MAIKOP CULTURE - archaeological cultural culture of the early Bronze Age (beginning of the 4th - beginning of the 3rd millennium BC) on the territory torii plain and foothills of the western and central parts of the North Caucasus and Pre-Caucasus.

Behind the basins of Ku-ba-ni, Upper Ku-ma, Verkh-ne-go and Middle Te-re-ka, the adjacent regions of Cher- no-sea coastline (from Ta-ma-ni to the modern city of No-vo-ros-siysk) and the steppes of the modern Stavropol region (unit insignificant monuments from the West to the Lower Don and modern Kal-my-kiya - the so-called steppe May-kop); separate passages - from the Northern Black Sea Coast to the Caspian Sea. In the north-ve-ro-vo-to-ke are-al of the Maikop culture per-re-se-ka-et-sya with the zone of eneo-li-ti-ches steppe cultural groups , close to the early yam culture, in the southeast - with the Kuro-Araxes culture, from the known and mixed memories (for example, Lu-go-voy).

Na-zva-na on May-kop-ku-ku-ga-nu.

The memories have been studied since 1869, their commonality has been identified since the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries as the “Kuban region of the surrounding spits -tya-kov" A.A. Spokes, “Caucasian cultural culture” V.A. City-rod-tso-vym, “big Ku-ban chickens” A.M. Talg-re-nom, “ran-ne-ku-ban-skaya group” A.V. Schmid-tom, “second stage” of the ancient culture of Kav-ka-za A.A. Mil-le-rom, “ran-ne-ku-ban-skaya group” A.A. Yes-se-nom. The modern term has been found in Spi-tsy's writings since the 1920s, and has become widespread since the 1950s, since after the publications of E.I. Krup-no-va; not-to-ry-mi is-sle-do-va-te-la-mi used-re-la-et-sya the same term “may-kop-sko-but-in-its- Bod-Nen-skaya community.” At the beginning of the work of Yes-se-na (1950), there are two stages: May-Kop-sky and No-vo-svo-bod-nen-sky. In a number of studies, they are considered as connected genes and you de-la-ut re-re- popular complexes, in some of them - like cul-tu-ry, with-from-no-si-my with various is-to-ka-mi. You-de-my local va-ri-an-you, for example, ga-lu-ga-ev-sko-se-ryo-gin-sky, pse-kup-sky, do-lin-sky , but-in-free-bod-nen-sky (S.N. Ko-re-nev-sky), not yet generally recognized.

The most studied in gree-be-niya, almost all - under-chur-gan-nye, often with chrome-le-ha-mi; quick on the side, including the sy-pan-ny oh-swarm, the loudest often ori-en-ti-ro-va-ny in the southern sector. Early on-sy-pi-earth, for later-for-them-for-tel-ny stone-on-bro-ski and other construction-st-ru-tions, there are long- men, stone boxes and more. The chambers are quadrangular, including those with stone, sometimes with wooden wall lining (red-and-black paintings are known -si on a white background: schematic images of people and more); on the floor there is sometimes a stilt-ka, in late-the-gri-be-ni-yah there is often a stone bridge, including a og-ra-zh-den -naya, on the ancient top-no-sti. In the village, the area is mainly 1-2 hectares, as is typical on river areas. A.A. Form-mo-call, A.D. Carpenter and others from-no-si-li to the Maikop culture of groups of uk-rep-len-nyh (including stone-ny-mi walls-on-mi) in the villages of the Central and the Western Caucasus, which are now not considered within the framework of the culture of pearls, but-on-how-toy-ke-ra -mi-ki. The houses are rectangular, on-ground, framed, gly-but-bit; clay-bitten fields and hearths are known. There are foreign cultural influences in the surrounding buildings (in the eastern regions); on the territory of Ka-bar-di-no-Bal-ka-rii for-fi-si-ro-va-ns are long, angular up to 1.4 m so- weapons. There are utility pits.

Ke-ra-mi-ka from ho-ro-sho from-mu-chen-no-go test-ta, including an-go-bi-ro-van-naya, lo-shche-naya, mostly not -or-na-men-ti-ro-van-naya; a number of crafts were made on a pottery wheel (ancient in Kav-ka-ze). For the early stages, this stage has a sha-ro-shaped shape with a sharply bent rim; ke-ra-mi-ka the-se-le-niy time-but-about-the-time, but hu-same-che-na. On the new-free-bod-nen-sky stage, dark-colored vessels with a narrow throat and a narrowed body were presented -sky bottom, bowls, as usual, with an edge bent inward, cups and more; Hands-ki-ears, or-na-ment (“pearl-alien”, embedded, etc.) are more common.

