The hierarchy of warriors' graves in Abkhazia (2nd-7th centuries) and possibilities of social reconstruction

The author reviews possibilities of social reconstruction using the materialsfrom the graves discovered in Abkhazia (2nd-7th centuries). Regarding the set of weaponsand richness of funeral offerings, four levels of graves have been identified, and theirevolution over time has been examined. Beyond any doubt, warriors' graves reflect a socialstructure of the earliest population that inhabited Abkhazia during the Late Roman periodand the early medieval period, with a certain hierarchy of the graves containing weaponshaving been identified. However, this hierarchy is reflected in different cemeteries indifferent ways, its indicators also vary depending on the chronological period.