STONE TOMBS OF THE ZRUBNA/TIMBER-GRAVE CULTURE OF THE NORTH AZOV REGION (BASED ON THE MATERIALS OF THE KOMYSHUVATE BURIAL GROUND)
Authors:   Mariupol State University, Zabavin V. , Nebrat S. ,   Mariupol State University
Published: August 2024

The article presents the results of research on the burials of the Late Bronze Age Zrubna/Timber-grave culture in the stone tombs of the barrow group near the village of Komyshuvate in the North Azov region in the south of Donetsk region of Ukraine. The article considers the ritual and inventory complex of burials through the prism of the created general register of burial mounds of the Zrubna/Timber-grave culture of the North Azov region. This allowed us to clarify and systematise the source base, to give a comprehensive formalised statistical description of the funerary sites, to consider some aspects of the social organisation, material and spiritual culture of the Late Bronze Age tribes based on the data of the studied necropolis. The article analyses the stone tombs of the North Azov region, which are divided into three main groups according to their design features. The distribution of funerary complexes made in different types of burial structures by horizons allowed us to clearly illustrate the previously identified chronological features that reflect the time of appearance of a particular type of grave. The Azov mounds are largely characterised by a variety of stone architecture. The area of distribution of burial mounds with stone structures is quite extensive. However, the use of stone in mound construction is unevenly distributed and is not typical for the whole region. The mapping method allowed us to identify the location of burials with stone structures in the immediate vicinity of the raw material base. These burial grounds tend to be located in the areas of the Donetsk Ridge and the Azov Upland, which are rich in open outcrops of natural stone. The Don Delta is the eastern border of the widespread use of stone in funerary rites. In the western part of the Donetsk Ridge, in the upper rivers of the Dnipro basin, the use of stone in mound construction was not practised. Large-scale stone structures in the mounds to the west of the Berda River also remain unknown. Stratigraphic observations and analysis of the ritual and inventory complex made it possible to establish with a certain degree of probability the sequence of construction of the mounds of the Komyshuvate burial ground and the burials made in them. Qualitative features manifested in the shape and proportions of ceramic vessels, material composition, surface treatment and ornamentation allowed us to attribute the ceramic corpus of the burials of the Komyshuvate cemetery to the second (developed) horizon of the Zrubna/Timber-grave culture cemeteries of the North Azov region. According to the proposed classification, tomb 1 of mound 1 of the Komyshuvate cemetery belongs to group I (tombs with vertical masonry walls), tomb 1 of mound 4 - to group II (tombs with horizontal masonry walls), and tomb 2 of mound 4 - to group III (combined tombs with horizontal and vertical masonry walls). Burial 2 of Mound 4 and burial 1 of Mound 1 can be confidently attributed to the second (developed) horizon of the Zrubna/Timber-grave culture of the North Azov region based on the ritual and inventory complex of features. The inlet stratigraphic position and the ritual and inventory complex of burial 1 of mound 4 allow us to attribute it to the final of the II (developed) or beginning of the III (late) horizon. The late horizon is characterised by inlet burials, less often by main burials in mounds, in ground pits under stone structures, as well as in classical tombs with horizontal masonry walls and combined stone tombs, which were most common in this period. In addition, the analysis of the materials allowed us to approach the problem of social reconstructions. Researchers have repeatedly pointed out that burials in stone tombs with horizontal and combined masonry walls are distinguished by their equipment and a set of ritual features as having a high social status. Thus, the construction in the form of a stone tomb is in itself extraordinary and a sign of social rank. Both burials of barrow 4 of the Komyshuvate cemetery demonstrate a number of deviations from the model of a regular burial of the Zrubna/Timber-grave culture of the North Azov region. The presence in the burial of a wooden bowl with a metal figured rim and a "ceremonial" ceramic vessel with a "calendar" motif are status signs marking the persons involved in ritual activities. The presence of traces of ritual actions outside the grave, a stone roof over a complex stone structure, excessive equipment and meat food (the honorary back part) are also clear indicators of the social extraordinariness of the deceased and signs of high rank. Keywords: North Azov region, archaeological research, Late Bronze Age, Zrubna/Timber-grave culture, barrow, tomb, stone architecture.