Against the backdrop of synchronous cultural tours of Eastern Europe, there are especially many, many and different types of armored zy (mouse-ya-ko-howl and nik-ke-le-howl), mainly local forms: so-su-dy (mainly boilers); different-but-different to-po-ry, mo-you-gi, kin-sting-ly, knife; 4-sided awls, do-lo-ta with a forehead-shaped blade; there are some spears, a sword and more. Special two-tooth sockets, sometimes one-tooth “fork-hooks”; so-bent (they form a loop in a se-re-di-not) draw-you, from-ed with round-round ends (we -not op-re-de-la-yut as the most ancient psalms for harnessing bulls). Representations of golden and silver co-su-dy, fi-gur-ki, vi-juicy rings, bu-lav-ki, ribbons , beads, on-lay-ki, pla-stin-ki and more. Stones made of grains, dogs, inserts of sickles, to-po-ry, tes-lo- and do-lo-like weapons, at least some arrows; to-chi-la and in-st-ru-men-you, connected with metal-lo-work-work; nay-de-ny no-zhi, on-top-shiya bu-lav, so-su-dy; fi-gur-ka zhi-vo-no-go and qi-lin-d-ritic pe-cha-ti from Near East; among the uk-ra-she-niy - bra-le-you, under-weight-ki, be-sy (mostly ser-do-lik, there is la-zu-rit).

From bones and horns: do-lot-tsa, fishing-hooks, at least some arrows (available with a gold-treasure) , pendants and beads, mo-lo-current with an opening and more.

The main farm is cattle (mainly large and small livestock) and land.

I’m not sure about the connection of the Maikop culture with the cult-tu-ra-mi of Near East-ka - from Northern Me-so-po-ta-mii to Eastern Ana-to-lia (including including traditions, close cult-tu-rams of Ubaid and Uruk). The specific participation in the formation of the Maikop culture that preceded the village of the North Caucasus has almost not been studied. what. Fur-ha-niz-we for-mi-ro-va-niya and race-pro-str-ne-niya new culture, as well as its fate no-si-te-ley, dis -kus-si-on-ny. In the community that replaced the Maykop culture of the North Caucasian culture, only individual elements are traced, connected we are with the May-kop culture.

See also the literature under the article May-Kop-Kur-Gan.

Monuments of the Maykop archaeological culture were left by the tribes that inhabited the area at the end of the 4th - first half of the 3rd millennium BC. e. Kuban region and other territories of the North Caucasus. The Maykop archaeological culture received its name from its most famous monument.
Under an 11-meter-high embankment there was a burial pit, divided into three parts by partitions. The grave was lined with wood and covered with a wooden ramp. The southern burial chamber, the largest, is believed to have contained the burial of the leader.
The set of objects discovered in the Maikop mound stands out in its richness among other archaeological sites of the Bronze Age.
Of great interest are two silver vessels with images of animals. The upper part of one of the vessels is decorated with a mountain landscape. In the figure you can easily guess the outlines of the Main Caucasus Range. The canopy, built over the leader's body, was supported by six silver tubes. They were wearing gold and silver figurines of bulls.
In addition to objects made of gold and silver, many different tools (axes and chisels), as well as copper and clay vessels were found in the grave.
In 1898 N.I. Veselovsky, in a tract with the symbolic name of Klady, not far from the village of Novosvobodnaya, excavated two mounds of tribes of the Maikop culture. Under the mounds, archaeologists discovered stone tombs.
Bronze weapons, cauldrons, tools, dishes, objects made of gold, silver and precious stones were found next to them.
And in the 20th century. In the same tract, another stone tomb with unique paintings on the walls, painted in red and black paint, was excavated. On the walls were depicted figures of people, running horses, bows and quivers - cases for arrows.
Along with the burials of rich people, burials with a small number of things, or even without them, were also found. To date, about 200 monuments of Maikop culture have been discovered on the territory from the Taman Peninsula to Dagestan. A real treasure was discovered in one of the burials: a silver vessel filled with skillfully made beads made of gold, silver and precious stones.
At the end of the 20th century, archaeologists discovered a large group of ancient settlements of the Maykop culture in the Belaya River basin and along the Fars River south of Maykop. Among them are Meshoko, Skala, Yaseneva Polyana. All of them are located in the foothills and mountainous parts of Adygea. In 1981, a settlement was opened in the flat part, between the village of Krasnogvardeisky and the Svobodny farm. This is how it got its name - Free.
The most famous settlement of the Maikop culture tribes is Meshoko near the village of Kamennomostsky. It is located on a high plateau.
The village was fortified with a powerful defensive stone wall, reaching a width of 4 meters. The living quarters were built of adobe and adjacent to the defensive walls. Most of the settlement, however, was not built up and was intended for herding livestock and storing it in case of external danger.
During excavations, archaeologists discovered a huge number of bones of domestic animals: cows, sheep, pigs. Ceramic strainers used in the manufacture of dairy products, grain grinders and flint inserts for sickles were also found.
The tribes of the Maikop culture achieved noticeable success in bronze metallurgy. In a number of burials, archaeologists found bronze parts of animal harnesses.
The Maykop tribes, according to historians, moved to the territory of the Kuban from Mesopotamia or Asia Minor. From there, in addition to the potter's wheel, they brought other achievements of ancient Eastern civilization: weaving, the ability to artistically process metal products. Research shows that migrants have already become divided into rich and poor.

