October 18, 2025Open Access

Combat Knives of the Population of the Altai Northern Foothills During the Turkic Khaganates Period (based on materials from the Gorny-10 necropolis)

Key Points

Combat knives were primarily found on the left side of the deceased, indicating cultural practices surrounding burial.
Analysis included nine iron knives from eight high-status individuals, predominantly dating from the late VI to mid-VIII centuries.
Artifacts revealed specific design features, such as slanted handles and convex blades, reflecting craftsmanship in the Turkic Khaganates period.
The study sheds light on the material culture of the nomadic populations during the Migration period in Western Siberia.

Abstract

The article presents the publication, analysis and interpretation of a series of combat knives from the Gorny-10 necropolis. At this site, located in the Krasnogorsk district of the Altai Krai, 75 burials without mounds of the Turkic Khaganates period (second half of the VI – beginning of the VIII centuries AD) were studied. The collection includes nine iron knives, which are identified as combat samples. These items formed part of the grave goods of eight deceased individuals who held a relatively high status during their lifetime The placement of these artifacts within the burials shows they were predominantly positioned on the left side of the deceased, with the point oriented towards the feet. Most of the combat knives are represented by the so-called «knuckled» samples (types 1 and 2), which have a handle slanted towards the blade and a convex (humpbacked) back of the blade. The dating of such objects in the south of Western Siberia falls within the period spanning the late VI to mid-VIII centuries AD. Two items with a straight blade and an slanted handle (type 3) have a wider dating and reflect the traditions of the material culture of the nomads of the Migration period.

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