Yamnaya Research Articles

IMPORT OR IMITATION: CHARACTERISING THE BUDZHAK CULTURE OF THE NORTH-WEST PONTIC REGION

Specific feature of the cultural-historical genesis of the North-Western Pontic Region at the turn of the 4th to the 3rd mill. BC is manifested by relations of its population with a foreign cultural environment. This concerns, first and foremost, the Budzhak culture that is a component of the Pit-Grave (Yamna) cultural-historical region. The Budzhak culture represents connections with the Carpathian and Danube, the Corded Ware and the Globular Amphora cultures. The contacts were reflected in two aspects: imports, imitations and parallels in the Budzhak pottery and the occurrence of the Yamna burials found in other territories. Some forms of pottery and elements of its dйcor are rather surprisingly similar to central European groups of the Corded Ware culture. The analysis of the mainland culture of the Budzhak population enables us to assume the existence of contacts with the Corded Ware culture circle as early as in the first half of the 3rd mill. BC.
 The current state of research on the movement of Yamna cultural aspect towards west is also discussed in the paper. The recent genetic analysis results the link of Yamna and Corded Ware populations. They were treated as the evidence of direct massive migration of Steppe people into Central Europe. Archaeological data supporting this concept are few if any. The westernmost enclaves of Yamna culture rather indicate limited intrusion of specialized groups aimed at control of exchange routs and raw material extraction places. It is suggested that formation of Balkan-Carpathian variant of Yamna cultural-historical community is connected to the expansion of the tribes of the Budzhak culture of the North-West Pontic region. The western group of Yamna-Budzhac culture is distinctively different from «core» Yamna by typology of pottery while both aspects share the similar burial rites.
 The information obtained as a result of many years of excavations of barrows of the North-Western Pontic Region allow defining the Budzhak culture not only as a unique structural entity within the Yamna cultural-historical area but also as a mobile community opened to «cultural dialogue» and capable of long-distance migrations. Indications of that include imports, imitations, derivatives in the material complex, as well as the population’s westward movement to the Central European and Balkan-Carpathian Region.

THE YAMNA CULTURE: ORIGIN AND MIGRATIONS IN THE CONTEXT OF THE FRONTIER THEORY

In the IV millennium BC the tradition of erecting burial mounds (kurgans) began to spread in various parts of Europe. A wide distribution of this tradition is associated with the tribes of the Yamnaya culture (YC) in the early Bronze Age. An analysis of the main components of the YC shows that the carriers of the YC were primarily united by the commonality of the worldview and religious-mythological ideas.Reflected in a unified funeral rite, the «new ideology» became the basis for the formation of a new cultural and historical community, characterized by the bringing together a diverse population based on the adoption of an innovative worldview.There are obvious material culture differences among the local groups of YC, which are manifested in ceramics and other artifacts. The data from genetics also show certain heterogeneity of the carriers of the YC, at the same time indicating core genetic features that most likely reflect the common origin of the representatives of the YC from the Meso-Eneolithic Ponto-Caspian populations infused with genetic determinants characteristic of hunters and gatherers of the Caucasus and Iranian farmers, with varying genetic admixture of Anatolian and European Neolithic farmers.

Курган ямной культуры на южном берегу р. Егорлык

The article presents materials from the excavation work of the mound 1 from the Egorlyk group. The mound was formed over two burials of the Yamnaya culture of the early Bronze Age era. The only inlet burial was placed in the center of the mound during the transition period from the late Bronze Age to the early Iron Age. The discovery of this monument is significant because it is the first monument of the Bronze Age explored on the north-eastern slope of the Stavropol height, in-between the rivers Egorlyk and Kalaus and bounded from the east by the lake Manych.

КУРГАН ЯМНОЙ КУЛЬТУРЫ НА ЮЖНОМ БЕРЕГУ Р. ЕГОРЛЫК

The article presents materials from the excavation work of the mound 1 from the Egorlyk group. The mound was formed over two burials of the Yamnaya culture of the early Bronze Age era. The only inlet burial was placed in the center of the mound during the transition period from the late Bronze Age to the early Iron Age. The discovery of this monument is significant because it is the first monument of the Bronze Age explored on the north-eastern slope of the Stavropol height, in-between the rivers Egorlyk and Kalaus and bounded from the east by the lake Manych.

