Bone Tissue Defects on Human Skulls from of the Eneolithic Burial Ground of the Yekaterinovsky Cape in the South of the Middle Volga Region. Revisiting Specifics of Cultural Traditions

Abstract

Unusual defects mainly in the form of surface ellipsoid or less commonly sub-circular indentations were recorded on the skulls of mature individuals from the Eneolithic burial grounds in the forest-steppe area of the Volga region (Yekaterinovsky cape). Almost all of the defects are localized on the parietal bones. The origin of the small-sized lesions could be associated with trauma. The large defects occur due to additional surgical prophylaxis by scraping. There are separate cases of classical end-to-end trepanation (burial 57/1, 83). The authors conducted a comparative analysis of the identified defects with similar injuries on the materials from ancient burial grounds of the Volga region (Khvalynsk I, II), other regions and periods of Europe. Ritual character connected to age initiation rites was previously attributed to their origin. This thesis is supported by new source discovery (Yekaterinovsky cape). The probability of the so-called symbolic trepanation is considered. We do not exclude these types of reasons. However, priority in determining the technical content of the period of trauma development that accompanied the ritual is given to other target settings. Their natural appearance was initially associated with “shock symbols” and after the entire ceremony, if necessary, surface trepanation was used for medicinal purposes. Such marginal traditions are usually characteristic of ancient highly organized and influential societies, which is confirmed by archaeological data, in particular, regarding the fame and role of the Khvalyn Eneolithic population in the cultural processes of the central regions of Eurasia. The beginning of the trauma ritual in the Volga region was laid at least in the 6th millennium BC (Yekaterinovsky cape), then adapted and developed by the ancient Khvalyn groups.

Keywords

• eneolithic skulls
• south and middle volga region
• shock symbols
• symbolic trepanation
• ritual