Pages: 105-115

The article publishes materials from an extraordinary equestrian burial in chamber tomb uncovered on the burial ground of a Meotian fort Spornoe. The inhumation was accompanied by two harnessed horses and diverse inventory (weapons, buckles, ornaments, etc.), among which there was a shield-boss. According to J. Illkjaer, such shield-bosses belong to chronological group 5 and correspond to type 6ac. Their dating is mainly limited to step C1b. Horse harness (bits with wheellike cheek-pieces) finds analogies in Meotian and Sarmatian sites. Silver and bronze buckles date to the middle — second half of 3rd c. BC. The burial dates back to the mid 3rd c. BC. The long sword and anthropological data support a link existing between the chamber-catacomb rite on Meotian burial grounds and Sarmatians.

Keywords: Kuban, Meotians, Sarmatians, burial ground, chamber-catacomb rite, bits with check-pieces, sword, spearhead, shield-boss, buckles

Information about authors:

Natalia Limberis (Krasnodar, Russia). Kuban State University, Stavropolsckaia St., 149, Krasnodar, 350040, Russia
E-mail: [email protected]
Ivan Marchenko (Krasnodar, Russia). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Kuban State University, Stavropolsckaia St., 149, Krasnodar, 350040, Russia
E-mail: [email protected]