A woman buried in Russia in the Early Bronze Age era

The Early Bronze Age Kurma culture, associated with the broader spectrum of Proto-Indo-European communities, represents a significant archaeological and historical phase in the region that is now part of Russia. The Kurma culture is situated within the technological and social developments of the Early Bronze Age, approximately dated between 3000 and 2200 BCE. This period is characterized by profound changes in metallurgy, social structures, and cultural expressions, leading to the emergence of more complex societies.
Geographical Context
The Kurma culture flourished in the southern regions of Siberia, particularly along the Yenisei River basin. This area is characterized by its diverse landscapes, including river valleys, vast steppes, and mountainous terrains, providing varied resources and strategic advantages for settlement and development.
Social and Economic Structure
The Kurma culture, like many Early Bronze Age societies, was likely organized around small, kin-based groups that gradually expanded into larger tribal entities. These communities were semi-nomadic, engaging in both pastoralism and agriculture. Livestock such as cattle, sheep, and goats played a critical role, not only in diet but also in trade and social status.
The transition from small bands to more organized tribal societies is reflected in their burial practices and settlements. Kurma burial sites reveal kurgans, or burial mounds, which indicate a society beginning to embrace hierarchical structures and rituals that express social stratification and possibly early forms of leadership.
Material Culture and Technology
A hallmark of the Early Bronze Age is the development and use of metal-working technology. The Kurma culture was among the early adopters of bronze, a significant technological advancement that facilitated better tools, weapons, and art. Artifacts such as bronze axes, daggers, and ornaments have been discovered, showcasing both utility and craftsmanship.
Pottery from the Kurma culture exhibits utilitarian designs made with simple techniques but is functionally efficient for storage, cooking, and ceremonial uses. Decorations tend to be minimal, emphasizing geometric patterns that could relate to cultural symbols or clan identifiers.
Linguistic and Cultural Connections
The Kurma culture is closely linked to the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) linguistic and cultural traditions. It is part of the broader Indo-European language family tree, which is believed to have dispersed from the steppes into various parts of Europe and Asia. This connection is critical for understanding the diffusion of languages and cultural traits across large distances.
Cultural practices such as burial rites, religious rituals, and social customs likely reflect broader Proto-Indo-European traditions. These practices include the reverence for natural elements, ancestor worship, and possibly early pantheistic or animistic religions.
Interaction and Influence
The Kurma culture's geographical location in southern Siberia positioned it as a crossroads between Europe and Asia, facilitating interactions with neighboring cultures and contributing to the exchange of goods, ideas, and technologies. Such interactions may have included trade networks that extended across the steppe regions, as well as potential conflicts or alliances with other emerging Early Bronze Age cultures.
Legacy and Archaeological Significance
The archaeological record of the Kurma culture provides critical insights into the life and evolution of Early Bronze Age societies on the Eurasian steppes. This culture serves as a key puzzle piece in understanding the spread of Indo-European languages and their influence across Eurasia.
Overall, the Early Bronze Age Kurma culture encapsulates an era of transition and transformation during a pivotal phase in human history. Its contributions to metallurgy, social organization, and cultural development remain subjects of interest for archaeologists and historians studying the complex web of ancient human civilizations.
