Стаття присвячена публікації нових антропологічних матеріалів із поховання енеолітичного шару стоянки Буран-Кая 4 та двох поховань кемі-обинської культури на території Криму. Висвітлюються особливості фізичного типу та патологічні зміни похованих, а також питання формування антропологічного складу і генетичних звязків енеолітичного населення Криму та суміжних територій.
The prehistory of the Crimea peninsula so far has been poorly represented with the anthropological data. An accumulation of skeletal remains from the burials of the Kemi-Oba, Sredny Stog II, Yamnaya (Pit Grave) cultures from the territory of Crimea offers new possibilities for study the physical features and anthropological structure of these tribes as well as their genetic relations with the historical environment.
Craniological study shows a strong evidence of heterogeneity of Eneolithic and Bronze Age populations of the peninsula. The bearers of Kemi-Oba culture belongs to the ancient East-Mediterranian type with dolichocranic skulls and very narrow and high face, while the skull from the Sredny Stog II culture burial in Buran-Kaya exhibits the features of the massive proto-European type with mesocranic skull and broad face. The skulls from the Yamnaya culture burials are very similar to the Kemi-Oba and Srubnaya culture
skulls which were formed on the basis of the East-Mediterranean craniological component. The population of the Catacomb culture of the Late Bronze period belonged to the meso-brachicranic type of Europoids. They have very massive skulls with a very broad and low face, protruded nose and low orbits.