MAYKOP CULTURE - archaeological culture of the early Bronze Age (2nd half of the 3rd millennium BC) in the North Caucasus. Named after the Maikop mound. The remains of fortified settlements and burial mounds have been excavated. The population was engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture.

The mound was a mound more than ten meters high, under which there were two burials: one, the main one, directly under the mound, in a hole, the other in the mound itself. The main grave was a quadrangular hole dug in the ground, oriented along the northeast-southwest axis. A cromlech of limestone slabs was built around it. The walls of the grave were reinforced with wooden structures, and the bottom was lined with small river cobblestones. It was divided by wooden partitions into southern and northern halves, and the latter was divided into two equal parts. In the southern half of the grave there was one burial (the buried person lay in a crouched position on his side, covered with red paint, with his head to the southeast), in the northern half there was one burial in each part.

The grave (mostly its southern half) contained a large number of gold plaques in the shape of lions and bulls, gold rings and beads, gold and silver vessels, flint arrowheads, a polished stone axe, copper tools, ceramics of various shapes and purposes.

Even earlier, a group of mounds was discovered near the village of Novosvobodnaya (Tsarskaya), the funeral rite (crooked and painted bones) and inventory of which had much in common with the Maikop mound, but burials in the Novosvobodnaya mounds were not made in pits, but in stone tombs - dolmens. They contained rich inventory in the form of gold and silver jewelry, bronze tools and weapons, bronze cauldrons and bowls, ceramics in the form of engobed and polished vessels decorated with ornaments.

But despite many similar features, which give every reason to classify the Maikop burial mound and the burial mounds near the village of Novosvobodnaya as one archaeological culture, they have certain differences in the method of burial (pits and dolmen-shaped structures), as well as in the manufacture of weapons and ceramics. Apparently, they are chronological in nature, and the discovery of monuments of the Maikop culture at an intermediate stage of development allows us to talk about three stages of its existence (A.A. Formozov, R.M. Munchaev).

In the 20th century, over the course of several decades, funerary and domestic monuments of Maikop culture were discovered in the Stavropol region, in Kabardino-Balkaria, in Chechnya (near the station of Mekenskaya on the Terek, near the village of Bamut on Fortanga, near the village of Bachi-Yurt on the Gonsol River, near the village of Serzhen-yurt, near the village of Zandak).

Thus, the Maykop culture, in its heyday, spread to the entire foothill and lowland part of the North Caucasus from the Taman Peninsula in the west to the border of Dagestan in the southeast. In the south and southeast of Checheno-Ingushetia, mainly in the areas bordering Georgia and Dagestan, the tribes of the Maikop culture come into contact with the tribes of the more ancient Kura-Araxes culture. The inventory of household and funerary monuments contains stable features and characteristics of both cultures. However, the combination in archaeological complexes of late Maikop features with early Kuro-Araxes, taking into account the boundaries of the existence of these cultures (Kuro-Araxes - from the middle of the 4th millennium to the end of the 3rd millennium BC, Maikop - from the end of the 4th to the end of the 2nd millennium BC), has not yet found a rational, scientific explanation.

Obviously, the Maykop culture originally originated in the northwestern and central regions of the North Caucasus. This is confirmed by the concentration of archaeological sites from the early period of the existence of this culture in the North-West Caucasus, the Kuban region and Pyatigorsk. But monuments of the early stage of development of the Maikop culture were also discovered to the east, on the territory of Chechnya, near the village of Mekenskaya. At the same time, household items and tools from the early monuments of Maikop culture are extremely archaic. Here are flint and obsidian tools in the form of segments and trapezoids, stone grain grinders, scrapers, drills, chisels, bone awls, fish hooks, weapons in the form of wedge-shaped stone axes, flint arrowheads, spears, darts, and jewelry in the form of stone bracelets.

The main characteristics of the Maykop archaeological culture are well known, publicly available, available in print media, on the Internet, Wikipedia, etc. Here I want to touch on something that Indo-European scientists often ignore. (The term “phenomena” hides seemingly ordinary achievements in the history of the ancient world, but their peculiarity is that such achievements did not exist in Europe for about a thousand years).

The world fame and unflagging interest of the scientific community in this culture was confirmed at the international conference “The Maikop phenomenon in the ancient history of the Caucasus and Eastern Europe”, which took place in 1991. in Novorossiysk.
In Soviet times, in order to avoid unnecessary discussions on the influence of the single origin of the Maykop archaeological culture, an attempt was made to change its status and call it the Maykop-Novosvobodnaya community (MHO).

