Distribution of metal throughout the coastal margins of the Okhotsk Sea maritime region

Section 1. Archaeology
Lebedintsev Aleksandr Ivanovich,
North-East Interdisciplinary Scientific Research Institute n. a. N. A. Shilo,
Far East Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences,
Head of Sector of Archaeology and History
E‑mail: lebedintsev@neisri.ru

Distribution of metal throughout the coastal margins

of the Okhotsk Sea maritime region
Abstract: A review of the archaeological record of the appearance of metal in the Okhotsk Sea region and a
periodization of the development of ancient cultures in this region are provided in the article.
Keywords: the Okhotsk Sea, coastal territories, Old Metal Age, early Iron Age.
The problem of the appearance of the metal in the Far
East is one of the most difficult in the archeology of the region.
Researchers ancient past of this region faced with the facts of
uneven development of human societies in this part of the Asian
continent, caused by natural and historical reasons. Assigns to
companies with forms of economy and material culture of the
Neolithic appearance, which were away from the more devel-
oped communities Bronze and Iron Ages, were used the terms
“Remnant Neolithic” and even “undeveloped Bronze Age”
and “undeveloped Iron Age” [5]. However, new archaeologi-
cal materials obtained in the last decades in the Far East, have
allowed more thoroughly analyze the available data on the prob-
lem and justify the need for the distinguish of the Paleometal era.
Copper products — a small rod of the awl of the rectan-
gular cross section and the composite crankshaft knife with a
copper blade and ivory handle (Spafareva site) [10] found in
sites of the Tokarev culture (VIII century BC – V century AD)
of the Northern Okhotsk coast, as well as found handle cutters
equipped with iron blades (the Upper site on Zavyalova Is-
land, settlements Spafareva and Olskaya) [9]. The active use of
metal tools of Tokarev people also show a wide variety of bone
tools with traces of metal instruments. Many products are or-
namented with thin lines, testifying about using iron cutters
for their making. Typical for Tokarev culture points and knives
made of stone and with a set-off bases and hilts designed with
special and pointed side projections, and sometimes a sharp
spur at the base, are copies of metal tools or stone replicas.
Ironware penetrated to the Northern Okhotsk coast from
Amur and Primorye coastal tribes [3, 190]. Using iron con-
tributed to the development of sea mammal hunting and the
making bone tools.
Widespread use of iron instruments in economic activ-
ity in the North of the Okhotsk Sea coast existed in the Old
Koryak culture (V–XVII centuries) [3]. For early stage char-
acterized by a predominance of stone tools, bone products
making not only stone tools, but also metal.
Koryak actively using iron tools (knives and cutters) with
the X century, the iron was used in the form of rivets of har-
poon heads. At settlement Atargan was found slag. At this time
there is flourishing of bone industry. Increases the number
of bone arrowheads, leisters points, harpoons heads; combs,
needles, needle cases, adzes, hoes, spades. Appear protective
plates for wrist, armored plate, flat hunting knives. Prototypes
cuirass plates and hunting knives, apparently, are metal prod-
ucts. Harpoon heads become more diverse in forms and spe-
cializations. The most typical harpoon heads is with obliquely
truncate base and a one basal spur. And some of these heads
have a slot for end iron point.
Knives of iron found in Atargan [3, Table. XVIII, 6],
Three Brothers [3, Table. XLI, 4] and Astronomicheska-
ya sites. The iron leister point found in the upper layer of
Oksa I [9, Fig. 147, 1]. A charcoal sample from the layer gives a
date of 860 ± 40 (Beta- 155136), calibrated date 1040–1260 AD.
The iron rod like point with a small stem [9, Fig. 149, 4],
toggle harpoon heads with narrow slits for metal blades at the
top, as well as bone, probably a ritual knife with a handle and
a circular pommel, copying, apparently, the iron sample was
found on the Stanyukovicha site.
Koryak continue to use iron tools in XII–XV centuries.
This is evidenced by findings harpoon heads, which equipped
with iron blades, bone and wooden handles of knives; the
wide treatment of bone using cutting and sawing, the en-
graved ornament on bone products.
Bronzes found on the Old Koryak sites. The point (the
tip-insert with two hanging barbs for toggling harpoon heads)
discovered on the Stanyukovicha site, and the button was
found on the Svetlaya‑2 site. Very interesting finding is the
Sung bronze coin from the Srednaya site, which was issued
during the reign of Emperor Jen Tsung of Northern Sung Dy-
nasty in 1038–1040 AD [3, 109].
Toward to the middle of the II millennium BC stone and
bone tools of the Old Koryak culture have become increasingly