The embodiment of craft production in Bronze Age Portugal: Exceptional dental wear grooves in an individual from Monte do Vale do Ouro 2 (Ferreira do Alentejo, Portugal)

AbstractTwo human lateral mandibular incisors exhibiting exceptional dental wear in the form of lingual surface grooves along the cementoenamel junction were recovered from the superficial levels of a pit grave attributed to the Bronze Age at the archaeological site of Monte do Vale do Ouro 2 (Ferreira do Alentejo, Beja, Portugal). Although a number of analyses of dental wear features acknowledge the relatively common use of the dentition for nondietary purposes (using the ‘teeth as tools’) during the Early/Middle Bronze Age (2200–1200 BC) of southwest Iberia, the form of dental wear documented at Monte do Vale do Ouro 2 is not only a novel finding in this region but also has seldom been described in any bioarchaeological context. The present study provides a macroscopic and low‐magnification description of the atypical dental wear for this individual. Results indicate that the incisors are likely antimeres. In addition to the deep lingual grooves, asymmetrical wear removed a substantial portion of the laterolingual crown volume of each tooth. Occlusal and lingual surface wear accumulated slowly enough for tertiary dentin to form. An occlusal groove is also present on the right I2. A review of ethnohistoric and bioarchaeological literature suggests that some form of craft production involving the manipulation of cordage or fibre with the mouth and teeth can account for the unique wear patterns from Monte do Vale do Ouro 2. The hand‐spinning of flax requires wetting which can be accomplished by passing flax fibres through the mouth in a mediolateral direction while using a hand spindle. Similar habitual behaviours were probably practiced by the Bronze Age individual from Monte do Vale do Ouro 2. The wear grooves represent the embodiment of aspects of craft production and maintenance activities that occurred during this individual's lifecourse.

NEW BURIAL AND RITUAL ASSEMBLAGES OF EARLY BRONZE AGE LOCATED NEAR THE COMPLEX OF KAMYANA MOHYLA

The paper presents the unique Early Bronze Age burial complex excavated during 2017 field season nearby the hill of Kamyana Mohyla in Zaporizhzhya region (South-Eastern Ukraine). The tomb located 200 m from the Kamyana Mohyla complex is obviously connected with the prehistoric processes of the region. The Structure-for-motion photorgammetric modeling of the tumuli was provided in addition to archaeological, anthropological and microscopc research. The model was studied to provide additional information on the details of the complex in general and its construction features. Moreover, it makes the unique object available for publishing and demonstration.
 Paper presents burial and ritual complexes that show important data on the ritual worldview of the Early Bronze Age habitants of Ukrainian Steppe. The radiocarbon dating returned the timelap of 2831—2675 cal BC for the burial 2 and 2554—2478 cal BC for the ritual complex nearby. It means that the space around the Kamyana Mohyla was habitated by late Yamnaya culture population and used for the burial rituals and other sacral activities. The surface grave made of huge sandstone blocks, sometimes having a weight of approximately 700 kg is the first object of this kind in Ukrainian Steppe. Those graves that were excavated and studied here before, has been constructed inside the tumuli (i. e. kurgan). The stone used as a material for the construction was taken from the Hill of Kamyana Mohyla. This links the site with a number of previously excavated Eneolithic and Early Bronze Age burials in the closes Kamyana Mohyla surroundings. Complex shows traces of the Early Bronze Age rituals that took place in the Northwest Azov Sea region — the bull’s sacrifice and a vessel upturning. The pottery artifacts similar to those found in 2017 are known from the Late Yamnaya and Catacombnaya culture burials of the region. This is evident of the close rituals and beliefs of these cultures or of the Yamnaya component in the Catacombnaya rituals of the region. Same can be stated by the numerous features of the funeral rite.

