Studies of solitary Skalnaya-11 mound near Uytag mountain, Khakassia

The article presents preliminary data ofthe rescue archaeological works at the solitary Skalnaya-11Mound located in the southwest of Khakas-Minusinsk Region. The site is situated in the Askiz District of Khakassia Republic, on the northwestern foot of Uytag Mount in close proximity to the mouth of the river Kamyshta. It was found out during the excavation that no earthen mound was constructed over the grave; the burial constructions were integrated into the natural hilly surface, the ground where the tombs were established had been factitiously levelled beforehand. Upon the removal of the ground level of the mound, the rectangular hedge made of thin Devonian red sandstone plates was revealed. The plates were settled end-to-end and based upon piers on the outside of the hedge, the walls were slightly inclined inwards. No vertical corner or pillar stelas were detected. Two entombments were found inside the hedge. Tomb1 was considered the main one ’ tomb 2 of an infant was additional. Both earthen graves were covered by the roofs of red sandstone. The walls of the main tomb were coated with flagstone. Tomb 2 was intact. The buried infant was situated supinely in the center of the bone chamber along the long axis of the tomb with the head eastward; the arms of the buried were straightened along the body, the legs were straightened likewise. Tombs 1 and 2 are typical for the early phase of Tagar culture. The artefacts in the tombs are typical including flat-bottomed jar-shaped vessels with straight flat rim, a carnelian cylindrical bead and a massive half-spherical bronze button with a loop on the backside.