Dating of culture. The emergence of culture dates back to approximately 38-36 centuries BC. e., i.e. (the period of the middle, late Uruk in Mesopotamia, the ancient state of the Sumerians, or one might say a thousand years older than the Egyptian pyramids, and in Europe they still ran with wooden swords). Based on radiocarbon analysis, various monuments of the Maykop culture are dated based on calibrated 14C dates of 3950 - 3650 - 3610 - 2980 BC. (i.e. the second quarter of the 4th - the second half of the 4th - the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC).
Apparently, gift exchange within the community and with foreign cultural populations played a large role in the economy of the Maikop people. Within the MHO tribes, effective and highly prestigious metal objects were produced, as well as circular pottery. This created the basis for the development of economic “big men”.

1st phenomenon. Bronze production using local raw materials.
By comparing the metals of the Maykop and Kura-Araks cultures, it was established:
- both cultures are close in their main indicators to the two main groups of metal in Transcaucasia, the same arsenic and arsenic-nickel bronzes, and together they characterize the Caucasian metal of the Early Bronze Age. - Maikop metal is closer to Georgian products than to Armenian ones. Armenian ones are distinguished by a high content of tin microimpurities.
Mapping metal groups allowed scientists to assume a Caucasian character not only for arsenic bronzes, as noted earlier, but also for arsenic-nickel bronzes, and the highest concentration of finds from this metal was found in the Maikop monuments of Kabardino-Balkaria. The final conclusion of the scientists: “the blacksmiths of the Maikop culture tribes worked on Caucasian raw materials.”
Axes. Along with bronze items, the Maikopians continued to use stone axes and arrows with flint tips. Child Gordon Vere compared the ax from the Maikop mound with the ax from Ashur. S. N. Korenevsky also connects the axes of the 1st Maikop group with the common production tradition with southern samples - the axes of Iraq. At the beginning of the 3rd millennium BC. e. the production of eared axes was organized within the wide boundaries of the Iraqi-Mesopotamian-Caucasian cultural world. Their penetration into the Northern Black Sea region can be put in direct connection with the phenomenon of the Maikop culture and passed through the Caucasian transit routes. Axes found from the Grichaniki farm, Gnidino village were classified by S.N. Korenevsky as belonging to the III group of Maikop axes, characterized by a strong belly bend at the blade and an asymmetrical blade.

2nd phenomenon. Horse breeding. One of the phenomena of Maikop culture is the established fact that already in those days, representatives of the prominent Maikop nobility used horses for riding. Since the appearance of the Maykop culture dates back to the beginning of 4 thousand BC. e., then this fact can serve as an indication of a certain priority in horse breeding and possibly in the use of horses in military affairs. It should be noted that the Maykop people lived a sedentary life, and in the herds they raised, horses made up a very small percentage, and the majority were pigs and cattle. Archaeologists have discovered uniquely shaped bronze cheekpieces of the Maikop culture, which are a bronze rod with a twisted loop in the middle with a knot threaded through it, which ends the soft bit, reins and headband. The notches and protuberances on the edges of the cheekpiece apparently served to secure the overlay and lip belts.

3rd phenomenon. Terrace farming. The construction of man-made terrace complexes in the mountains by the tribes of the Maykop culture is proof of their sedentism, high population density, and high level of agricultural and engineering skills.

Terraces of the Maikop culture were built around the 4th millennium BC. e., and all subsequent cultures used them for agricultural needs. The vast majority of pottery (found in terraced paintings) is ware from the Maykop period, with fewer remains of Scythian and Alan pottery. In the artificial bedding (supporting) layers, there is a fact of finding exclusively Maikop ceramics. The terraces of the Maikop culture are among the most ancient in the world, but they have been little studied. The longevity of the terraces (more than 5 thousand years old) allows us to consider the builders of these terraces as unsurpassed engineers and craftsmen. The techniques of ancient terracing have yet to be studied, since there is no alternative to terrace farming for mountainous and foothill areas.

4th phenomenon. Writing. In Maykop and its environs, three monuments of ancient writing were found: the famous Maykop slab, the Makhoshkushkh Petroglyphs (drawings on pebbles, apparently they are 30 thousand years older than the Maykop culture), and the pointillal inscription of a gold cap from the Kurdzhip mound. (All of them remain undeciphered yet.)

5th phenomenon. Cartography. The mountain landscape present on one of the silver vessels, similar to the outlines of the Caucasus Range, is considered the oldest cartographic drawing.
In 1979 and 1982 In the Klady tract, two more dolmen-shaped tombs were discovered. The tomb, opened in 1982 by A.D. Rezepkin, contained the skeleton of a woman with relatively modest grave goods. Unique is the painting on the walls of one of the cells, applied with red and black paint. Three walls had paintings on the same subject: a bow, a quiver and a standing headless human figure; on the fourth there was a frieze “Running Horses” and in the center - a figure of a man with arms and legs outstretched to the sides.
Painting on dolmen-shaped tombs has been encountered for the first time and is of great importance for understanding the art of the Early Metal Age on the territory of Adygea.

