Archaeology of conflicts. On the problem of warfare in Sintashta and Petrovka cultures

Abstract

Sintashta and Petrovka cultures archaeological sites of the Southern Urals
and Northern Kazakhstan are the subject of increased interest and in-depth
study in recent decades. Conclusions about advanced warfare in the population
of these archaeological cultures strengthened in historiography. Numerous finds
of war attributes (specialized weapons, fortresses, chariots) point to the key role
of warfare in the life of ancient population. However, until now not been analyzed
specific facts to talk about the role of the military factor in the cultural genesis. This
article examines the theoretical approaches in study of war phenomenon among
the population of Southern Urals and northern Kazakhstan in Bronze Age. The
analysis used «organizational-structural», «military-technical» and «cause-target»
approaches in the identification of war. This analysis allow us to consider factors of
territorial development, intercultural contacts, migration, but not military expansion.
Impossible to identify the phenomenon of war in the study context. Proof of
the potential for conflict is that people invest in the maintenance of the military
model, which was supposed to be necessary in the public consciousness.
Based on the analysis of archaeological material, offers a new terminology for
the issue under consideration. In the study of warfare of Sintashta and Petrovka
cultures, we believe a more productive use of the term “archeology of conflict”,
because it has a wider scope of application than the «war».