This study examines the Bronze Age period in the Eastern Pamirs using materials from the cemetery of Xiabandi AII, through the analysis of its burial practices and grave goods, and planigraphy of the site. We argue that the site represents a local variant of the Andronovo Cultural-Historical Community within the Eastern Pamir region. By integrating new radiocarbon data from the Eurasian steppe contexts with traditional typological analysis, we propose a chronological framework for Xiabandi AII within the 17^th–16^th/15^th centuries BC. Genetic, genealogical and anthropological evidence reveals the western Eurasian steppe origin of the population, potentially linked to Indo-Iranian (Aryan) migrations. The burial rite and the composition of the material goods demonstrate close affinities with southern Kazakhstan, particularly the Kulsai cultural type, while also suggesting possible interactions with the Bronze Age groups of northern China.

Keywords: Xiabandi cemetery AII, Andronovo cultural community, Pamir Plateau, Bronze Age, Kulsai culture, Eurasian archaeology, Indo-Iranian (Aryan) Migrations.

 

Funding. The work was supported by the Chinese National Social Science Foundation（23AKG009）and Archaeological Talent Promotion Program of China (2024-267).

 

 

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Accepted: 09.06.2025

Article is published: 15.09.2025