«ANCIENT NOMADS OF THE ARALO-CASPIAN REGION» The Duana Archaeological Complex The Aralo-Caspian region is the southern heartland of the Eurasian steppe and in its remotest quarters it preserves a rich record of the nomads who have ranged for many centuries across its grasslands. Between the Aral and the Caspian Seas lies the Ustiurt Plateau, an isolated upland area of semi-desert that in past centuries was once the favoured winter grazing land for many of the nomadic tribes of central Eurasia. Professor Vadim Yagodin pioneered work in this difficult region and through several decades documented its history, mainly through evidence gathered from cemeteries. Duana lies in a beautiful setting overlooking the western shores of the Aral Sea. Its important rests not only in the multi-period burial complex but also in the nomad sanctuaries that have been found there. CONTENTS Preface vii The Aralo-Caspian Region A.V.G. Betts 1 Background 1 Nomads of the Aralo-Caspian Region 3 Nomadic Cult practices 8 Cult Practices in the Duana archaeological complex 10 The Duana Archaeological Complex V.N. Yagodin 11 Introduction 11 The cult-burial complex 13 Excavations 18 Typology of the burial complexes 32 Discussion 73 The sanctuaries 75 Stone walss 78 Human Remains S. Blau 79 Bibliography 83