Pages: 15-30 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.55086/sp2251530

Two “military” burials of the Sambian-Natangian culture are considered — Dollkeim-Kovrovo No. 269 and Kleinheide-Guryevsk No. 21 of the Great Migration Period, where there are burials of dogs. Burials with dogs in the early Middle Ages were widespread in the Germanic area, but extremely rarely found among the Balts. Apparently in Sambia, their appearance is associated with the influence of the funerary customs of the Germans, most likely from Central Europe. It is possible that these customs reflect military rituals associated with warriors-werewolves (wolves/dogs).

Keywords: Sambian-Natangian culture, burials with dogs, military rituals

Information about authors:

Michel Kazanski (Paris, France). Doctor Habilitat on Archaeology. National Center for Scientific Research, UMR–8187 “East and Mediterranean”. Rue du Cardinal Lemoine, 52, Paris, 75005, France
E-mail: [email protected]
ORCID: 0000-0002-0306-0936
Anna Mastykova (Moscow, Russian Federation). Doctor of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Dmitry Ulyanov St., 19, Moscow, 117292, Russian Federation
E-mail: [email protected]
ORCID: 0000-0001-7521-5071