The area of ​​the spread of Maikop culture. The Maykop culture (or MNO) covered the following territories:
- plains and foothills of the Ciscaucasia (to the right bank of the Beisug River - the northernmost find of a Maikop burial near the Chograi River in the Stavropol Territory). - occupying the Trans-Kuban region (to the west up to the Taman Peninsula) - the upper Kuban region, - the Terek sloping plains, North Ossetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Ingushetia and Chechnya (up to the village of Bachi-Yurt in Chechnya).
Western Ciscaucasia (Maikop region) is considered by most scientists to be the center of formation of the INR, from where its carriers could settle to the east.
The total length (extent) of the MNO range is approximately 750 km along the southeast, northwest line with an average width of about 150 km. The greatest concentration of MNO monuments is in the Maikop region, in the Belaya and Fars river basins. MNO bordered in the north with the Nizhny Mikhailovskaya, and later with the Novotitorovskaya culture.
Distribution area:
The coverage of the Taman Peninsula is confirmed by finds near the village of Myshako, as well as excavated settlements and a burial ground in the Tsemes Valley, and in the valley of the Durso River.
Coverage of Abkhazia, in the mountainous part - According to the analysis of materials from the cave monuments of Abkhazia, the tribes of the Maykop culture occupied not only the northern, but partially also the southern slopes of the Main Caucasus Range, confirmed by materials dating back to the mid-3rd millennium BC. (Amtkel Grotto, Akhshtyrsky Caves).
Coverage of Kabardino-Balkaria, in most of the modern territory, up to the village. Kishpek (the area of ​​construction of the Chegem irrigation system), attributed to the Novosvobodnensky stage of the Maykop culture.
Covering Checheno-Ingushetia, in most of the modern territory of the republic, two large local groups of monuments are archaeologically distinguished - the Kuban (western) and Terek (eastern).
Coverage of the Stavropol region (most of it) - in 1977, mound burials of the Maikop culture were discovered by the Alexander detachment of the Stavropol expedition of the Institute of Archeology of the USSR Academy of Sciences, during a survey of the mound group on the northern outskirts of the huts. Zhukovsky, Novoselitsky district, Stavropol region.
New in the Stavropol region in 1985 - a settlement of the Maikop culture, called the “Galyugaevsky settlement”, was opened under a burial mound field of the Middle Bronze Age near the station. Galyugaevskaya, Kursk district, Stavropol Territory, on the left bank of the Terek.
Coverage of Ossetia (to some extent) - in 1993-1996. V.L. Rostunov conducted research on three large mounds of the Maikop culture near the village. Zamankul of the Right Bank region of the Republic of North Ossetia - Alania. Mounds 1 and 2 of the Zamankul burial ground are located south of the village. Zamankul, mound 3 is located near the village. Brutus.
There are facts of migration of the Maikop people far to the north to the banks of the Don River and into the steppes of Kalmykia, where they dissolved among the steppe people of the Yamnaya culture.
Border on the Don - A.L. Nechitailo points out that the monuments discovered earlier in 3 districts of the Rostov region: Azov (1968), Peschanokopsky (early and mid-70s) and Konstantinovsky district (1969–1985), in terms of funeral rites they differ sharply from all burials of the Early Bronze Age, they clearly have the influence of the Maikop culture (flint products, bronze knives and, especially, vessels of yellow, black and red-ocher color with a polished surface) and they should be considered a steppe variant of the Maikop culture.
The rich burials of the Meotian leader, found by N.I. Veselovsky in one of the Ul mounds, also belong to the Maykop culture.

6th phenomenon. Trade with distant countries.
It is believed that some jewelry and decorations directly indicate trade relations between the tribes of the Maykop culture and the Ancient East. In particular lapis lazuli. In Kabardino-Balkaria, in a mound of the Maikop culture, lapis lazuli beads were discovered. It is known that lapis lazuli is not found in the Caucasus; its closest deposits are in the Urals and Asia Minor. Analysis of the composition of the mineral indicated its origin from Badakhshan (north-eastern Afghanistan, on the border with Tajikistan, Pakistan and China). This fact is considered another proof of trade relations between the Caucasus and the world of Sumerian civilization in the Uruk period (second half of the 4th-3rd millennium BC).

7th phenomenon. Maykop animal style. At the beginning of the 20th century, in the found jewelry, scientists established the presence of a local, Maikop animal style in the found artifacts, which may have served as a standard for the creation of animal style products for later archaeological cultures, that is, it should be borne in mind that the Maikop animal style has been around for more than a thousand years older than the Scythian, Sarmatian and Celtic, Meotian animal styles.

Hypotheses about the origin of the Maykop culture.
The Maykop culture is primarily a Caucasian phenomenon, which achieved its rise on the basis of its own production, primarily in the most advanced technologies of the Early Bronze Age, associated with metalworking of copper and bronze, gold and silver, ceramic production, stone cutting and, probably, weaving.
North Caucasian researchers attribute the Maikopians to the Pontic race and consider them the ancestors of such autochthons of the Western Caucasus as the Abkhazians and Circassians.

