The Adornment in the Mortuary Ceremonies of the Volga-Ural Pit‒Grave Culture as the Marker of the Social Significance in the Nomad Society of the Bronze Epoch

Abstract

The role of the adornment in the mortuary ceremonies of the Volga-Ural Pit-Grave culture is investigated in the paper. The adornment is rarely the only burial equipment found. Most often they can be found in the burial complexes together with the evidences of military and manufacturing symbolism. Bone accessories (pectorals and pins) were regarded as prestigious at the early stage of the Pit-Grave culture while metal adornment items (which includes precious metals) took the leading position during the developed and late periods of the culture in the Volga-Ural region. Prestigious bone and metal adornment can be found in the children burials as well as in the male or female burials. On the author’s opinion, this inventory category was the marker of the social significance in the nomad society of the Volga-Ural Pit‒Grave culture.

Keywords

• archaeology
• burial complex
• volga-ural pit-grave culture
• adornment
• social structure
• nomads of the bronze epoch