Ornaments on bone and horn artefacts from the Neolithic complex of the settlement of Mergen 6

This article analyzes ornamented items of bone and horn from the Neolithic complex of the settlement of Mergen 6 (forest-steppe zone of the Ishim River basin). Working method of application of an image was described with the help of use wear analysis. Micro photos of traces of application of images on the surface of the artefacts were made. The study highlighted two groups of images — marks and ornaments. Notches dominate in the first group, and zigzags and straight lines dominate in the second group. Composite constructions are singled out on the whole artefacts. Image location analysis on the whole artefacts revealed features of their dislocation, manifested in delineation with marks and ornaments of zones of hand grip and working parts of the items. Ornamentation and, in particular, its composition allow us to firmly connect the core Neolithic pottery complex of the settlement (Boborykino and Koshkino materials) and the artefacts under consideration. In addition to co-occurrence of ceramic vessels and tools of bone and horn in the dwellings, as well as to analogous compositions on ceramics and bones, the relation is observed on the basis of the dominant position of the main ornamental elements (straight lines, zigzags) regarding the others. Moreover, a clear determination of cultural identity of the ornamented tools and analogies within Boborykino and Koshkino antiquities of the whole Trans-Urals allowed us to to reach a wider range of comparisons and to consider the ornaments and the artefacts as links between the Trans-Urals and such Southern territories, as the North Caspian Sea, steppe Volga region, etc. This scale allows us to use the artefacts under consideration as one more evidence of a hypothesis that the Southern migrations were a driving force of neolitisation of the region. In turn, variability of functional purpose of the ornamented items of the Neolithic period, in comparison with the previous chronological periods, allows us to consider them as an indicator of changes in the ideology and the economic and ecological adaptation of ancient societies at the frontier of two epochs.