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Establishing the lower limit of the Turkic period in the Altai region and the earliest archaeological monuments characteristic of this period presents a complex task for archaeological research. Radiocarbon dates obtained from Bulan-Koby and Kok-Pash type burials dating to the pre-Turkic period suggest an upper limit of around the middle of the 6th century AD. Around this time, or perhaps a little earlier, in the late 5th – early 6th centuries, square stone enclosures appear in the same region. The greatest difference in the grave goods of these different types of monument is that stirrups are found in stone enclosures, whereas none are recorded in Bulan-Koby type monuments. The next stage in the development of the material culture of the Turkic period from the second half of the 6th century, is marked by the distribution of ornaments made in heraldic style. Likewise, after the middle of the 6th century, Kudyrge type burials appear, which are similar to the Bulan-Koby type monuments inasmuch as the inventory of finds includes both stirrups and artistic heraldic ornaments. We know from Chinese chronicles that some historical events can be extrapolated to archaeological sites. In this case, it is important to mention the resettlement of ‘500 Ashina families’ to the Altai in 460 CE, where they formed the core of the Turkic community. We suggest that the use of stelae at square stone enclosures uncharacteristic of the preceding period are associated with this group. After the formation of the Turkic Khaganate, the practice of erecting enclosures with stelae, and human burials with horses in them became widespread throughout the Eurasian steppe testifying to the significance of the Altai population in the formation of the wider Turkic community.

The Krasnaya Gorka grave field located in Central Tuva on the left bank of the Ulug-Khem (Yenisei) in the Bai-Bulun area was studied by the Tuva archaeological expedition of the Institute of the History of Material Culture of the Russian Academy of Sciences (St. Petersburg) in 2015. The article presents a full publication of the materials of two Objects (Nos. 3 and 5) of the Krasnaya Gorka-19 monument, which belongs to the Turkic period. Object number 3 - undermound burial in the grave with two accompanying horses and the stele installed in 3 m to the east - south-east made of a “deer” stone, dug upside down. The burial is not robbed, all the equipment is presented. Anthropological and paleozoological determinations are given, a brief interpretation of the complex is given and its place is noted in the circle of synchronous monuments of Tuva and Central Asia. Special attention is given to the carved signs (possibly tamgas) on the central horn overlays on the bow. There is a lack of direct analogies to these signs in the Orkhon and Yenisei alphabets, as well as in the body of well-known tamgas and tamga-like signs of Tuva and adjacent territories., Могильное поле Красная горка, расположенное в Центральной Туве на левом берегу Улуг-Хема (Енисея), в урочище Бай-Булун, изучалось Тувинской археологической экспедицией Института истории материальной культуры РАН (Санкт-Петербург) в 2015 г В статье представлена полная публикацияматериалов двух объектов (№3 и 5) памятника Красная горка-19, относящихся к тюркскому времени. Объект №3 - подкурганное погребение в подбое с двумя сопровождающими конями и установленной в 3 м к востоку - юго-востоку стелой, в качестве которой использован «оленный» камень, вкопанный «вверх ногами». Погребение не ограблено, представлен весь положенный инвентарь.Приведены антропологические и палеозоологические определения, дана краткая интерпретациярассматриваемого комплекса и отмечено его место в кругу синхронных памятников Тувы и Центральной Азии. Отдельное внимание обращено на вырезанные знаки (возможно, тамги) на центральных роговых накладках на лук. Отмечено отсутствие прямых аналогий этим знакам в орхонском и енисейском алфавитах, а также в корпусе известных тамг и тамгообразных знаков Тувы и сопредельных территорий.