BARROWLESS BURIALS OF THE SCYTHIAN PERIOD OF THE DNIPRO RIGHT BANK FOREST-STEPPE REGION

Abstract

Most of the burials of the Scythian period in the North Pontic region were made in the graves under mounds. However, today we discover an increasing number of barrowless graves. They are well known in both the forest-steppe and steppe zones. One of the regions of their spread is the Dnipro Right-Bank Forest-Steppe region. The tradition of barrowless burials in the region dates back to the Pre-Scythian Chornolissya-Jabotyn period. During the Scythian Age, the forest-steppe population continued to practice the barrowless burial rite which was known throughout this era. The continuity of the traditions is particularly well evident in the center and north of the area. From the Middle Scythian period but especially in the fourth century BCE, nomadic Scythians penetrated the south of the region, and at that time they also made the transition to barrowless burials. The spread of such burials in a number burial grounds in the south of the forest-steppe is associated with the Iranian-speaking population. Due to their originality and number the barrowless burials of the Dnipro Right-Bank Forest-Steppe region can be classified into a separate group. And in the south of the region a southern subgroup is distinguished where Scythian nomadic traditions and influences can be observed. The necropolises of the main area are occurred in Pirohove, Korchuvate, Obukhiv, Halepie, Velyka Buhaivka, Hryshchentsi, Pekari, Busheve, Motronynske settlement, Zhabotyn. Obviously the Maslovo burial ground may be included to them. Among the sites of the southern subgroup are those in Svitlovodsk, Zalomakh, Kalantaievo, Chornyi Lis, Zybkove. Thus, at least 15 burial grounds with barrowless burials are known in the region. Most necropolises contain only these graves. But in Svitlovodsk and Chornyi Lis such burials were part of necropolises that included the barrows as well. In total, at least 304 burials were discovered: 15 under kurgan mound and 289 barrowless. Among the types of graves regular pits prevail (87.5 %). Catacombs are 11.5 %, pits with a step — 0.7 %, and wooden post tombs — 0.4 %. The latitudinal orientation of the graves prevail (48.4 %). The single burials are completely dominated (80.3 %), then are double burials (15.3 %) and collective ones (4.4 %). In the burials at least 376 skeletons have been found. Adults completely outnumber children and adolescents: 77.8, 14.2 and 8 % Most deceased were lying supine (96.5 %) with their heads directed to the western quarter of the horizon. Inguminations completely prevail (95.1 %), cremations are 4.9 %. The sites of the main area of the group and the Southern subgroup demonstrate the prevalence of different funerary traditions. The former are local Pre-Scythian. The latter show the penetration of Scythian elements from the south which mixed with the local autochthonous population.