DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2021.12.36872

Abstract: The subject of this research is the anthropological materials acquired in the course of archaeological excavations of the solitary burial mound “Krasnaya Dubrava”, located in the Ilovlinsky district of Volgograd Region. The conduct of archaeological excavations revealed eleven burials and bone remains from 12 individuals. The anthropological materials were poorly preserved. The burials are attributed to the Late Bronze Age, possibly to the periods of Srubnaya or Pokrovskaya cultures. In the course research, the author determined the gender and age of the buried individual, as well as the occurrence of discrete-varying traits. The paleopathological analysis employed the survey method developed by A. P. Buzhilova (1995, 1998). The examination of small-numbered and poorly preserved series presented in this research is of major significance. First of all, there is no opportunity for craniological and osteological research of individuals from the burial mound of Krasnaya Dubrava, therefore, pathological and gender-age analysis allow including the anthropological materials from this archaeological site into the scientific discourse, Secondly, the acquired results broaden the representations of lifestyle peculiarities of the population of the Late Bronze Age of the Lower Volga Region. The solitary burial mound of Krasnaya Dubrava is characterized by a large number of children burials under 4 years of age, and early mortality of adults at young age. The most common teeth pathologies indicate mineralized deposits due to the absence of oral hygiene. The studied individuals also mark the diseases of metabolic nature due famine. Most likely, these factors led to the early death of children and adults. The absence of traumatic injuries on the bone remains of the population buried in the mound of Krasnaya Dubrava testifies to peaceful lifestyle of this group.

DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2020.12.34412

Abstract: This article discusses the paleopathological peculiarities of nomadic population of Sauromates, which originated from the kurgan burials of the Lower Volga region. The skeletal remains of 20 individuals were examined. In the process of work with anthropological material, was applied a standard program for assessing the instance of pathological conditions on skeleton developed by A. P. Buzhilova (1995, 1998). The national scholars of Soviet and post-Soviet period (B. N. Grakov, K. F. Smirnov, D. A. Machinsky, V. E. Maksimenko, M. G. Moshkova) dealt with the problems of genesis, periodization and evolution of the culture of the Lower Volga Sauromates. The history of anthropological examination of the nomads of the Lower Volga region of the VI – V centuries BC is scarce. This research is the first attempt for analyzing the pathological conditions on skeletal remains of the Lower Volga Sauromates. Paleopathological studies of skeletal remains of the nomads of the VI – V centuries BC from the territory of Lower Volga have not been conducted prior to that. Paleoanthropological materials are introduced into the scientific discourse for the first time. Some sculls of Sauromatian period have traces of unnatural deformation. The revealed pathologies on the anthropological materials of population of the VI – IV centuries BC from the territory of Lower Volga allow including it into the group of nomadic cultures of the Early Iron Age. The anthropological materials of the VI – IV centuries BC show evidence of using the skills of primitive medicine, as well as the knowledge of military field surgery.

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0609.2020.6.34494

Abstract: Skeletal remains from the burials of timber-grave period of the Late Bronze Age originating from kurgans of the Archedino-Chernushensky group served as the material for this research. The archaeological monument is located in the territory of the Frolovsky Municipal District of Volgograd Oblast. The remains of 12 individuals (6 adults, 4 children, and 2 adolescents) were explored. In the course of this research, the author applied the method of account for the occurrence of discretely varying traits on the skull and bones of postcranial skeleton, as well as evaluation program for dissemination of pathological characteristic developed by the national researchers A. A. Movsesyan, E. V. Pererva, A. P. Buzhilova. The archaeological explorations of group Archedino-Chernushensky Kurgan group were carried out in 2020. Therefore, the acquired anthropological materials are introduced into the scientific discourse for the first time. The author was able to establish that the equal number of children and adult burials can be attributed to timber-grave period. The examined skeletal remains of the Late Bronze Age of the Lower Volga Region demonstrate the signs of episodic stress (enamel hypoplasia) and distribution of diseases related to the deficiency of microelements in the body (porosis of the diaphysis in individuals who did not reach the age of puberty). The records of such type of deviations on anthropological materials of deviations indicates chronic stress associated with systematic occurrences of famine, which is natural for the population of the Late Bronze Age of the Lower Volga Region, who were involved in mixed farming. The excavations reveal the series of injuries of household and battle nature among adult population. The prevalent burial method of timber-grave culture Archedino-Chernushensky Kurgan group of appears to be the cremation ritual.   

DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2019.10.30814

Abstract:   The bone relics of 103 individuals from the burial sites Krasnosamarsky III and IV served as the material for this research. Archeological complexes Krasnosamarsky III and IV are located in territory of Kinelsky municipal districts of Samara Region. The explored bone relics belong to the timber-grave culture of Bronze Age; out of 103 individuals, there were 21 skeletons of men, 15 of women, 63 of children and 3 of teenagers. In the course of working with anthropological material, the authors applied the standard program for assessing pathological occurrences on the bones of postcranial skeleton and skull, developed by A. P. Buzhilova (1995, 1998). The injury rate among the population buried in the mounds of III and IV Krasnosamarsky gravesites was factored by frequency of the records of injuries on the skull and bones of postcranial skeleton. Usage of the method of recording pathologies on the human bone relics, as the foundation for conducting reconstruction of lifestyle of the ancient societies, gains population in the modern historical and biological science in Russia and abroad. Most frequently identified pathologies in exploring anthropological collections are injuries and deformations of different etiology on the scull, dentition, and bones of postcranial skeleton. The goal of this research consists in the analysis and assessment of the nature of injuries discovered in the bone relics of population buried in the mounds of III and IV Krasnosamarsky gravesites, dating back to the Late Bronze Age  

DOI: 10.7256/2454-0609.2019.6.31703

Abstract: The article's study is an analysis of the distribution of pathological deviations and stress markers in the Late Bronze Age population found in the burial mounds of the Volgograd Region and the Republic of Kalmykia. A total of 199 bones with varying conservation degrees have been studied. Among these, 113 skeletons belonged to adults, 71 skeletons were of men and 34 were female skeletons. In 6 adult the gender could not be determined. In 88 cases, bone remains belonged to children and adolescents. The study of this group was carried out using a standard technique for fixing pathological and stressful conditions (Buzhilova, 1995, 1998). The analysis of the frequency of pathological conditions and stress markers in the group was carried out by the methods of one-dimensional and multidimensional statistics.As a result of this study, the author established, based on a number of paleoanthropological and paleopathological criteria, that the population of the Late Bronze Age stands out compared to previous historical eras because of the processes of climatic humidization in the Lower Volga region.The author notes a specific paleopathological profile in the population found in the burial mounds from the later epoch.The conducted comparative analysis of the examined group with other groups from the Early and Middle Bronze Age using the non-parametric Kruskal-Wallis test has demonstrated the absence of statistically significant differences in the occurrence and manifestations of mostly pathological signs, indicating that despite the changes in the economic structure (transition to complex economy ), the lifestyle and, consequently, the stress pressure of the Late Bronze Age population did not radically change, compared with previous historical periods.

DOI: 10.25136/2409-868X.2018.8.26917

Abstract: The subject of this research is the paleopathological peculiarities detected on the anthropological materials of pre-Sarmatian period from graves of the Lower Volga Region. Bioarcheological approach applied in examination of the skeletal remains expands the representation on the lifestyle of population of the pre-Sarmatian period. As the foundation for this research served the anthropological materials of 14 adult individuals; all of them had braincase and only five people the bones of postcranial skeleton. Paleopathological analysis of skeletal remains was based on the descriptive macro-morphological methodology developed by A. P. Buzhilova (1992, 1995, 1998). In archeological and historical science much attention was given to the problems of chronology and periodization of artifacts of the pre-Sarmatian period, as well as the questions of ethnic and language affiliation of population. In the course of paleopathological study of skeletal remains from the graves of pre-Sarmatian period of the Lower Volga territory, the author established the existence of the specific age and gender disharmonies. Examination of the state of dentition demonstrated that the people likely had a nomadic lifestyle and their diet consisted of the meat and dairy products. The proofs of belonging of the skeletons of Cimmerian period to the nomadic world of the early Iron Age could also be the signs of cold stress, specific injuries and a rare disease frontal hyperostosis.

DOI: 10.7256/2409-868X.2016.4.17422

Abstract: This research is dedicated to the analysis of the pathological deviations that have been discovered on the remains of children from the burials dating to the late Bronze Age. The anthropological materials originate from Kurgan burials located in the Volgograd region and Republic of Kalmykia. In the course of this research, 62 individuals were examined under the age of 16. The bones were poorly preserved, and only various parts of scull fragments were discovered belonging to 52 children. Analysis was conducted on the pathological processes in form of hemorrhages, discovered on the inner surface of the bones at the top of the scull. Sides of anomalous structure on the bones of the scull and postcranial skeleton were also discovered. The age of the impuberal individuals was determined through dental examination, program developed by D. Ubelaker (1978), as well as the sizes of the diaphyses of the large bones of the skeleton and collar bones. It was determined that for the children of the late Bronze Age the characteristic pathologies were those that emerge as the result of lack of microelements in the organism, systematic malnutrition, and spread of infectious diseases.