Construction of the Aboveground Part of the Tyn Walls of the Fortifications in the Russian State in Siberia and the Far East in Late 16th – Early 17th Century

Abstract

Purpose. The purpose of the research, the results of which are presented in this article, was to reconstruct the structure of the above-ground part of the tyn walls, to clarify the variability of individual parameters and their relationship with the geographical location of the fortification, its military-administrative status, and other characteristics.Results. As a result of the conducted research, it was found that modern ideas of the design of the aboveground part of the tyn wall correspond to those of more than 150 years ago. Our research made it possible to correct the current situation and form a generalized idea of the characteristics of the aboveground part of the tyn walls in Siberia and the Far East. In particular, it was found that 1) the tyn construction on and in the rampart was untypical for the Trans-Urals; 2) there was a certain standard for the height of the ostrog walls; 3) the tyn height was its main characteristic, which determined the defense capability of the entire object; 4) the tyn height was determined by the military-administrative status of the fortification and/or the military-political situation at the time of its construction; 5) the tyn thickness was not essential for defense capability, therefore, in particular, walls of half-logs were erected; 6) the tyn thickness in large military-administrative centers was greater than in ordinary ostrogs; 7) there were conditions under which it was advisable to erect a tyn wall of half-logs; 8) weapon ports were made in one tyn and had a vertically elongated shape; 9) there were tyn walls made of logs placed with gaps between them (sparse tyn); 10) the sparse tyn was used on those sections of the walls that did not have a platform, were non-rectilinear, and/or did not have towers.Conclusions. The study established that in late 16th – early 17th centuries there were tyn walls of various designs. The wall structure depended on a large number of anthropogenic, social, and natural factors.