Cremation in the funerary rite of the Kudashevskiy I burial ground (3rd-5th centuries)

Cremations in the Kudashevskiy I cemetery in the Middle Kama region that dates to the Migration period are reviewed for the first time. In the funeral rite of the population that left behind the burial ground inhumation is recorded. The interpretation of such graves is supported by presence of a sacrifice complex, which is a ritual element of Finno-Ugric population. Another form of the funerary rite practiced by the population that buried their dead at this site and which is described in the paper is cremation. Based on the observation method and statistical analysis, a number of issues can be highlighted. The remains of cremations in the form of calcined bones and charcoal are diverse in size, shape and concentration; they are localized in the graves, grave infills, ritual pits, and between the graves in the cemetery. The archaeological site records a funerary rite with cremations on a pyre arranged aside and marks ritual practices (funeral feasts) in which animals played certain role. The mingling of burial traditions: inhumation and cremation is associated with interaction between the local and alien populations.