The Elizavetovskoe settlement and the Elizavetovsky burial ground in the works by V.P. Shilov

The paper analyzes the development of ideas about the ethnic characteristics of the Elizavetovskoe settlement and the burial ground in the works by V. P. Shilov. According to V.P. Shilov’s ideas dating back to the first years of his work in the settlement and in the burial ground, the population of the archaeological complex correlated with the meots. These ideas coincided with the widespread at that time opinion of leading experts in this area - B. N. Grakov and K. F. Smirnov. The connection of ideas is traced in the description of the funeral rite. At the same time, the researchers pointed out a strong influence of the middle Don traditions on weapons: spears, darts, several types of arrowheads. Valentin Shilov assumed that the iron ore raw materials were supplied to this territory from the Lipetsk deposits. However, after the excavation of Pyatibratny burial ground 8, V. P. Shilov, without changing his prior beliefs, used the term Scythians in descriptions of the scenes in the golden gorytus and in the sheath of the sword. A clear link of gorytus and sword with the Chertomlyk burial complex paved the path for reassessment of views. By the time of I. B. Brashinsky’ work on the burial ground, this viewpoint began to prevail among specialists. Without giving importance to the evidence of the Scythian affiliation of the population, I. B. Brashinsky published the article and later a chapter in the monograph, in which he had categorically called the discovered complexes Scythian. Only in 1986, V. P. Kopylov and K. K. Marchenko argued the Scythian ethnic belonging of the population of the Delta of the Don. Besides, a series of articles by the authors who referred the complex to the Sauromatian population, was published. The parties’ arguments are not convincing, though, and the ethnic affiliation of the monument remains uncertain, just as one hundred years ago.