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Sintashta

Sintashta is a Bronze Age fortified settlement in the southern Ural region of Russia, dating to roughly 2100–1800 BCE. It is the eponymous center of the Sintashta culture, a leading element of the broader Andronovo cultural horizon, and is often cited as one of the earliest large-scale urban centers on the Eurasian steppe.

Archaeological work beginning in the mid-20th century uncovered substantial defensive walls, ditches, and densely built houses

The Sintashta culture is particularly notable for evidence relating to the domestication of horses and the

Today, Sintashta is recognized as a key archaeological locus for understanding Bronze Age social organization, technology,

that
suggest
organized
planning
and
social
complexity.
The
site
and
related
settlements
show
advanced
metallurgical
activity,
including
copper
alloy
production,
indicating
a
high
degree
of
craft
specialization
and
regional
exchange
networks.
use
of
wheeled
vehicles.
The
broader
Sintashta-Petrovka
complex
is
associated
with
early
chariot
development
and
related
burial
practices,
contributing
to
discussions
about
the
origins
of
chariots
in
Eurasia.
and
exchange
networks.
It
is
studied
within
the
context
of
the
Andronovo
horizon,
with
excavations
and
conservation
work
conducted
by
Russian
institutions.
The
site
is
an
important
part
of
the
cultural
heritage
of
the
region
and
continues
to
inform
debates
about
early
urbanization
and
mobility
in
the
Eurasian
steppe.