Sample ID | Culture/Period | Date | Location | Action |
---|---|---|---|---|
Altais1 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Altais2 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Bashkirs2 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Bashkirs1 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Bashkirs3 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Buryats1 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Buryats2 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Dungan1 | Modern Kyrgyzstan | 2000 CE | , Kyrgyzstan | View |
Dungan2 | Modern Kyrgyzstan | 2000 CE | , Kyrgyzstan | View |
Hazaras1 | Modern Pakistan | 2000 CE | , Pakistan | View |
Hazaras2 | Modern Pakistan | 2000 CE | , Pakistan | View |
Hazaras3 | Modern Pakistan | 2000 CE | , Pakistan | View |
Kalmyks1 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Kalmyks2 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Karakalpaks1 | Modern Uzbekistan | 2000 CE | , Uzbekistan | View |
Karakalpaks2 | Modern Uzbekistan | 2000 CE | , Uzbekistan | View |
Karakalpaks3 | Modern Uzbekistan | 2000 CE | , Uzbekistan | View |
Kazakhs2 | Modern Kazakhstan | 2000 CE | , Kazakhstan | View |
Kazakhs3 | Modern Kazakhstan | 2000 CE | , Kazakhstan | View |
Kazkahs1 | Modern Kazakhstan | 2000 CE | , Kazakhstan | View |
Kyrgyz1 | Modern Kyrgyzstan | 2000 CE | , Kyrgyzstan | View |
Kyrgyz2 | Modern Kyrgyzstan | 2000 CE | , Kyrgyzstan | View |
Tajiks2 | Modern Tajikistan | 2000 CE | , Tajikistan | View |
Tajiks1 | Modern Tajikistan | 2000 CE | , Tajikistan | View |
Tajiks3 | Modern Tajikistan | 2000 CE | , Tajikistan | View |
IrtyshBarabinskTatars1 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
IrtyshBarabinskTatars2 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
TomskTatars1 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
TomskTatars2 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
VolgaTatars1 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
VolgaTatars2 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Teleuts1 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Teleuts2 | Modern Russia | 2000 CE | , Russia | View |
Turkmens1 | Modern Turkmenistan | 2000 CE | , Turkmenistan | View |
Turkmens2 | Modern Turkmenistan | 2000 CE | , Turkmenistan | View |
Uyghurs1 | Modern China | 2000 CE | , China | View |
Uyghurs2 | Modern China | 2000 CE | , China | View |
Uyghurs3 | Modern China | 2000 CE | , China | View |
Uzbeks1 | Modern Uzbekistan | 2000 CE | , Uzbekistan | View |
Uzbeks2 | Modern Uzbekistan | 2000 CE | , Uzbekistan | View |
Uzbeks3 | Modern Uzbekistan | 2000 CE | , Uzbekistan | View |
BOT14 | Eneolithic Kazakhstan | 3517 BCE | Botai, Kazakhstan | View |
DA249 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 5987 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
I3427 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2459 BCE | Okunev Ulus, Russia | View |
DA246 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 5884 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
RISE674 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2284 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View |
DA253 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 5371 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
DA247 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 5837 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
I8743 | Hunter-Gatherer Sidelkino, Russia | 9649 BCE | Sidelkino, Russia | View |
DA252 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 5473 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
DA248 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 5762 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
DA245 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 6069 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
RISE683 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2138 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View |
DA342 | Late Neolithic Ust-Ida, Russia | 3793 BCE | Ust'-Ida, Russia | View |
RISE680 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2900 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View |
RISE685 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2900 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View |
DA341 | Eneolithic Lokomotiv, Russia | 5714 BCE | Lokomotiv, Russia | View |
DA337 | Early Bronze Age Shamanka, Russia | 2461 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
DA362 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 5362 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
RISE672 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2900 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View |
DA345 | Late Neolithic Ust-Ida, Russia | 3637 BCE | Ust'-Ida, Russia | View |
RISE516 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2201 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View |
DA250 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 5524 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
DA358 | Early Bronze Age Kurma, Russia | 2883 BCE | Kurma XI, Russia | View |
RISE718 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2573 BCE | Sayan Mountain. Minusinskaya Intermountain Basin. Syda 5, Russia | View |
RISE670 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2191 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View |
DA359 | Eneolithic Lokomotiv, Russia | 5713 BCE | Lokomotiv, Russia | View |