Burial Mounds Near Kachkarovka Village

The materials of the mounds located on the Lower Dnieper Right Bank, investigated by the Krasnoznamiansk expedition of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine in 1995, are introduced into scientific circulation. In total, 27 burials were examined, mainly of the Early Bronze Age, which were located in three burial mounds that fell into the reclamation zone between the villages of Kachkarovka and Sablukovka of the Beryslavskyi district of the Kherson Region The total number of mounds reaches 16 units. The Bronze Age of this region has been extremely insufficiently studied. Therefore, the published burials substantially supplement the understanding of it. As in other places, the first Yamna culture burials in the mounds are oriented along the west-eastern line, the later burials are oriented in a circle. The shape of the graves, the position of the buried people is typical for this region. These are rectangular pits with marked corners, shoulders or ledges. At a later stage — on the right or left side. Children’s Yamna culture graves with a large amount of inventory draw attention. For the Early Bronze Age, this is evidence of the presence of a powerful social center of the Yamna population. At the same time, the burials of adults are not distinguished by either size or inventory. In addition to ceramics, among the items were found two rather rare items — Pan’s flutes — bone musical instruments made of the middle parts of bird bones. Also important is the discovery of a Yamna culture pot in an Ingul grave, which is another evidence of the long-term coexistence of these two groups of population.

Shortepe fortified settlement and еarly Barda town in Garabagh

Shortepe situated near Shatirli village of Barda in Garabagh region of Azerbaijan Republic. Archaeological excavations gave us an opportunity to research antique and early medieval period of the city. Shortepe is one of the biggest antique and early medieval settlements of Azerbaijan. The settlement situated near Shatirli village in Barda region. There situated Bronze Age settlement Balatepe which were one of the important centers of Kura-Araxes (proto-albanians) tribes, Bronze Age kurgans and Shortepe archaeological complex in Shatirli village. As a result of the research, four cultural strata were discovered. The first layer belongs to the Kur-Araz culture. In this layer, hearth-shaped and horseshoe-shaped hearths were found. In the second layer, painted and simple vessels typical of the Middle Bronze Age were found, and in the third layer, stone box-type tombs and long-necked clay vessels were found. The fourth layer is located at a depth of 0.3-0.9 m. Earthen graves belonging to children and the elderly were found in this layer. There are considerable information about Barda city and a region where it is situated in the works of authors of Antic and Early Middle Ages. Archeologists C.Morqan, N.Silosani, İ.Babayev, R.Goyushov, A.Nuriyev, H.Jafarov, F.Osmanov, A.Mammadov, M.Huseynov had been researched in Barda. According to professor A.M.Mammadov, Shortepe monument is remains of ancient Barda that called “Harum” in the works of Nizami Ganjavi. The article was dedicated to antique and early medieval fortified settlement Shortepe, which researchers prove that the settlement was an ancient Barda town. We can localize it with Anariaka antique Caucasian Albanian settlement. Archaeological excavations were continued in 2006-2016 years regularly. Archaeological excavations had been led in Shortepe in 2014. Scientific researches had been continued in the size of 10x10 m and the area had been divided 4 square. In the result of the archaeological excavations has been got the material examples which dedicated to the antique and early medieval period. In 2015 year archaeological excavations continued. Fortified part of settlement and pit graves was unearthed during digs. Scientific investigations show that Shortepe was ancient city of Garabagh region of Azerbaijan.

The Adornment in the Mortuary Ceremonies of the Volga-Ural Pit‒Grave Culture as the Marker of the Social Significance in the Nomad Society of the Bronze Epoch

The Adornment in the Mortuary Ceremonies of the Volga-Ural Pit‒Grave Culture as the Marker of the Social Significance in the Nomad Society of the Bronze Epoch

Development of ancient cultures and paleoenvironment during the Eneolithic Period and the Early Bronze Age in the Southern Cis-Urals steppe (Russia)