In turn, numerous Indo-European scientists consider the Maykop culture to be the creation of their distant ancestors. For example, T. Gamkrelidze and V.V. Ivanov saw in the Maykop culture a stage of development of Proto-Indo-European society.
Separately, there is a hypothesis by R. Munchaev that the most ancient homeland of the Maykop culture was Mesopotamia (more precisely, the north of Syria). The basis of the hypothesis is the similarity of the artifacts of the Maykop culture with those recently found during excavations of the ancient city of Tell Khaznah in northern Syria, the construction of which dates back to the 4th millennium BC. e.
Anthropologists' conclusions. According to the results of paleoanthropological studies, scientists report that “the skulls of the Maykop culture bearers are more similar to those of Western Asia and Jararat.” Regarding other archaeological cultures, some of the Yamnaya culture also had similar skulls.

8th phenomenon. Center of the 2nd wave of Indo-Europeans.
The Maykop culture plays a phenomenal role in the Kurgan hypothesis (Indo-European) developed by Marija Gimbutas, according to which there were three waves of the spread of Indo-Europeans to Europe. Of which the second wave, in the middle of the 4th millennium BC. e. began precisely with the Maykop culture and spread to northern Europe around 3000 BC. e. (globular amphorae culture, Baden culture, Corded Ware culture), etc., and this was the first appearance of Indo-European languages ​​in western and northern Europe.
HOWEVER, in her latest works, Maria Gimbutas) proposed a completely new interpretation of the antiquities of the Maikop culture, interpreting them as the North Pontic Maikop Culture, however, such changes are still ignored by Indo-European scientists.
It is noteworthy that for all this, the Caucasian peoples (with rare exceptions) are not considered Indo-European.

The influence of Maikop culture on neighboring regions.
There is a hypothesis that some of the bearers of the Maykop culture migrated to the southern slopes of the Caucasus (now Azerbaijan), where they left monuments of the Leilatepa culture.

Change of culture. In the southern part of the area, over time, the Maikop culture was replaced by the dolmen culture, and in the northern part by the North Caucasian culture. The successors of the Maykop culture were, first of all, the Dolmen culture (North Caucasian culture in part of the territory), which was later replaced by the Meotian culture, Colchis-Koban and other cultures.

Separate opinion. Archaeologist, Ph.D. A.D. Rezepkin put forward a hypothesis about the independence of another archaeological culture - the Novosvobodnaya culture, which is considered only a period in the development of the Maykop culture. In this regard, most Indo-European scientists insist on a broad Maikop-Novosvobodnaya community (MNO), with a number of local variants (Galyugaevsky-Sereginsky, Dolinsky, Psekupsky).
Unique finds. The international scientific community has considered the Maykop culture an archaeological phenomenon for more than a hundred years, that is, since the first publications about it, however, the latest, somewhat sensational statements about the latest finds made by Ph.D. A. D. Rezepkin, namely:
- An ancient bronze sword. He reported that the oldest bronze sword was found in the stone tomb “Treasures” (Novosvobodnaya), which is already on display in the Hermitage in St. Petersburg. Total length 63 cm, handle length 11 cm - dates back to the second third of the 4th millennium BC. e.,,
- The oldest column. He said that “the most ancient column was invented not by the ancient Greeks, but by the ancient inhabitants of the North Caucasus (bearers of the dolmen culture in 3 thousand BC).”
- The newest musical instrument is the string-bowed one. He reported that a musical instrument (reminiscent of a harp) discovered in a stone tomb in the North Caucasus dates back to the end of 4 thousand BC. e. and is the oldest stringed musical instrument. Later, the instrument received its name “Shichepshin” from Adyghe restorers, as it generally corresponds to the ancient Adyghe folk stringed bowed instrument. According to A. Rezepkin, the instrument is currently stored in the State Hermitage.

9 - phenomenon. Bigman symbols testify to the possibility of the existence in the Caucasus of the oldest form of government in Europe.

Symbolism of culture and religious cults. S.N. Korenvsky established the following types of symbolism and cults of Maikop culture, namely: Military hunting symbolism. Military big man symbols. The symbolism of the grave space and the place of the person buried in it. Symbolism of cleansing rites. Complex of fear of the dead. Symbolism of the tombs of the Novosvobodnaya group. Symbolism of the tombs on Terka of the Dolinsky variant. Ocher in rituals and the reflection of the magic of individual parts of the body. Symbolism of the mound. A special ritual attitude towards individual objects. Symbolism of precious metals and semi-precious stones. The symbolism of the ritual scene is a bear and a tree on a silver cup. Symbolism of images on a vessel from the Sunzhensky burial ground.

