The Levopodkumsky 1 Kurgan Cemetery near Kislovodsk: Preliminary Results of the 2025 Comprehensive Research

The Levopodkumsky 1 kurgan cemetery near Kislovodsk includes graves typical of both the Alan population and the preceding local ethnic substrate (Podkumok- Khumara cultural group). The burial ground occupies a special place among North Caucasus antiquities. The cemetery is unique for the central Ciscaucasia. It was discovered and investigated during the archaeological excavations conducted on a limited basis in 2012–2013. The paper publishes preliminary results of comprehensive research conducted at this burial ground in 2024 under RSF grant No. 24-28-01024. Two catacombs covered by the kurgans (burial 1, kurgan 18; and burial 1, kurgan 19), three twochamber burials not covered by the kurgans (burials II–IV), one uni-chamber catacomb not covered by the kurgan (burial V) and one burial made in a stepped pit (burial VI) (Fig. 1: B) were excavated. All burials, save the last one, were looted in ancient times. Parts of footwear sets and jewelry found in some burials date to the first half – the middle of the 3rd century AD. The discovered two-chamber burials have been left behind by the representatives of the Podkumok-Khumara cultural group. The cultural attribution of other burials needs to be clarified.