Multidisciplinary research undertaken on archeological sites in the Southern Cis-Urals steppe resulted in the identification of six distinct ‘chronosections’, i.e., chronological intervals within the period of the 5th–3rd millennium BC. Paleoenvironmental reconstruction showed that the first half of this period was predominately arid, whereas the second half was humid. The arid phase, which included chronosections I, II (the Samara culture of the Middle and Late Eneolithic Period) and III (the early stage of the Pit-Grave culture of the Early Bronze Age), was characterized by a sharply continental paleoclimate that was drier than the modern climate within the study area. During the arid phase, there were profound changes in the occupations of the indigenous ancient people, e.g. cattle farming of the Samara culture changed to nomadic herding of cattle at the early stage of the Pit-Grave culture, which was associated with the construction of burial mounds. The humid phase (chronosections IV, V and VI corresponding to advanced and late stages of the Pit-Grave culture of the Early Bronze Age) was wetter and less continental than the modern climate within the study area.

First archaeological investigations of barrows in the Bačka region and the question of the Eneolithic/Early Bronze Age barrows in Vojvodina

Abstract In various prehistoric periods, the territory of Vojvodina became the target of the migration of steppe communities with eastern origins. The oldest of these movements are dated to the late Eneolithic and the beginning of the Early Bronze Age. There are at least two stages among them: I – dated to the end of the fourth millennium BC / beginning of the third millennium BC and II – dated from 3000 to 2600 BC and combined with the communities of the classical phase of the Yamnaya culture. The data documenting these processes have been relatively poor so far – in comparison with the neighboring regions of Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary. A big drawback was the small number of systematically excavated mounds, providing comprehensive data on the funeral ritual of steppe communities. This poor database has been slightly enriched as a result of the design of the National Science Centre (Cracow, Poland) entitled “Danubian route of the Yamnaya culture”. Its effect was to examine the first two barrows located on the territory of Bačka – the western region of Vojvodina. Currently, these burial mounds are the westernmost points on the map of the cemeteries of the Yamnaya culture complex. Radiocarbon dates obtained for new finds, as well as for archival materials, allow specifying two stages of use of cemeteries of Yamnaya culture: I – around 3000–2900 BC and II – around 2800–2600 BC. Among the finds from Banat, there were also few materials coming probably from the older period, corresponding to the classical phase of Baden – Coţofeni I–II. The enigmatic nature of these discoveries, however, does not allow to specify their dating as well as cultural dependencies.

Step by Steppe: Yamnaya culture in Transylvania

SummaryThe older horizon of the tumuli cemeteries from Transylvania were connected with the Early Bronze Age cultural phenomenon (Livezile/Bedeleu, Șoimuș and Copăceni cultural groups). Some of the discoveries made especially during the second half of the 20th century while searching for the Scythians were considered as belonging to the Ochre Grave Culture (Câmpia Turzii, Cipău, Răscruci). The archaeological research from Silvașu de Jos (Hunedoara county), together with the older and more recent discoveries from Bodo, Bucova Pusta IX and Bucova Pusta IV, prove that the Lower and Middle Mureș valley were used as a path by the Yamnaya Culture, connecting the discoveries from central and western Transylvania to those from the Tisza Plain. This event is contemporary with the earliest manifestation of the Early Bronze Age. Moreover, completing again the observations made on the Tisza Plain and Lower Danube (Trnava, Bulgaria), it is clear that the barrow trend precedes the Yamnaya Culture also in Transylvania, based on the results from Cheile Aiudului and, recently, Silvașu de Jos, showing that the barrows were used by the Coțofeni III communities.

Mitochondrial genomes from Bronze Age Poland reveal genetic continuity from the Late Neolithic and additional genetic affinities with the steppe populations.