3
Section 1. Archaeology
rare. There are products of iron, ceramics is much rarer, and
then disappears completely.
Pieces of iron found on the Old Koryak site Kavran (the
west coast of Kamchatka), relating to the period XIII–XV cen-
turies. According to R. S. Vasil’evsky [3, 128], the population
of Kavran was not only familiar with the use of metal, but,
apparently, knew ways to handle it.
It is believed that the main source from which the iron
spreads to north Okhotsk coast was the Primorye region.
Metal products found at the number of sites, located to
the south-west of Tauisk Bay [9]. Iron tools found at sites
Kukhtuy VII and Kukhtuy VIII under Okhotsk, Nagdan site in
15 km. from the mouth of Ulya River and at the site Uyka un-
der Ayan. Materials indicate that the appearance of iron in this
area was in the end I millennium BC — the first half of I mil-
lennium AD. However, the iron in this period is rarely used.
Mainly stone, bone and wood tools dominated. These sites are
likely to belong to the early Iron Age or Paleometal.
The Paleometal epoch in Kamchatka spaned more than
a thousand years — since the end I millennium BC before
the II millennium BC [15]. The end of this era is associated
with the appearance of deer-breeding. In this time at the north
of the Far East, including the Kamchatka Peninsula, finished
goods and fragments of objects of different metals (copper,
bronze, iron) regularly receives on exchange from the area on
the Okhotsk coast of the Amur Region and southern Primo-
rye through the Japanese and the Kuril Islands. In the I millen-
nium AD polished stone knives and many tools and thinks of
bone and antler appeared, and in the II millennium ironmon-
gery (knives and hooks) were found [16: 280, 281]. Traces
of iron knife are on a bear canine from the site Red Partisan I,
relating to I millennium BC [11, 112]. The wide spreading of
bone artifacts in the Old Itel’men monuments I millennium
BC probably due to the use of metal tools. Polish knives also
show on the use of metal knives in this time that may have
copied the metal specimens.
Iron knives (one safe and two fragments) and 18 Japa-
nese bronze coins of during the reign of Kaney and bronze
smoking pipe found in the upper layer of Zhupanova
site [11, 47, Table. 1]. Layer dated XVII–XVIII centuries.
The amorphous bronze plate found in the dwelling on Cape
Siyushk [4, 94]. Copper products (arrowhead, fragment in-
definite artifact, several amorphous small plates) were
found in the Lopatka site [4, 44]. Iron products together
with ceramics, typical for late Ainu culture Naiji, found at
several localities in South Kamchatka. Bronze coins Kaney-
tsuho found in southern Kamchatka in the Bol’shoy Kamen’
site, near the mouth of the river Ozernaya, on the Sivuyskiy
Cape of Kurile Lake, in Lopatka I and Ryabukhina sites.
Formerly, researchers have noted the later appearance of
metal products in southern Kamchatka and the east coast of the
peninsula [4, 167; 11, 190]. It is likely that metal products could
get to Kamchatka already in I millennium AD. It is doubtful to at-
tribute sites I and II millennium AD to the Neolithic and to unite
sites this time to the earlier period (Tarya culture for N. Dikov)
4
into a common Taryinskuy culture with three periods (Tar’insky,
Kronotsky and Nalychevsko-Nikulskiy stages), the existence of
which is determined by the period from the beginning of the III
millennium BC to the XVII century AD [13; 16, 279–281]. It
was not very successful the consolidation of same periods under
the title Old Itel’men culture [12].
In the north-western coast of Kamchatka stands the cul-
ture or monuments type Tevi [14]. This culture finds most
analogies in the Old Itel’men and the Old Koryak cultures,
several elements characteristic of Neoeskimo, Aleut and south
Okhotsk maritime cultures. Perhaps monuments type Tevi
represent one of the local variants of the Old Koryak culture
of I millennium AD in Kamchatka. These sites belong to the
Paleometal period [15].
Sakhalin archaeologists is noticing the first signs of the
use of population metal in complexes of the first half of I
millennium BC. Probably, in this time the island cultures
were experienced the influence of early Iron Age cultures —
Urilskaya (XI–IV centuries BC) and Poltsevskaya (V cen-
tury BC – IV century AD). Metal products (iron and bronze)
arrived on the islands from the mainland.
The Aniva culture (VIII–III centuries BC) is relating for
the transition period from the stone to the metal [2]. It is be-
lieved that this culture is one variant of generality of final Jo-
mon — early Post-Jomon. Archaeological monuments of this
community located on the shores of Aniva Bay and Tonino-
Aniva Peninsula. Given the chronology and the metal epoch
number of signs (thin-walled ceramic, grinding adzes) the re-
searchers believe that the Aniva culture people were already
known with the metal. Since from the middle I millennium
BC the Aniva culture coexists with paleometal cultures (Su-
suya, Nabil and Piltun).
The Nabil culture (X–I centuries BC) selected from the
Severo-Sakhalinskaya culture and is located on Northern
Sakhalin. Sharp based vessels with the comb ornamentation,
the diameter of the mouth of the vessel exceeds the height is
characterized for this culture. Nabil monuments of culture are
represented by large settlements on the shores of bays and riv-
ers. Winter homes of the Nabil people located in the valleys
of rivers and streams. In spring and summer, they migrated
to the coast and lived in summer homes. Researchers believe
that the people of the Nabil culture already knew metal tools,
but mostly used stone tools.
The Piltun culture (V–I centuries BC) was found in the
north-eastern Sakhalin near Piltun and Chayvo Bays. Ref-
erence monuments are multilayered settlement Kashkale-
bagsh‑2, Chayvo-1, Lebediniy‑1. Winter settlements gravitate
to the west coast bays and estuaries of salmon rivers and sum-
mer seasonal sites located on sand spits between the bays and
the Sea of Okhotsk. The materials sites have stone artifacts
with high quality grinding, that is testifying about the knowl-
edge of the population of this culture with the metal. The
pottery tradition characterizing by the appearance of round-
bottomed vessels vase-shaped with comb impressions indi-
cate on connections with continental cultures.
 Distribution of metal throughout the coastal margins of the Okhotsk Sea maritime region

