Samosdel'skoe Gorodishche

 ruins, archaeological site, hillfort

The site of a medieval settlement to the southeast of the modern village of Samosdelka, southwest of Astrakhan. The site was identified as featuring medieval remains as early as 1898, but after some preliminary exploration, it became subject to consistent archaeological exploration in 2000. Three different stages in the site's development were identified with, respectively, Khazar, Oghuz, and Mongol settlement. During the Oghuz period, and possibly the Mongol period, the site may have been known as Saqsin. It has also been proposed as the Mongol city of Summerkent, mentioned by William of Rubruck in the 1250s, but that identification is uncertain. The results of the preliminary excavations were hailed as the discovery of the lost Khazar capital Itil; however, this sensational identification remains unproven, and recent studies have suggested that the site is critically lacking in cultural remains of the kind specifically expected of the Khazars. The question remains open, especially after an alternative possible identification for Khazar Itil with the site excavated in 2020-2021 near Semibugry to the southeast of Astrakhan.

The following relates to the proposed identification of Samosdelka with Itil (Hatillo), the capital of the Khazar Khaghanate.
It appeared at the scene zimovnika as khan rate. Probably the first urban settlements in the lower Volga. After the defeat suffered by Hazara from the Arabs in 737, the seat of the Khazar Kagan was moved from the Caspian Semendera in Dagestan in the more remote from the military action the Volga Delta. This place was very convenient trading: it lets you control access to the Caspian Sea. Since mid-VIII century began the rise of international trade, and Itil became the largest transit market.

The population was very variegated ethnically. Peacefully co-exist different religious communities: Jews, Muslims, Christians and pagans. Moreover, representatives of these communities came from different countries. They are all attracted justice and security, prevailing in the Khazar capital. Muslim Colony St. numbered. 10 ths. and was from merchants, and artisans. The Jewish community was made up of merchants, arriving on commercial matters, and residents who have moved in Khazar, fleeing from religious persecution in Byzantium. Of special note rusy pagans, who was a trading colony, and Slavs. Ethnicity other pagans and Christians is not specified, but their communities were also significant. For the needs of each denomination existed temples of worship: churches, mosques and synagogues. In the city there were about 30 mosques quarterly with the schools and one cathedral mosque with a minaret. To resolve disputes, there were seven judges: two by two for the Jews, Muslims and Christians and one for all pagans. The work of judges oversaw officer appointed by the king.
Hazara live in the capital only in the winter. Spring with the month Nisan (April) month of Kislev (November), they went on their ancestral land: to know - at kochevki, the poor - in the field of work. In later descriptions indicated that the city was surrounded by villages and arable land. Harvest brought into the city on carts and boats. Each of the parts of the city, apparently, was assigned to rural areas, where natural levied taxes.
In 968/969 Itil was taken and destroyed rusami and guzami. Remnant population taken refuge in the islands in the delta of the Volga. For some time the city was in occupation, a Khazar ruler lived in exile on the coast in the possession of Khorezm. After Rusova king's court was able to return. About the future fate of Khazar capital data are not available. In XI - beginning of XIII in the Lower Volga region, there was a large city Saksin, but in Mongol time - Sarai-Batu, but whether they were located on the ground Itilya unknown.

Soviet archaeologists in the first half of XX century learned the Caspian Sea and Don city Khazars - alleged Semender and Sarkel (White Tower). Mikhail Artamonov was last in the 1930's, he was associated with Sarkel left Tsimlyanskoe castle, now inaccessible for research: it was submerged during the construction of reservoirs Tsimlyanskoe in the first half of 1950. On the role Semendera claim Tarko hillfort near Makhachkala, but perhaps the city was in a different place, and there is a reasonable assumption that at various times Semender was there and there. Another Caspian City Khazars, Belendzher probably stood on the site, known as Verhnechiryurtovskoe hillfort. His flooded during the construction of hydroelectric power stations Sulakskoy.

Version of the identification with Itilem ruins at Samosdelskom hillfort, located near the village Samosdelka Kamyzyakskogo region Astrakhan region was in 2008. Astrakhan archaeologists on the basis of finds at the ancient town of assumed that they have disappeared Saksin repeatedly mentioned in the old sources as an important trading hub Lower Volga. Absolute certainty in the identification Saksina among researchers, of course not, but they have an interesting indirect argument. Arab traveler al-Garnati mentioned that the city stood on the ruins of the Khazar Hatillo (Itilya), and the alleged Saksinom indeed found traces of the Khazar settlements.

The most powerful argument of archaeologists Samosdelskoy Expedition is a fortress: its remnants were found and identified. It was built of brick, which was the imperial privilege, and the only known archaeologists Khazar brick fortress was Sarkel. Radiocarbon analysis of the alleged Khazar layers on hillfort points to VIII and IX century, that corresponds to the time flowering Kaganate. Finally, discovered traces of fire may also indirectly confirm the historical information about the campaign of Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev team in the second half of 960-ies against the Khazars.
lenta.ru/articles/2008/09/02/khazars /
www.astrakhan.ru/history/read/13/
www.kulichki.com/ ~ gumilev/articles/Article40.htm