Anthropological peculiarities of the population of the Late Bronze Age buried in the solitary mound Krasnaya Dubrava

Abstract

The subject of this research is the anthropological materials acquired in the course of archaeological excavations of the solitary burial mound “Krasnaya Dubrava”, located in the Ilovlinsky district of Volgograd Region. The conduct of archaeological excavations revealed eleven burials and bone remains from 12 individuals. The anthropological materials were poorly preserved. The burials are attributed to the Late Bronze Age, possibly to the periods of Srubnaya or Pokrovskaya cultures. In the course research, the author determined the gender and age of the buried individual, as well as the occurrence of discrete-varying traits. The paleopathological analysis employed the survey method developed by A. P. Buzhilova (1995, 1998). The examination of small-numbered and poorly preserved series presented in this research is of major significance. First of all, there is no opportunity for craniological and osteological research of individuals from the burial mound of Krasnaya Dubrava, therefore, pathological and gender-age analysis allow including the anthropological materials from this archaeological site into the scientific discourse, Secondly, the acquired results broaden the representations of lifestyle peculiarities of the population of the Late Bronze Age of the Lower Volga Region. The solitary burial mound of Krasnaya Dubrava is characterized by a large number of children burials under 4 years of age, and early mortality of adults at young age. The most common teeth pathologies indicate mineralized deposits due to the absence of oral hygiene. The studied individuals also mark the diseases of metabolic nature due famine. Most likely, these factors led to the early death of children and adults. The absence of traumatic injuries on the bone remains of the population buried in the mound of Krasnaya Dubrava testifies to peaceful lifestyle of this group.