In this work we aim to investigate the origins and genetic affinities of Bronze Age populations (2,400-1,100 BC) from the region of southern Poland and to trace maternal kinship patterns present in the burials of those populations by the use of complete mitochondrial genomes. We performed ancient DNA analyses for Bronze Age individuals from present-day Poland associated with the Strzyżow culture, the Mierzanowice culture, and the Trzciniec Cultural circle. To obtain complete mitochondrial genomes, we sequenced genomic libraries using Illumina platform. Additionally, hybridization capture was used to enrich some of the samples for mitochondrial DNA. AMS 14 C-dating was conducted for 51 individuals to verify chronological and cultural attribution of the analyzed samples. Complete ancient mitochondrial genomes were generated for 80 of the Bronze Age individuals from present-day Poland. The results of the population genetic analyses indicate close maternal genetic affinity between Mierzanowice, Trzciniec, and Corded Ware culture-associated populations. This is in contrast to the genetically more distant Strzyżów people that displayed closer maternal genetic relation to steppe populations associated with the preceding Yamnaya culture and Catacomb culture, and with later Scythians. Potential maternal kinship relations were identified in burials of Mierzanowice and Trzciniec populations analyzed in this study. Results revealed genetic continuity from the Late Neolithic Corded Ware groups to Bronze Age Mierzanowice and Trzciniec-associated populations, and possible additional genetic contribution from the steppe to the formation of the Strzyżów-associated group at the end of 3rd millennium BC. Mitochondrial patterns indicated several pairs of potentially maternally related individuals mostly in Trzciniec-associated group.

Corded Ware cultural complexity uncovered using genomic and isotopic analysis from south-eastern Poland

During the Final Eneolithic the Corded Ware Complex (CWC) emerges, chiefly identified by its specific burial rites. This complex spanned most of central Europe and exhibits demographic and cultural associations to the Yamnaya culture. To study the genetic structure and kin relations in CWC communities, we sequenced the genomes of 19 individuals located in the heartland of the CWC complex region, south-eastern Poland. Whole genome sequence and strontium isotope data allowed us to investigate genetic ancestry, admixture, kinship and mobility. The analysis showed a unique pattern, not detected in other parts of Poland; maternally the individuals are linked to earlier Neolithic lineages, whereas on the paternal side a Steppe ancestry is clearly visible. We identified three cases of kinship. Of these two were between individuals buried in double graves. Interestingly, we identified kinship between a local and a non-local individual thus discovering a novel, previously unknown burial custom.

What shall we put in the grave? Archaeometric analyses of ceramics from a late Pre-Roman, Roman and Migration period cemetery in Malbork-Wielbark, northern Poland

AbstractThe necropolis at Malbork-Wielbark was excavated from 1927 to 1936 and 2008 to 2019. This burial ground is the eponymous site of the Wielbark culture. To date, over 2000 burials, both inhumation and cremation (pit and urn graves), have been recorded at this site, attesting to its continuous use from the Early Pre-Roman Iron Age (phase A1) to the early Migration Period (phase D1), with particular emphasis on the Roman Period. The cemetery site partially overlies and damages an earlier Iron Age settlement of the Pomeranian culture.Laboratory analyses were carried out on 113 pottery sherds. The series of samples chosen for analysis reflected, as far as was possible, all relative chronological phases and vessel shapes. The pottery was analysed using a step by step strategy built on the results of MGR-analysis (i. e. the classification of samples based on their matrix type) and on a macroscopic assessment of clastic material. In addition, an estimation of chemical composition by portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) was available for each sample. After they had been classified, samples were selected for chemical analysis by wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF), estimation of physical ceramic properties (open porosity, water absorption and apparent density), Kilb-Hennike analysis (K-H analysis), thin-section studies using a polarising microscope, a study of surface phenomena by RTI (Reflectance Transformation Imaging), thermal analysis (TG-DTG-DTA), X-ray diffraction analysis and functional properties analysis (water permeability and thermal shock resistance), as well as experimental estimation of magnetic properties.The results of MGR-analysis carried out on ceramic samples taken from 113 potsherds revealed that all of the pottery was made from various non-calcareous clays with fine-grained iron compounds homogeneously distributed in the matrix. It was decided not to carry on determining/using MGR-groups, as nearly every sherd represents a different MGR-group. This means that these vessels were made during different production cycles. The differences in thermal behaviour between samples were attributed only to matrix-type groups. It can be concluded that 85 % of the total sherds were made from plastic raw materials of the same provenance, and that the same matrix-type groups occurred in all chronological phases. The percentage of vessels made of particular raw materials indicates a significant difference in the preferences of Pomeranian Culture potters and those of Pre-Roman Iron Age, Early Roman Period and those of the Late Roman Period, when one type of raw material disappears from use. This last period is also characterized by an increase in the number of vessels fired in a reducing atmosphere. Standardization is also evident in vessel-wall thickness, which falls within a narrow range of values, on the other hand combined with a large variety in grain sizes up to very large ones and with a wide range of open porosity values, which in turn points to a lack of care in the preparation of the ceramic body. Vessels that may have been non-local origin are noted in all chronological phases. Analysis of functional properties (water permeability and thermal shock resistance) revealed that the pottery deposited in graves included fully functional wares, such as cooking pots, as well as vessels intended solely as grave goods.More than a few samples evidence the use of a slow-rotating potter’s wheel, and it is also possible that a template was used for forming vessel rims. However, there are very few examples of truly technologically advanced vessels. The technology is generally tailored to the desired type or form of vessel.