DA336 | Early Bronze Age Shamanka, Russia | 2500 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
RISE719 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2900 BCE | Sayan Mountain. Minusinskaya Intermountain Basin. Syda 5, Russia | View |
RISE515 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2343 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View |
DA251 | Eneolithic Shamanka, Russia | 5471 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
RISE684 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2463 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View |
RISE675 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2857 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View |
DA340 | Eneolithic Lokomotiv, Russia | 5217 BCE | Lokomotiv, Russia | View |
DA334 | Early Bronze Age Shamanka, Russia | 2284 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
RISE681 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2900 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View |
DA335 | Early Bronze Age Shamanka, Russia | 2500 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
I3426 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2291 BCE | Okunev Ulus, Russia | View |
DA338 | Early Bronze Age Shamanka, Russia | 2500 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
DA357 | Eneolithic Lokomotiv, Russia | 5981 BCE | Lokomotiv, Russia | View |
DA355 | Late Neolithic Ust-Ida, Russia | 3644 BCE | Ust'-Ida, Russia | View |
RISE671 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2900 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View |
DA339 | Early Bronze Age Shamanka, Russia | 2200 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View |
DA360 | Early Bronze Age Kurma, Russia | 2878 BCE | Kurma XI, Russia | View |
RISE677 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2659 BCE | Uybat III, Russia | View |
RISE667 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2900 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View |
DA344 | Late Neolithic Ust-Ida, Russia | 3945 BCE | Ust'-Ida, Russia | View |
DA354 | Early Bronze Age Kurma, Russia | 2856 BCE | Kurma XI, Russia | View |
RISE673 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2900 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View |
BOT15 | Eneolithic Kazakhstan | 3345 BCE | Botai, Kazakhstan | View |
EBA1 | Early Middle Bronze Age Kazakhstan | 2286 BCE | Gregorievka 2, Kazakhstan | View |
EBA2 | Early Middle Bronze Age Kazakhstan | 2622 BCE | Sjolpan 4, Kazakhstan | View |
Yamnaya | Early Bronze Age Yamnaya Culture, Kazakhstan | 3016 BCE | Karagash, Kazakhstan | View |
MA2205 | Assyrian Colony Period in Turkey | 2000 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View |
MA2206 | Assyrian Colony Period in Turkey | 2000 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View |
MA2208 | Assyrian Colony Period in Turkey | 2000 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View |
MA2213 | Early Bronze Age II Turkey | 2750 BCE | Ovaören, Turkey | View |
MA2210 | Early Bronze Age II Turkey | 2750 BCE | Ovaören, Turkey | View |
MA2212 | Early Bronze Age II Turkey | 2750 BCE | Ovaören, Turkey | View |
MA2198 | Hellenistic Turkey | 335 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View |
MA2197 | Hellenistic Turkey | 335 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View |
MA2200 | Old Hittite Period Turkey | 1750 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View |
MA2203 | Old Hittite Period Turkey | 1750 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View |
MA2195 | Ottoman Turkey | 1400 CE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View |
MA2196 | Ottoman Turkey | 1400 CE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View |
DA379 | Chalcolithic Namazga, Turkmenistan | 3482 BCE | Kara-Depe, Turkmenistan | View |
DA383 | Chalcolithic Namazga, Turkmenistan | 3400 BCE | Takhirbai 3, Turkmenistan | View |
DA381 | Chalcolithic Namazga, Turkmenistan | 3367 BCE | Geoksyur, Turkmenistan | View |
DA380 | Chalcolithic Namazga, Turkmenistan | 3366 BCE | Kara-Depe, Turkmenistan | View |
DA382 | Iron Age Turkmenistan | 916 BCE | Takhirbai 3, Turkmenistan | View |
DA379 | 3482 BCE | Kara-Depe, Turkmenistan | View | |
DA380 | 3366 BCE | Kara-Depe, Turkmenistan | View | |
DA381 | 3367 BCE | Geoksyur, Turkmenistan | View | |
DA382 | 916 BCE | Takhirbai 3, Turkmenistan | View | |
DA383 | 3400 BCE | Takhirbai 3, Turkmenistan | View | |
MA2195 | 1400 CE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View | |
MA2196 | 1400 CE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View | |
MA2197 | 335 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View | |
MA2198 | 335 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View | |
MA2200 | 1750 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View | |
MA2203 | 1750 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View | |
MA2205 | 2000 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View | |
MA2206 | 2000 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View | |
MA2208 | 2000 BCE | Kalehöyük, Turkey | View | |
MA2210 | 2750 BCE | Ovaören, Turkey | View | |
MA2212 | 2750 BCE | Ovaören, Turkey | View | |
MA2213 | 2750 BCE | Ovaören, Turkey | View | |
I3426 | 2291 BCE | Okunev Ulus, Russia | View | |
I3427 | 2459 BCE | Okunev Ulus, Russia | View | |
I8743 | 9649 BCE | Sidelkino, Russia | View | |
Yamnaya | 3016 BCE | Karagash, Kazakhstan | View | |
BOT14 | 3517 BCE | Botai, Kazakhstan | View | |