Notes
1. TSB. Maykop culture
2. S.N. Korenevsky. The most ancient farmers and pastoralists of Ciscaucasia
3. Ancient Caucasians
4. O.Brileva. New mysteries of the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age of the Caucasus
5. Goop "Heritage". Korenevsky S. N. New data on metalworking of the Maikop culture
6. Kovaleva I. F. Metal axes of post-Mariupol culture. Kharkov, 1995. P.28-30.
7. V. B. Kovalevskaya. HORSE AND RIDER. Publishing house "Science". Main editorial office of oriental literature. Moscow 1977
8. Munchaev R. M. Bronze cheekpieces of the Maikop culture and the problem of the emergence of horse breeding in the Caucasus, - “The Caucasus and Eastern Europe in Antiquity”, M., 1973.]
9. - 10. State Unitary Enterprise "Heritage". N.G. Lovpace. On the origins of North Caucasian unity]
11. Onayko N.A., Dmitriev A.V. Excavations of an ancient burial ground near the village. Myskhako
12. Shishlov A. Archaeological monuments of Novorossiysk and the history of their research
13. Monuments of Maykop culture in the mountains of Abkhazia
14. State Unitary Enterprise "Heritage"
15. I.M. Chechenov. About local variants in the monuments of Maykop culture
16. Derzhavin V.L., Tikhonov B.G. New burials of the Maikop culture in the Central Ciscaucasia // KSIA. - M., 1980.
17. Security excavations at the Galyukaevsky settlement
18. Where did the Maikopians go?
19. A.K. Gamayunov. About one group of burials of the Early Bronze Age on the lower Don
20. Circassian historical and cultural type
21. NP Journal Science 21st century. With reference to Academician of the Russian Academy of Sciences R. Munchaev
22. Book by R. M. Munchaev (co-author)
23. Gerasimova M.M., Pezhemsky D.V., Yablonsky L.T. Paleoanthropological materials of the Maykop era
24. ed. T.I. Alekseeva. East Slavs. Anthropology and ethnic history
25. Samir Khotko: History of Circassia
26. Archeology of Azerbaijan
27. Rezepkin A.D. Das fr;hbronzezeitliche Gr;berfeld von Klady und die Majkop-Kultur in Nordwestkaukasien. M. Leidorf, 2000(Arch;ologie in Eurasien, vol.10)
28. Korenevsky S.N. The most ancient farmers and pastoralists of the Ciscaucasia: Maykop-Novosvobodnaya community. Problems of internal typology. M., 2004
29. Rezepkin A.D. Mound 31 of the Klady burial ground. Problems of the genesis and chronology of the Maikop culture // Ancient cultures
30. Rezepkin A.D. Das fr;hbronzezeitliche Gr;berfeld von Klady und die Majkop-Kultur in Nordwestkaukasien
31. Not all innovations are from Europe and the East
32. Rezepkin: “The wheel was not invented in the East”

Maykop culture. The Bronze Age in the North Caucasus covers the second half of the 4th – beginning of the 1st millennium BC. The Bronze Age is divided into three periods: early (last centuries IV - III millennium BC); middle (last centuries III - II millennium BC); late (last centuries of the 2nd – first centuries of the 1st millennium BC).

During the Early Bronze Age - at the end of the 4th-3rd millennium BC. in the Northwestern and Central Caucasus there was a highly developed pastoral and agricultural Maikop culture. It received the name Maykop from a large mound excavated in 1897 in Maykop. A tribal leader was buried under the mound. During the excavations, a significant number of tools, weapons, household items and jewelry were discovered: copper axes, a dagger, gold, silver, copper and clay vessels, gold rings, plaques, gold, silver, carnelian and turquoise beads, etc. (over 1523 items ).

According to archaeologists (R.M. Munchaev, Ya.A. Fedorov, N.G. Lovpache, R.Zh. Betrozov, B.M. Kerefov), the creators of the Maykop culture were the local proto-Adyghe tribes of the Northwestern and Central Caucasus. A significant influence on its development was exerted by the Western Asian civilizations and, above all, by the related Asia Minor tribes - the Hutts and Kaskas, whose language belongs to the Adyghe-Abkhaz language group. The Hutts and Kaskas lived in the northern and northeastern parts of Asia Minor. In the 3rd millennium BC. The Hutts experienced a rise in culture. In the 2nd millennium BC. The Hutts were in the process of forming early statehood. They built fortified cities. The Hutts played a significant role in the creation of the Hittite state.

In the development of the Maikop culture, archaeologists distinguish two stages: early (last centuries of the 4th – first half of the 3rd millennium BC) and late (second half of the 3rd millennium BC). At a late stage of development, the Maykop culture covered a significant territory - from the Taman Peninsula (in the west) to Dagestan (in the east).

The economy of the Maykop culture tribes was dominated by cattle breeding - breeding pigs, small and large cattle. Horses were also bred and used for riding. Agriculture was of secondary importance. An important achievement of the Maykop tribes was non-ferrous metallurgy and metalworking. The production of products made of precious metals, mainly gold, also developed. The production of woolen and canvas fabrics, as well as pottery, was also established.

