Shareny Bugor Fortified Settlement (the Town of Hajji Tarkhan) and its Neighbouring Area

The author analyzes the new information on the localization of the Golden Horde town of Hajji Tarkhan (Shareny Bugor settlement) and its neighbouring area. The foundation period of the fortified settlement is proposed. The reasons for its disappearance are explained. The principles of the formation of town neighbourhoods and the establishment of its borders are formulation of its boundaries are considered with due account of the geographical conditions. A characteristic of the Volga delta is provided, where natural geographical barriers, such as large and medium rivers, became administrative boundaries between microregions formed by the Golden Horde towns and numerous settlements with administrative and economic relations. A new conditional model of the “Hajji Tarkhan microregion” proposed by the author illustrates the administrative boundaries and archaeological sites of the Golden Horde period located in this territory. The author criticizes the radial technique of determining the administrative and economic boundaries of a microregion proposed by L.F. Nedashkovsky. The neighbouring area of the town of Hajji Tarkhan is described with the use of the axial technique to determine its boundaries. When comparing the list of Golden Horde settlements located in this neighbourhood with the lists previously proposed by his colleagues, the author only finds similarities with eight archaeological sites. According to the author, the archaeological sites not included in this list belong to other delta towns of the Golden Horde with rural districts formed around them as well. All these fortified settlements controlled the numerous water trading routes in the delta of the Volga river.