Assemblages of the Graves 70 and 71 of the Ostriv Burial Ground: To the Question of the Ethno-Cultural Components of the Necropolis

Abstract

Since 2017 the Architectural-archaeological expedition of IA NASU has been exploring the Ostriv burial ground in the Ros River basin (the Middle Dnipro region). Аn area of 2257 m2 was investigated, on which 107 burials of the medieval necropolis were discovered. The materials of the burial ground show a resemblance with the Mediaeval West-Baltic groups of tribes (Curonians, Skalvians, Prussians, et al.). At the same time, some grave goods and certain features of burial rites indicate the more syncretic nature of the settlers’ culture. The discussion about the time, place and circumstances of the formation of the material assemblage and structure of ideas of this group of migrants remains open.
 This research evaluates the informational potential of individual burial assemblages for the possible reconstruction of the structural elements (cultural, ethnic and social) of the population buried in the Ostriv burial ground. Two female burials discovered in the spring of 2020 (nos. 70 and 71) were selected for analysis.
 Bodies have been placed in a shallow pit the contours of which were fixed at the level of unearthed skeletons (0.3—0.4 m). Both deceased were put in wooden coffins. The skeletons laid supine, with their heads directed to the west with a seasonal deviation to the north. The recorded features of the burial rite allow us to consider that both women were buried at the same time
 The deceased were connected by close family ties. The recorded funeral rite shows both common features of the necropolis and individual details which may indicate the worldview of the deceased. A similar situation is demonstrated by the grave goods — some of the discovered artifacts are traditional for the graves of the Ostriv while others were a real surprise. These materials take us to different regions of Medieval Europe: the Eastern Baltic coast, the upper Nieman basin, the Middle Dnieper area, and the early Piast state. Some of these materials have a rather limited area of distribution and a narrow chronology of use.
 The materials of these burials represent contacts between the Baltic and West Slavic ethnic groups in the Ros River basin after their migration / resettlement in the process of developing this region during the middle — second half of the 11th century.