The Maikop tribes lived in long-term settlements located on hard-to-reach places - plateaus, high river terraces. Their dwellings were light frame or frame buildings of a rectangular shape. The Maykop tribes also built fortifications. The Maykop tribes lived in a developed patriarchal-communal system. They were in the process of disintegrating the clan system and property stratification of society. The Maykop tribes already had domestic slavery. The tribes of the Maykop culture came close to creating a class society. The Maikop tribes had complex religious ideas: cults of heavenly bodies (cult of the moon), agricultural cults of fertility, ancestor worship, and belief in the afterlife.

Dolmen culture. To the southwest of the Maykop culture, the Dolmen culture developed. Dolmens are monumental burial structures in the form of houses with a flat or gable roof, made of hewn stone slabs. Their length is up to 4 m, height - up to 2.5 m. In the front wall of the dolmens there is a round or rectangular entrance hole up to 40 cm in size. The dolmen culture covered a significant territory - from the Taman Peninsula to the city of Ochamchira in Abkhazia. Over 2,300 dolmens have been discovered in this territory. Large groups of dolmens formed family cemeteries. The dolmen culture developed in the Western Caucasus at the end of the 4th millennium BC. and lasted until approximately 1300 BC.

A significant number of tools, weapons, household items and decorations were discovered in the dolmens: bronze and stone axes, knives, daggers, maces, rings, beads, pendants, pottery, etc. The carriers of the Dolmen culture were mainly engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture. They raised mainly cattle and pigs. According to scientists (L.N. Solovyov, L.I. Lavrov, Sh.D. Inal-Ipa, V.I. Markovin, Ya.A. Fedorov, B.M. Kerefov, R.Zh. Betrozov, N. G. Lovpache), the tribes of the Dolmen culture were the most ancient ancestors of the Abkhazians and Circassians.

"North Caucasian" culture. During the Middle Bronze Age (late 3rd – 2nd millennium BC), the “North Caucasian” culture began to develop in the territory where the bearers of the Maykop culture had previously lived. To designate monuments of the Middle Bronze Age, archaeologists also use the name “North Caucasian cultural and historical community,” noting a number of related cultures within it. Archaeologists (V.I. Markovin, A.A. Formozov, A.L. Nechitailo, etc.) associate the origin of the “North Caucasian cultural-historical community” with the Maykop culture. The “North Caucasian” culture spread over a large territory - from the Kuban region in the west to the foothills of Dagestan in the east.

The main occupations of the tribes of the “North Caucasian” culture were cattle breeding and agriculture. They raised small and large cattle and horses. Cattle breeding was of a transhumance nature. Farming was by hoeing. Barley and wheat were grown. The extraction and processing of non-ferrous metals was of great importance in the economy of the tribes of the “North Caucasian” culture. Tools, weapons and jewelry were made from bronze.

During the Middle Bronze Age, patriarchal relations were strengthened, but compared to the Early Bronze Age, the process of socio-economic development slowed down. Among the tribes of the “North Caucasian” culture, property and social stratification was less pronounced than among the tribes of the Early Bronze Age cultures.

Koban culture . At the end of the 2nd - beginning of the 1st millennium BC. In the North Caucasus, the process of developing iron ore and making more advanced iron tools began. This period is considered transitional from the Bronze Age to the Early Iron Age. At the end of the Bronze Age, the Koban culture began to develop in the mountainous and foothills of the Central Caucasus in the territory from modern Chechnya to the upper reaches of the Kuban. It received its name from the village of Koban in North Ossetia, where the first burial ground of this culture was opened in 1869. The Koban culture arose on the basis of previous cultures in the 12th century. BC. and existed until the 4th century. BC, and in mountainous areas with some changes - until the 3rd century. AD To date, about 400 monuments of the Koban culture are known.

According to some scientists, the Koban tribes living from the headwaters of the river. Kuban to the river Baksan, spoke one of the dialects of the proto-Adyghe language. The tribes that lived east of this territory up to Chechnya spoke proto-Vainakh dialects. Other scientists believe that all Koban tribes spoke the dialect of the Adyghe-Abkhaz language group.

The tribes of the Koban culture led a sedentary lifestyle. Their settlements were based along river valleys on high plateaus. The economy of the Koban tribes was dominated by cattle breeding. In the mountainous regions, sheep were bred mainly, and cattle were raised in the plains. Cattle breeding was of a transhumance nature. Horse breeding also developed. Agriculture developed mainly in mountainous regions. Millet, barley and wheat were grown.

The Koban tribes achieved significant success in metallurgy and metal processing, which was facilitated by the presence of ore deposits. During excavations of burial grounds of the Koban culture, archaeologists discovered thousands of bronze objects: dishes, axes, daggers, spearheads, horse harnesses and jewelry.

Kuban culture. In the XII – VII centuries. BC. in the area from the river basin Kuban to the Black Sea coast there was a culture called Prikubanskaya. Among the carriers of the Kuban culture, metallurgy and metalworking (non-ferrous metals) received special development. Archaeologists have discovered many similarities in the technique of making bronze objects of the Kuban and Koban cultures. The tribes of the Kuban culture were engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture. The tribes of the Kuban culture were the basis for the formation of the ancient Adyghe tribes.