The Krasnosamarskoe settlement was discovered because a modern man-made lake eroded part of it, exposing the LBA site. The LBA settlement stood on a low terrace beside an extensive series of ox-bow lakes and marshes during the LBA. Two fresh-water streams flowed into the marsh north and south of the settlement. In the 1970s the marshes were partly dammed and made into shallow lakes for a commercial carp fishery. The modern lake level was raised about 1 meter above the old marsh water level, flooding the LBA settlement and the two stream mouths. Part of the settlement eroded into the lake, and part was preserved for our excavation.

Groups of students collected artifacts from the lake bottom--a popular duty on days that could be more than 110 F in the direct sun. In the photo below on the right, Srubnaya and Pokrovka pottery sherds are in the background and burned animal bones are in the foreground. The Lake bottom deposits also contained a copper nugget and copper slag, a bone weaving tool, and spindle whorls up to 40m offshore.

Two dates on butchered animal bone from this submerged component match with the dates from the earlier Pokrovka occupation from the excavated structure and the well feature, Pit 10. The ceramics from the submerged component consist principally of classic Srubnaya types. So both phases, Pokrovka and Srubnaya, are represented both on the lake bottom and in the excavated part of the settlement.

The central residential part of the settlement in both phases, with an area big enough for only one or perhaps two homes, probably stood where the lake is now. The excavated part on dry land was the eastern edge of the settlement.