Pages: 197-214

The article is a publication of Scythian materials occurring from two burial grounds investigated by the North Crimean expedition of the USSR Academy of Sciences near the Yarylgach lake in northwestern Crimea in 1970—1972. The material testifies that the burial ground Mezhvodnoye is represented by a barrow field which appeared in the Bronze Age and was intensively used during the Scythian time. The first barrows, which are located near Vodopoynoye village, appeared in the Bronze Age. However, their design in the form of a small ridge lined WNW — ESE is dated to the Scythian time. Necropolises contain some Scythian burials which precede Greek agricultural formations in this part of the Crimean Peninsula. They testify presence of the Scythians on coastal areas of the northwest Crimea, at least, during 5 th century BC. It is interesting that among the tombs of obviously ordinary people, there are several burials of hobblers. The period of later Scythian tombs of northwestern Crimea is chronologically defined within 4 th — first decades of 3 rd cc. BC. They are represented, basically, by stone tombs and crypts intended for consecutive burial places. They are best represented on the Mezhvodnoye burial ground. The funeral ceremony of the Scythian population of the time seems to be influenced by traditions of the Greek chora.

Keywords : Scythian time, barrow, necropolis, north-western Crimea

Information about author : 

Serghey Koltukhov (Simferopol, Ukraine). Candidate of historical sciences. Crimea Branch of Archaeology Institute, Ukraine National Academy of Sciences.
E-mail: [email protected]