On the issue of the «burial component» of Bolshemysskaya Eneolithic culture

The article considers the problems of attribution of the oldest burial grounds in forest-steppe Altay and Kuznetskaya hollow to the Bolshemysskaya culture. A number of burial grounds - Bolshoy Mys, Kostenkova Izbushka, Firsovo 11 and Tuzovskiye Bugry I, the burial in the Nizhnetytkeskenskaya cave, Tytkesken' 6, the burial ground Novoaltaysk-Razvilka are attributed to Bolshemysskaya culture. One of the topical problems is the attribution of some sites to Bolshemysskaya culture. The author of the present article suggests a solution to this problem. The analysis of criteria of referring of some single burials to the Bolshemysskaya culture has suggested the controversial character of the criteria. In order to determine the degree of similarity or difference of Bolshoy Mys and Neolithic burial grounds of the northern foothills of Altay and Kuznetskaya hollow a comparative analysis has been carried out. During the analysis relative evidence of the presence of some of these criteria on the site has been taken into consideration. The data of Bolshoy Mys, Ust-Isha, Solontsy-5, Lebedi-2 and Kyznetsky burial grounds were also used. According to enumerated criteria Bolshoy Mys has characteristics which are very similar to other ancient burial mounds of the region, mostly to Neolotghic complexes of Kuznetskaya hollow. It is obvious, that the question of burials related to Bolshemysskaya eneolithic culture still remains unsolved. The nature of existing differences between single burials is still not quite clear, however, against the background of general characteristics these differences seem to be less significant. The distinguishing of later complexes on the ground of these differences seems to be almost impossible.