BOT15 | 3345 BCE | Botai, Kazakhstan | View | |
BOT2016 | 3516 BCE | Botai, Kazakhstan | View | |
DA245 | 6069 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA246 | 5884 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA247 | 5837 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA248 | 5762 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA249 | 5987 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA250 | 5524 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA251 | 5471 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA252 | 5473 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA253 | 5371 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA334 | 2284 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA335 | 2500 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA336 | 2500 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA337 | 2461 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA338 | 2500 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA339 | 2200 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
DA340 | 5217 BCE | Lokomotiv, Russia | View | |
DA341 | 5714 BCE | Lokomotiv, Russia | View | |
DA342 | 3793 BCE | Ust'-Ida, Russia | View | |
DA344 | 3945 BCE | Ust'-Ida, Russia | View | |
DA345 | 3637 BCE | Ust'-Ida, Russia | View | |
DA354 | 2856 BCE | Kurma XI, Russia | View | |
DA355 | 3644 BCE | Ust'-Ida, Russia | View | |
DA357 | 5981 BCE | Lokomotiv, Russia | View | |
DA358 | 2883 BCE | Kurma XI, Russia | View | |
DA359 | 5713 BCE | Lokomotiv, Russia | View | |
DA360 | 2878 BCE | Kurma XI, Russia | View | |
DA362 | 5362 BCE | Shamanka II, Russia | View | |
EBA1 | 2286 BCE | Gregorievka 2, Kazakhstan | View | |
EBA2 | 2622 BCE | Sjolpan 4, Kazakhstan | View | |
RISE515 | 2343 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View | |
RISE516 | 2201 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View | |
RISE667 | 2900 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View | |
RISE670 | 2191 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View | |
RISE671 | 2900 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View | |
RISE672 | 2900 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View | |
RISE673 | 2900 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View | |
RISE674 | 2284 BCE | Verkhni Askiz, Russia | View | |
RISE675 | 2857 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View | |
RISE677 | 2659 BCE | Uybat III, Russia | View | |
RISE680 | 2900 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View | |
RISE681 | 2900 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View | |
RISE683 | 2138 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View | |
RISE684 | 2463 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View | |
RISE685 | 2900 BCE | Khakassia. Ust'-Abakan. Uybat V, Russia | View | |
RISE718 | 2573 BCE | Sayan Mountain. Minusinskaya Intermountain Basin. Syda 5, Russia | View | |
RISE719 | 2900 BCE | Sayan Mountain. Minusinskaya Intermountain Basin. Syda 5, Russia | View | |
RISE662 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2291 BCE | Okunev-Ulus (Republic of Khakassia, Ust-Abakansky District, Okunev Ulus), Russia | View |
RISE664 | Bronze Age Okunevo Culture, Russia | 2459 BCE | Okunev-Ulus (Republic of Khakassia, Ust-Abakansky District, Okunev Ulus), Russia | View |
Sidelkino | Hunter-Gatherer Sidelkino, Russia | 9649 BCE | Sidelkino-Mayak (Samara Oblast, Chelno-Vershinskiy District, Sidel'kino), Russia | View |
Ancient genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (DA358) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles ancient populations from different geographic regions.
Modern genetic admixture analysis compares the DNA profile of this individual (DA358) with present-day reference populations. These results show what percentage of the individual's genetic makeup resembles modern populations from different geographic regions.
These results complement the ancient ancestry components shown in the previous section, offering a different perspective on the individual's genetic profile by comparing it with modern reference populations rather than prehistoric ancestral groups.
The G25 coordinates for the sample DA358 are as follows. You can analyze its admixture using G25 Studio.
DA358,0.0570171,-0.3042073,0.09557874,0.01626412,-0.07468008,-0.0408233,-0.00011368,0.0038393,0.0084778,0.0006909,0.02528986,-0.0017296,0.00301118,-0.02167024,-0.01727876,-0.01520788,-0.00685696,0.00881666,0.01858734,0.0092304,0.01470842,-0.01826406,0.01089944,0.00680356,0.01073989
The first horse herders and the impact of early Bronze Age steppe expansions into Asia
The Yamnaya expansions from the western steppe into Europe and Asia during the Early Bronze Age (~3000 BCE) are believed to have brought with them Indo-European languages and possibly horse husbandry. We analyzed 74 ancient whole-genome sequences from across Inner Asia and Anatolia and show that the Botai people associated with the earliest horse husbandry derived from a hunter-gatherer population deeply diverged from the Yamnaya. Our results also suggest distinct migrations bringing West Eurasian ancestry into South Asia before and after, but not at the time of, Yamnaya culture. We find no evidence of steppe ancestry in Bronze Age Anatolia from when Indo-European languages are attested there. Thus, in contrast to Europe, Early Bronze Age Yamnaya-related migrations had limited direct genetic impact in Asia.