Anthropological Study of the Remains from a Double Burial at the Malyaevka V Burial Site

The Malyaevka V kurgan burial site was excavated by a joint expedition of the Volgograd State University and the Institute of Archaeology Russian Academy of Sciences in 1998–1999. This paper presents the results of an anthropological analysis of two male skulls obtained from the excavation of burial 5 of kurgan 7 at the Malyaevka V burial site, Leninsky District, Volgograd region. The description of the craniological materials was carried out using methods conventional in Russian and international anthropology, including sex and age assessment based on the skull and postcranial skeleton bones; description of the skull using craniometric and cranioscopic systems of features; and description of pathological conditions on the skull. The results showed that both skulls are identified as belonging to the dolichocephalic Europoid type and exhibit a “steppe pathological complex,” indicative of a specialized meat-and-dairy diet. Both males showed signs of exposure to cold stress in the form of a vascular reaction of the “orange peel” type, indicating a mobile lifestyle for individuals who could spend long periods outdoors, exposed to cold winds. The male (skeleton 1) showed such a pathological condition as internal frontal hyperostosis, which is rare in paleogroups. The presence of signs of unintentional artificial deformation of the Beshik cradle type in this same individual is also noteworthy. Furthermore, the skulls show a high incidence of combat-related injuries, suggesting the males’ participation in armed conflicts. The successful healing of the wounds may indicate that the society of early nomads possessed proficient skills in battlefield surgery and the use of defensive weaponry. The high degree of similarity in the morphological complex of features between both skulls suggests a close biological relationship between the males.