Multidisciplinary investigations of the Bronze Age settlements in the Southern Trans-Urals (Russia)

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The Southern Urals, a crucial region in Eurasia, serves as the natural boundary between Europe and Asia, significantly influencing early cultural and social developments, especially during the Bronze Age (3rd and 2nd millennium BC). This period saw the emergence of advanced technological and cultural interactions, particularly through the Sintashta and Petrovka cultures. Over the past thirty years, twenty-two settlements with distinct fortifications have been uncovered in this area, thanks to advancements in aerial photography and field surveys. Since 2008, a German-Russian project has made significant strides in studying Bronze Age societies through interdisciplinary collaboration, focusing on the relationship between society and environment as a form of human adaptation. The project emphasizes a microregional investigation of sites along the Karagaily-Ayat River, a tributary of the Tobol River, highlighting how landscape, vegetation, and climate influence cultural development and the economic use of space. These investigations aim to enhance understanding of settlements and cultural spheres, ultimately leading to broader observations and comparisons between natural and cultural environments. The book details the findings from the project's initial phase (2008-2011).