Early Middle Ages Finds from the Southwestern Part of the Alei Steppe: X-ray fl uorescence analysis and cultural and chronological identifi cation (based on the materials of the Rubtsovsk museum of regional stidies)

In the Alei Steppe (south of Western Siberia) there is a significant number of burial sites that reflect the military-political, ethnic and cultural processes in the early Middle Ages. Due to the significant reduction of excavations of such archaeological complexes in Altai Krai, the need to study the collections in municipal museums has become apparent. The Rubtsovsk museum of regional studies has a small collection of finds from destroyed burials and campsites. Among them there is a series of items made of non-ferrous metal dating back to the Early Middle Ages and belonging to the Srostki culture. These artefacts are introduced into the scientific duscourse for the first time in full together with the results of X-ray fluorescence analysis. They expand the source base for the study of horse equipment decorations. The article also demonstrates separate chance finds. Similar work should be carried out in museums of other nearby towns and district centres.