Sintashta

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The Sintashta fortified settlement in the southern Urals is dated to ca. 2000–1600 BC. It was excavated between 1968 and 1986 and gave its name to the Sintashta-Petrovka culture. The site is located in Chelyabinsk Oblast of Russia, ca. [53.3° N 62.4° E].

The settlement closely resembles [in shape and size] the nearby site of Arkaim, although the latter has been preserved much better. Sintashta's characteristic feature is its closed fortification consisting of ramparts and ditches, and a fence or wall of unfired clay bricks and wood. The fortified site included between 6,000 and 30,000 square meters. There were towers guarding the entrances. The houses were rectangular, between 25 and 130 square meters. There are also metallurgical furnaces.

Pottery found in Sintashta features swastika-like symbols, see [here].

The burials of horses at Sintashta are quite remarkable, their legs being arranged so as to imitate running [link]. It would seem that this is the culture where the earliest chariot burial is found, ca. 2000 BC.

See also

• Andronovo culture
• Arkaim
• Petrovka
• chariot burial

 



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