Позднекочевнические погребения из курганной группы «Мирное»

Abstract

Погребения поздних кочевников в сравнении с погребениями других археологических культур левобережной степной полосы Нижнего Поднепровья хотя и составляют далеко не самую многочисленную группу, тем не менее, и они представляют собой довольно внушительный пласт культурного наследия древних. При этом среди обнаруженных материалов оказалось немало таких, которые осветили средневековых номадов с самой неожиданной стороны.

The “Mirnoie” barrow group was explored by the Krasnoznamenskaia expedition of the Institute of Archaeology (Kiev). Eight barrows out of 11 have been excavated; two of them contained the 13th century inlet nomadic burials. A relatively well preserved arba (bullock cart) was found in barrow 2, burial 4. Unfortunately, the anthropological data of the deceased are unknown, but judging by the grave goods the burial belongs to a female. An arba can be more often found in female than in male burials, and this tendency is of great interest. Additionally, the grave goods include a pot made on a potter’s wheel, a pommel of lash, a massive knife, bone overlays of a saddle, phaiars of a horse harness, a mirror, a bronze bracelet and other objects. The burial may be dated back to the 13th century by its funerary ceremony and grave goods. An ordinary male burial placed on a latticework with a sabre was excavated in barrow 3, burial 1. The range of attributes, i.e. the absence of a horse, the position of the skeleton and the grave goods may indicate the early Golden Horde date of the complex (the 2nd half of the 13th century).