Burials with Beads from Anatkasy Burial Ground

Abstract

The paper features the materials of burials with beads from the Anatkasy burial ground corresponding to the medieval Mari culture. The site is located on the B. Tsivil river, right tributary of the Volga river. A total of 33 burials, 2 sacrificial complexes and 2 pits with traces of ritual activities were revealed during excavations. The total number of discovered beads is 340 items, which were located in following six burials with beads: No. 2, 3, 5, 22, 24, 31. The article contains a classification of beads on the basis of Yu.L. Shchapova's work “Ancient glass. Morphology, technology, chemical composition” (Shchapova, 1989). On the basis of numerous counterparts, the authors conducted dating of the bead material representing an important chronological indicator of the site. This is the first introduction of the material from these burial complexes with beads into scientific discourse.

Keywords

• archaeology
• Volga region
• Mari culture
• Middle Ages
• beads
• chronology
• classification
• types
• funeral rite