The Use of the Horse Phalanx by the Chiyalik Culture Population Based on the Materials of the Settlement of Yabalakly-1 (South Urals)

Abstract

The paper presents data obtained during the tracological analysis of the tools complex made of horse bone, probably related to the leather industry. They were discovered during the excavations of the late Medieval settlement of Yabalakly-1 in the middle reaches of the Dema River (Southern Urals) in 2023. 7 intact bone products were examined. As a result, a group of polished second phalanges of the horse was identified and described in detail. The general and specific features of the manufacture of each product, their functional affiliation and features of use were determined. The artifacts were studied using an MBS-9 binocular microscope and an Andonstar AD208 digital microscope with an 8.5-inch screen. The results presented in the work reflect the possibilities of an integrated approach to the study of the second phalanges of a horse, including typological, technological, and tracological methods.