Gender and age burial rite specifics of the population of Tym river in XV-XVII centuries (burial grounds of the hole Bederevsky bor)

Purpose : Stratification by gender and age of the paleopopulation of the Middle Ages and New Period is insufficiently studied in Western Siberia region. The study of gender specifics and social structure of traditional societies started in the 2 nd half of the 20 th century. The research was based on separate burial grounds and culture of Western Siberia. Some particular aspects of this problem had been studied earlier. New methods and approaches had aroused more interest to the research. Results : The article considers complex study of archaeological and paleoanthropological data on burial rites of the Selkup ancestors. The Selkup are one of the small aboriginal peoples of Western Siberia. The data were collected during the excavations of two burial grounds situated in the hole Bederevsky Bor in the river Tym, Kargasok district, Tomsk oblast. The burial grounds were dated to the XV-1 st half of XVIII century. The objects are situated on the northeastern area occupied by the population of the Narym (Southern) Selkup, also known as Ostyako-Samoyeds (Samoyed is a man eating himself). The researchers distinguish northern, central and southern dialect areas among them. According to the present classification the Selkup of Tym river are reffered to the Tym dialect of central group, Chumyl'kup dialects. In the XVII century (1 st half) there were found the Tym volost of Tomsk province. Administratively this territory belonged to the Surgut uezd. At the end of 1701 the volost was divided into two parts, and the population in the Tym river became a part of the Narym uezd. The fact that the Selkup ancestors populated the north-east of the Narym Ob is evidenced by toponymy data and anthropological materials. The article describes the specifics of burial rite separate groups of individuals distinguished on the basis of gender and age and social and cultural identity: adults and children, female and male. Conclusion : First of all, the main differences in the burial rite of the Tym Selkup of the XV- XVIII centuries are revealed in age category: children - adults. The analysis of found materials and classification of them according to the age categories of a children group of paleopopulation evidence that there were no buried children of last months of prenatal development (miscarriages, death during the delivery) as well as of the first 10 days after birth (the newborn). In the children group there is a range of burial constructions and accompanying objects depending on the age. The differences are observed among the quantity and variety of accessories. It should be noted that some children from 1 to 5 years old, as well as the adults, could be buried with a knife, iron arrowheads and spearheads, «palma» blade (close combat weapon for cutting and sabbing). Such finds enable to establish the fact that the bodies belong to the male part of the population, and they also show the social status of the children. The differences of objects between male and female parts of the paleopopulation are determined by gender difference, and are mostly observed in clothes decoration, presence of head gear, wrist and waist accessories. The differences are also reflected in burial rites, and they also give a hint of individuals' occupations of either male or female parts of the population.