The reconstructed ‘life story' of the individual from kurgan 7 at the Devitsa V cemetery

Reconstruction of an individual ‘life story' based on comprehensive studies of skeletal remains is a traditional area of research relating to paleoanthropological remains in the archaeological context, with new methods improving its reliability. In 2021 the excavations of kurgan 7 at the Devitsa V cemetery performed by the Don expedition of the Institute of Archaeology, RAS, discovered an interesting grave with remains of one individual. It was a male over 40 years old, more precise age of this male is difficult to determine because of pathologies such as marks of multiple old fractures as well as a number of symptoms that can help diagnose diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis which is more common among older males suffering from overweight and metabolic disorder. It can be inferred from the analysis of the nitrogen stable isotope composition of the bone tissue collagen that animal protein prevailed in this individual's food intake. Based on this male's health conditions, physical status and the type of diet as well as historical sources and the archaeological context, the authors of this paper suggest that the dead belonged to a special group of Scythian priesthood.