Archaeology, chronology, and age‐diet insights of two late fourth millennium cal BC pit graves from central southern Iberia (Córdoba, Spain)

AbstractThis study presents the isotopic ratios, radiocarbon datings, and anthropological analyses of five (N = 5) Early Copper Age individuals from two archaeological sites (Arruzafa and Iglesia Antigua de Alcolea) of the Middle Guadalquivir Valley near the city of Córdoba (Spain). Four had been buried in the same grave, possibly in a single event or in a very short time lapse. The collagen residue analyses of the individuals offer δ13C values ranging between −20.08 and −18.4 and δ15N values between 8.57 and 11.15. The findings indicate that the infant and the elderly had, respectively, the richest and poorest animal protein diets, the first likely as a result of nursing. The combined study of these five individuals offers an interesting approach to a small segment of population of the farming communities occupying this territory at the beginning of the Copper Age (3200–3000 cal BC).

Archaeology, Epigraphy, Philology

Archaeology, Epigraphy, Philology Christopher T. Begg, Randy C. Payne, William J. Urbrock, Michael W. Duggan, Frederick E. Greenspahn, and Joseph E. Jensen 1849. [Euphrates Banded Wares] Sawssan Alachkar, "Euphrates Banded Wares et leur contexte funéraire. Un nouveau bilan," Syria 95 (2018) 197-211. In the Middle Euphrates region of the Early Bronze Age, two categories of ceramics, both of luxurious quality, are particularly well represented, i.e. Euphrates Banded Ware and Black Euphrates Ware. In this article, A. surveys a corpus of several hundred vessels, seeking to determine the relationship between the two types and their contexts. While both have been found in funerary, domestic, palatial, and religious contexts, they are concentrated in graves, especially in the case of certain morphological types. The comparative analysis of the two pottery categories in relation to the various types of tombs attested for the EBA period does not yield clear results, apart from a possible link between Euphrates Banded Wear and pit graves and graves with built chambers. [Adapted from published abstract—C.T.B.] 1850. [Tochni-Lakkia, Cyprus] Georgia M. Andreou, Artemis Georgiou, Thomas M. Urban, Kevin D. Fisher, Sturt W. Manning, and David A. Sewell, "Reconsidering Coastal Archaeological Sites in Late Bronze Age Cyprus: Tochni-Lakkia and the South-Central Coastscape," BASOR 382 (2019) 33-69. The Cypriot Late Bronze Age (1680/1650–1100 b.c.e.) has attracted particular attention due to textual and material evidence suggesting engagement with the international maritime trade networks of the eastern Mediterranean. A longstanding scholarly preoccupation with interregional trade has encouraged the development of theoretical models that aim to reconstruct the economy of the island and generally view Late Cypriot coastal sites as gateway communities channeling copper to the eastern Mediterranean. Previous studies have also highlighted the local and regional significance of these communities and have shed light on their complex economic networks. In this article, the authors use data from coastal Tochni-Lakkia to add nuance to smaller-scale regional interactions along the south-central coast of Cyprus. Maps, photographs, and drawings accompany the article. [Adapted from published abstract—R.C.P.] 1851. Erez Ben-Yosef, "Biblical Archaeology's Architectural Bias," BARev 45 (6, 2019) 54-55, 63. Radiocarbon dates for excavations at Faynan (headed by Thomas E. Levy and Mohammad Najjar) and Timna (headed, by B.-Y.) demonstrate that the local copper industry, evidently operated by the local (semi-)nomadic (agro-)pastoralist tribes of the ʿArabah Valley, thrived during the 11th-9th centuries b.c.e. Here is evidence, minus stone architecture construction, of a strong and centralized biblical-era nomadic kingdom, the biblical Edom.