Morphology of child burials of early nomads in the Lower Volga region (based on materials of the burial mounds of early Sarmatian time)

The article is devoted to morphology of child burials of the Early Sarmatian time in the Lower Volga region, which have been studied on the basis of five burial mounds -Berezhnovka, Kalinovka, Kovalevka, Pervomaysky, Peregruznoe I. During the analysis the following age groups of children have been studied: 0- 4 years; 5-9 years; 10-14 years (from 132 child burials). The age was specified within the framework of these three age groups in all cases. Besides, the infant burials (from newborns to one year old) were studied both separately and in their age group (0-4 years). The results show that there was a high level of child and infant mortality rate in all burial mounds. The mortality of children depended on age and decreased from the first age group (0-4 years) to the last one (10- 14 years). The peculiarities of the funeral rite and its content in the burials of things were also directly related to lifespan and the possible status of the deceased child, which was increasing with aging...