The Bolshebuhtinskaya culture (middle – second half of I The local archaeological culture Towada appears in the
millennium BC) allocated on the Lower Amur [17]. Ceramics end of V – beginning VI centuries AD in Sakhalin [6, 201].
of the bolshebuhtinsk type found in the north-west coast of Settlements were located in the same places where Susuya
Sakhalin (the site Kefi), as well as in the place of the Nevskoe people lived, and consisted of slightly semisubterranean
Lake (Zapadnoe 10, Donskoe 3, Berdyanskoe 2) [2]. Appar- dwellings. The Towada people used polished axes and splitting
ently the bolshebuhtinskaya culture exerted a certain influ- adzes. For the treatment of bone tools they used iron knives.
ence on the development of the culture Paleometal in north- The Okhotsk culture became widespread in the second
western Sakhalin. half of I millennium BC, which represents local variants or
The Susuya culture (V–IV centuries BC – IV–V centu- even a chain of local cultures, united in Okhotsk historical
ries AD) formed in southern Sakhalin, but later took up the and cultural community. Okhotsk culture of Sakhalin dated
most part of Sakhalin and spread to the northern part of Hok- within the VII–XIII centuries. In Hokkaido Okhotsk culture
kaido. Sites of this culture found on the islands Mineron, Re- existed about in the period VI–XII centuries. Okhotsk culture
bun and Risiri. Ceramics of the Susuya type was found on the of Sakhalin characterized by a wide use of bone and antler for
Lower Amur and on Okushiri Island (south-west coast of Hok- making various instruments and objects (arrowheads, spears,
kaido) [2]. Total of about 50 sites of this culture are known. harpoon heads, leisters, hooks, daggers and other household
All sites of the Susuya people linked to the seaside. Usually utensils). Stone tools are very small and presented arrow-
settlements consisted of a few dwellings. Summer houses lo- heads, chopping tools. Okhotsk people actively used tools
cated on sand spits at the mouth of the river near the coast. made from the iron, bronze objects are rare.
Winter settlements were located away from the sea in the valleys Chronological framework of the Early Iron Age in Sakha-
enclosed from winds. The most famous settlements on Sakha- lin defined within V century BC – XII century AD. Early Iron
lin — Starodubskoe 2, Kuznetsova 1, Ozersk 1, Belinskoe 1, Age in the Kuril Islands comes later — in I millennium
Ust-Ainskoe 1, Chirikova, and on Hokkaido — Onkoromanay. BC. This process involves Post-Jomon community of eastern
The Susuya culture is considering as a culture of the early Iron Hokkaido and the Kuril Islands.
Age, and already subsequent cultures Okhotsk ethno-cultural The transition from the Neolithic to Paleometal epoch
community belong to the early Middle Ages [2; 16, 295–300]. dated around 2500–2300 years ago [7]. Boundary between
Metal objects were found already at several settlements the Neolithic and Paleometal in the southern Kuril Islands
of the Susuya culture, in connection with which it has been drew about 2000 years ago [8, 195].
suggested that the further study of its the iron will become Based on the foregoing review of the archaeological re-
ordinary thing for these monuments [1, 158]. The findings cord of the appearance of metal in the Okhotsk Sea region,
of iron tools and careful polishing of stone cutting tools evi- we can conclude that I millennium BC in this region is a
denced on the use of metal by the Susuya people. The iron transition stage from the Neolithic to the Early Metal. For
knife with a handle made of deer antlers was found on the Northern Sea of Okhotsk the period from middle I millen-
floor dwelling in the settlement of Ust-Ainskoe. Several nium BC until middle I millennium BC can be defined Pa-
unidentifiable corroded iron objects also were found on leometal era and next V–XVII centuries is Iron Age. For the
another settlement Chirkova‑1. Stone polished axes were Southern Sea of Okhotsk Early Iron Age has several other
quadrangular section with right angles, which is typical for frameworks (V century BC – VI century AD), and further
metal tools [2]. there is Late Iron Age (VII–XVI centuries).
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