—W.J.U. [End Page 668] 1852. [Hwaraman] Fereidoun Biglari and Sonia Shidrang, "Rescuing the Paleolithic Heritage of Hwaraman, Kurdistan, Iranian Zagros," NEA 82 (2019) 226-35. Construction of Darian Dam on the Sirwan River at Hwaraman, Kurdistan, between 2009 and 2015 provided an opportunity to investigate this region of the Central Western Zagros. Salvage excavations carried out at a number of sites along the Sirwan River revealed evidence of human occupation spanning over fifty thousand years from the Middle Paleolithic through to nomadic and herding seasonal sites of the late Islamic period. Four caves and rock shelters contained Middle Paleolithic, Upper Paleolithic, and Epipaleolithic deposits, while one small cave yielded Pleistocene/Holocene paleontological remains. [Adapted from published abstract—V.H.Μ.] 1853. [Tell Keila] Sylvie Blétry, Hélène Duval, Chloé Giardi, Teddy Loupmon, and Ayman Rjoob, "Tell Keila, résultats de quatre années de recherches," Syria 95 (2018) 213-43. The site of Tell Keila located in the Hebron governorate (Palestinian territories), although known from ancient sources and identified by numerous surveys, was never excavated until recently. In situ research has confirmed that the site was occupied from the Bronze Age to the Ottoman period, apparently without interruption. That research revealed the presence of a Middle Bronze rampart, a habitat dating at least as early as the Late Bronze Age on the top of the tell, and to the south, a peripheral area...

On the Way to the Afterlife. Some Observations on the Presence of Weaponry in Early Medieval Cemeteries in the Context of Their Social and Cultural Circulation

The custom of burying the dead with weaponry depended on prevailing social norms and religious beliefs which determined the choice of a particular type of weapon to be placed in a pit grave. The primary activity here seems to be the act of withdrawal of selected elements of weaponry from further use for the purpose of including it in the posthumous equipment. This article addresses a few issues of this complex problem while taking account of early medieval finds, mainly from the territory of Poland. The presence of weapons in graves could result from many ways and trajectories of their circulation, which finally contributed to a certain configuration and choice of elements of weaponry both in terms of quality as well as quantity deposited in burials. Many of the pieces of weaponry had their own special “history” or “biography” before being placed in the grave. They could have belonged to an esteemed ancestor, commemorate some special event or participate in an exchange many times

Розкопки кургану біля Приазовської Ялти у 2019 році

The article presents the results of new research of the archeological expedition conducted by Mariupol State University in the North-East Azov Area. Archaeological research was carried out in the South of Donetsk region near the village of Yalta in 2016. In the mound 9 graves of the Bronze Age and 1 burial of the early Iron Age were investigated. The primary embankment was built during the Early Bronze Age by the tribes of the Pit Grave culture. The oldest burials in the mound are 4, 5 and 7. The most interesting was the children's burial 7. The buried child was accompanied by four ceramic vessels. Subsequently, another grave of the Pit Grave culture was built in the mound – burial 8. During the Late Bronze Age the population of the Zrubna / Timber-grave culture continues to use the necropolis. Researched at least three burials of the Zrubna / Timber-grave culture – 1, 2 and 10. Based on the typological analysis of the ritual-inventory complex, they can be attributed to the second (developed) horizon of the Zrubna / Timber-grave culture burial grounds of the North Azov Sea Area. As regards burial 3, presented by the authors, date back to the early Iron Age and precede the sites of the Scythian time. The burial 3 from Yalta are determined as complex of Chernohorivka type / Chernohorivka group of Cimmerian Culture or as late Chernohorivka complex. The authors consider peculiarities of the rite and inventory complex as well as some aspects of cultural and chronological character, spiritual and material culture of the tribes which, in the researchers’ view, are conflated with the historical Cimmerians. The burial in the mound placed near the villag of Yalta demonstrate some certain features of ingenuity. The man buried in the mound was most likely to have something to do with the religious or the hieratic sphere of life. The materials of the investigated burial mound enrich our knowledge about the ancient past of the population of the Azov steppes.

