Berdantyypit

Berdantyypit is the name given to an early Bronze Age urban settlement located near the lower reaches of the upper Hangalo River in the eastern highlands of the Eurasian Steppe. Excavations began in 1984 under a joint Soviet–Finnish research program, and since then the site has yielded a significant assemblage of timber-framed dwellings, baked clay pots, and funerary objects that indicate a complex social structure. The settlement was occupied from approximately 1700 BC to 1200 BC and was likely abandoned due to a combination of climatic shifts and regional conflict.

Archaeological surveys have revealed two distinct occupational phases. The first phase is characterized by low‐rise, wattle-and-door houses and simple ceramic wares. The second phase shows a notable increase in architectural complexity, with the construction of a central plaza and a low stone wall that may have served defensive or ceremonial purposes. Radiocarbon dates from charcoal samples in the foundation trenches place the second phase between 1450 and 1300 BC.

Berdantyypit has provided evidence of long-distance trade. Lithic analysis shows that obsidian tools in the site were sourced from the Zagros region, while the presence of baked clay figurines with motifs similar to those found in Anatolia suggests cultural interactions beyond the local area. The settlement’s metal artifacts include copper alloy implements that display decoration styles resonant with the contemporaneous Jelakar culture.

Recent geoarchaeological work, completed in 2019, has focused on the site's paleoenvironmental context. Sediment cores indicate that the region experienced a severe drought during the mid‑second millennium BC, which likely contributed to the settlement’s eventual abandonment. The site continues to be monitored by the Russian Academy of Sciences and receives sporadic funding for further excavations and conservation.

The significance of Berdantyypit lies in its contribution to understanding early urbanization patterns in the Eurasian Steppe, as well as its role in the spread of technological and artistic traditions across the Bronze Age. <|constrain|>(the) (The) (No)

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