic Methods, and Analysis of Data

N.E. Ryabogina and S.N. Ivanov.

The problem relating to the emergence of ancient agriculture and the specifi c character of its development in Western Siberia is considered on the basis of paleobotanical data analysis. This article provides information on basic methods of searching and identifying phytoliths, grains (or grain prints), and pollen of domesticated cereals, as well as evaluates the feasibility for using these techniques in examining this problem. Currently known paleobotanical indicators of agriculture in Western Siberia, Kazakhstan, the Altai, and Zhetysu are summarized, and new indicators are presented. The attempt at reconstructing the centers for cultivating domesticated cereals starting in the Late Bronze Age is based on the analysis of spatial and temporal distribution of the cereals’ grains and pollen.

Keywords: Ancient agriculture, paleobotanical methods, grains, pollen, domesticated cereals, ancient agricultural
areas, Western Siberia.