Ritual Constructions of the Hunnic Time in Mangyshlak

The article is devoted to the analysis of materials obtained during the study of stone structures of the Altynkazgan site. This ritual complex is located on the Mangyshlak Peninsula (North-Eastern Caspian Region). Given some constructive design features, visually identified and studied during archaeological excavations, main types of stone enclosures around altars, wall masonry and bideltoid walls were defined. The authors describe the studied artefacts and offer a reconstruction of ritual actions of the ancient population with use of altars from chalk, stone boxes-altars and dug-in vessels. Perhaps, we deal here with some pre-Zoroastrian Indo-Iranian rituals associated with the worship of fire and water (haoma-soma). The impressive number of stone structures on Altynkazgan (over 200), the "standard" location of dug-in vessels near massive altars and commonly spread horseshoe-shaped (or U-shaped) form of altar platforms within all enclosures testify to the established mythological ritual concepts of a large tribal Indo-Iranian association. The finds of a large number of different prestigious items, including precious metals, also indicate the high level of significance of ritual activities in Altynkazgan's altar structures. We mean the so-called "hoards": status items belonging to warrior-riders, hidden in special places. All metal ware found on Altynkazgan find numerous analogies in burials of the second half of the 5th century AD in the Caucasus, the Black Sea region and the Volga region.