Burial with Weapons at the Burial Ground of the Chernyakhov Culture Dal’niy (Vydrin) in the Kursk Region

Abstract

For the first time, the article introduces into scientific circulation the materials obtained during the excavations of the Dal’niy (Vydrin) soil burial ground in the Bolshesoldatsky district of the Kursk region (the upper reaches of the Sudzhа River – the left-bank basin of the Dnieper). In the course of research in 2021, a burial of a man of 35–40 years old was discovered, accompanied by a large amount of pottery, a glass goblet and weapons. The article provides a detailed description of the burial and grave goods, which included 16 vessels (pots, bowls, a jug, a vase, pottery and glass goblets, two brass buckles, a brass fibula, an armchair, an amber mushroom-shaped pendant, a whip part, a cutout blade in a sheath with a belt ring. The data of the anthropological examination of the remains carried out by Irina Reshetova (the Institute of Archeology, Russian Academy of Sciences) demonstrating a physically developed male subjected to regular physical exertion and constant horse riding, which formed a complex of individual signs and features. The blade was placed at the head of the buried individual; due to preservation of the organic matter it was possible to identify it as a dagger in a wooden sheath made from a fragment of a Damascus steel sword with a complex pattern on the blade, the scabbard was suspended using a simple ring with a bracket. These observations introduce new important data into the discussion about the functional purpose of a category of finds widespread in Europe mainly related to the 4th – 5th centuries. Taking into account the traditions of the Chernyakhov funeral rite, the buried individual can be attributed to representatives of the military nobility. As a result of a detailed typological analysis of chronological indicators from the burial, and primarily buckles and a glass goblet, the authors have come to conclusion that the burial date is later relative to the chronology of Chernyakhov antiquities, most likely within late 4th century –early 5th century. The representative of the tribal nobility, as well as some other individuals buried in the burial ground, could have been serving in the court of highest nobility representatives in the barbarian society of the area. In the immediate vicinity of the necropolis, there is a unique single “princely” burial in the village of Bol’shoy Kamenets (known in the literature as the so-called “Starosudzhansky (Old Sudzha) treasures” of 1918/1927). For the present, the discovery of a military burial of such level with weapons and rich inventory is unique for the Dnieper left-bank area of the Chernyakhov culture.

Keywords

• chernyakhov culture
• weapons
• late antique glass
• late roman times
• great migration period
• funeral rite
• burial ground