Wooden Structures in the Kurgans of Nomads of the Southren Urals in the Late 6th – 4th Centuries BC: Typology of Grave Structures

The article analyzes wooden grave structures from the burial complexes of the early nomads of the Southern Urals in the late 6th – 4th centuries BC. Several types of tomb structures, differing in size, layout, construction, and methods of erection, are represented in the kurgans known to date. The article examines the main approaches of Russian researchers in studying the funeral rite in relation to wooden grave structures. Analysis of the literature has shown the absence of specialized works and generally accepted terminology in historiography in relation to the grave structures of the South Ural nomads. The information accumulated to date on kurgan architecture allows us to state the presence of both simple and complex grave structures that differ in their forms and design features. The article presents the currently known wooden structures found in the kurgans of the South Ural nomads of the mid-1st millennium BC. Based on the analysis of available materials, a typology of wooden structures is proposed based on the technology of their construction and the nature of the funeral rite. Attention is paid to clarifying the terminology applicable to such categories as “log cabin structure” (srub), “tent-shaped covering” (shatrovoe perekrytie), etc. In total, six main types of wooden grave structures are identified. These include wooden floor-roofs made of logs (perekrytiya-nakaty), complex rectangular and polygonal buildings, tent structures, lightweight frame-and-post structures, wooden flooring, and platforms. In addition, wooden ceilings of clay mausoleums are considered a special type of grave structure. The wooden grave structures of the nomads of the Southern Urals have parallels in burial complexes in various regions of the steppe belt of Northern Eurasia, which indicates the presence of common ideological ideas among the nomads of the early Iron Age. As information is replenished and new data are obtained, the proposed typology can be further expanded and supplemented.