The function and meaning of wells in the fortified settlement of Kamenny Ambar, Bronze Age Sintashta culture in the Trans-Urals, Russia

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On the northern edge of the Eurasian Steppe we find at the transition of the forest-steppe to the steppe in the Trans-Urals for the first time a sedentary lifestyle in systematically structured and forti-fied settlements. So far, 21 of these settlements are known and are associated with the Sintashta-Petrovka culture. They belong according to Russian terminology to the Middle Bronze Age (after C14 data about 2100 - 1,800 BC.). In various excavations, most recently in the framework of our German-Russian cooperation project 2008-2014, 24 wells have been uncovered in the settlement of Kamennyj Ambar. The numerous wells provide a special feature in the fortified settlements. Due to their regular distribution in the settlements, they serve as unmistakable sign for the size, location and position of the indi-vidual houses in the settlement system. Geomagnetic prospection and excavations in the settlement of Kamennyj Ambar allowed detailed insight into the settlement structures. The wells are located in the back of the houses and had a depth of up to four meters, where they always reached the groundwater of the alluvial plain close to the river. From 24 wells which were uncovered, 18 were dug and previously cored and transported to Frankfurt. The wells and their fillings with wet soil conservation and archaeobotanical residues play a key role in the reconstruction of the architectural history of the houses and on the issue of economic activities within the settlement. They also provide important information for the reconstruction of houses like that part of the house were not covered with a roof and served as a court. The archaeobotanical re-mains and the backfilling of the well shafts, which are present in the core samples for further investigations, allow important information on the construction history and therefore for the house construction itself. Thus the recovered 18 cores and 140 samples of wet sediments form an invaluable archive by the present project proposal is to be developed. The numerous fountains raise questions as to their function. Why were they ever dug, although the settlements were usually built on low terraces directly to the rivers. Was it the people who claimed always to have access to fresh water? Was the water from the fountain of better quality than from the river? Another aspect relates to the issue of supply of the animals with water in winter, when the rivers were frozen and the water supply would be better served by the protected location of the wells in the houses or in the yard. Thus, a stable food and nutritional basis for human and animal would certainly be given and the fortified settlements can be considered also in behalf of other criteria as eco-nomically independent units.