Fire in the Funeral Practice of the Odino Culture’s Population (By the Materials from the Burial Grounds of the Baraba Forest-Steppe)

Purpose. The use of fire is one of the most stable and widespread features of the funeral rituals of the diverse population of Western Siberia from the Neolithic era to the ethnographic modernity. In the article, we analyze the traces of the use of fire in the funeral practice of the population of the Odino culture. Results. The use of fire was noted for 33 complexes (13 %), of the 252 burials taken in the study (burial grounds Sopka-2/4A, Tartas-1, Ust-Tartas-2, located in the Baraba forest-steppe). Three groups of burials are distinguished: with traces of the use of fire in the burial pit without affecting the skeleton (39,4 %), partial burning of the skeleton in the grave or on the side (45,5 %), complete burning in the grave or on the side (15,1 %). Based on the analysis of synchronous archaeological sites and ethnographic parallels, we propose options for reconstructing various manipulations using fire. We also noted the steady tradition of partial burning in the grave of the deceased, wrapped in birch bark, which has survived to the ethnographic modernity. Conclusion. The variety of ways of using fire in the funeral complexes of the Odino culture testifies to the significant status of fire in funeral rituals and worldview in general. The revealed stable repeatability of the combination of traces of fire implies strict regulation of actions related to the use of fire in the funeral rite of the Odino population.