BIOARCHAEOLOGY OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS OF THE EARLY BRONZE AGE ON THE BASIS OF MATERIALS FROM THE BURIAL GROUNDS OF THE VOLGOGRAD REGION

The paper studies the burials and anthropological materials of children (Early Bronze Age; Yamna culture), originating from the burial complexes of the Lower Volga using the method of paleopathological examination of skeletal remains and through the interpretation of the archaeological material. The skeletal remains of seven indi-viduals whose age did not exceed 15–16 years were examined. The bone material exhibited varying degrees of preservation. In 6 skeletal remains, only fragments of the cranium were examined, whereas in 5 individuals it was possible to examine the postcranial remains along with the skull bones. In this study, we applied a procedure for studying pathological abnormalities in the human skeleton developed by A.P. Buzhilova [1998]. Different me-thodological recommendations were used when recording bone porosis [Ortner, Ericksen, 1997; Ortner, Putschar, 1981; Lukacs, et al., 2001; Brown, Ortner, 2011; Maclellan, 2011]. The analysis of anthropological series helped to assess the incidence of porotic hyperostosis of eye sockets (cribra orbitalia) and cranial roof bones; to detect the signs of inflammatory processes in the bones of the postcranial skeleton in the form of periostitis, inflamma-tion on the inner surface of the bones of the cranial vault, as well as the pathological conditions of the dental sys-tem [Hegen, 1971; Stuart-Macadam, 1992; Waldron et al., 2009; Walker et al., 2009; Suby, 2014; Zuckerman et al., 2014]. The analysis of archaeological materials from children's burials of the Early Bronze Age revealed that almost all burials of children and adolescents are inlet, i.e. they do not have their individual barrows. The collec-tion of items is extremely small and is primarily represented by ceramics of very poor quality. A low proportion of children's burials attributed to the Yamna culture is observed in the Lower Volga burial grounds. As a rule, chil-dren are buried together with adults, so separate burials are very rare. Two of the seven studied individuals were 4 to 7 years old, while the remaining five individuals were buried at the age of 8–16. The reason for the small number of children's burials of the Yamna culture is associated with the low social status of the immature part of the population, which, in turn, may suggest some special, poorly fixed archaeologically, burial ritual for the bulk of children, given that subsequently the number of children's individual burials increased quite significantly on the same territory. Nevertheless, their design and accompanying items are not much different from those of adult burials. Young individuals of the Early Bronze Age are characterised by markers of episodic stress that occurred during various periods of childhood, predominantly from 2 to 4 years old. The stress can be associated with the transition from the dairy diet to the solid food diet. The widespread occurrence of tartar in immature individuals can indicate the specificity of their diet, which was based on soft and, possibly, fatty food. In addition, it may indi-cate a lack of oral hygiene, which is quite natural for the historical period. Vitamin deficiency recorded in the stu-died group results either from exposure to negative factors during the late transition from breastfeeding to solid food or from chronic hunger. Young people of the Early Bronze Age had non-specific inflammations, which, most likely, were not systematic, but occurred sporadically. We can presume that children and adolescents of the stu-died age lived peacefully and participated in the economic activities of the social groups. Being exposed to epi-sodic stresses, immature individuals of the pit culture successfully adapted to environmental factors.