CLAY VESSELS’ SHAPES AS AN OBJECT OF STUDY OF THE CULTURAL HISTORY OF ALANS OF THE FOREST-STEPPE DON REGION

Alans are one of the ethnic components Saltovo-Mayatsk archaeological culture. Antiquities associated with this group found in Middle Don basin. The article studies cultural characteristics Alanian groups that left behind burial sites region, on example pottery. object study shapes clay vessels. was carried out according to methodology developed within framework historical-and-cultural approach ancient pottery, proposed by A.A. Bobrinsky. considers quantitative composition unmixed traditions shaping forms pottery Alan component three most numerous categories ware analyzed: jugs, mugs and pots. communities catacomb grounds eastern regions forest-steppe were culturally more heterogeneous than from western part. materials Mayatsky complex, Yutanovsky Podgorovsky present unique inherently mixed sets morphological traditions. Based data ceramics their comparison traditions, we consider Yutanovsky, Podgorovsky, as cemeteries included settlers part forest-steppe, whose up new places residence. probable reason for resettlement a certain population region can be considered construction series stone brick fortresses Tikhaya Sosna River, well need control section Slavic-Khazar frontier. In accordance concept, G.E. Afansiyev, these fortifications built 30-40s 9th century. author suggests it is events explain influx into formation residence people among “neighbors” forest-steppe.