Results of the kurgan cemetery excavations in the Pasha and Syas' interfluve in the late 1990s

This paper describes results of archaeological excavations of two kurgan mounds in the vicinity of the village of Zalyushchik (Tikhvin district, Leningrad region), namely, mound No.1 in the Zalyushchik II cemetery and the single Zaozerskoe III mound. These sites were discovered during archaeological survey conducted by the author in 1997-1998, and then were excavated in 1999. The Zalyushchik II kurgan group is located 0,3 km north of the eponymous village, it included two mounds. Rescue excavations of kurgan No. 1 found that it had been erected on a virgin soil ledge 0,4-0,9 m high. The mound yielded a hearth with a ceramic vessel covered with an iron pan located near the hearth. Three inhumation burials were discovered in two soil pits under the kurgan mound. The first burial (that of a child) was deposited in a separate pit and did not contain any grave goods. Two burials of adults were located in one burial pit. An iron axe, a knife and a pot were retrieved from the male burial, whereas a bronze ring and an iron knife were found in the female burial. The single Zaozerskoe III mound was located 1 km north of the Zalyushchik II cemetery. It was made on a hilly surface up to 1,6 m high. A cremated burial that contained two iron arrowheads, a bronze belt-buckle with an iron prong, etc. was found at the top of this hilly surface. This assemblage was dated to the second half - end of the 10th century. Three glass beads, a bronze jingle bell and a ring were found in various parts of the mound. Besides, children's burials in small treetrunk coffins with no offerings which were dated to later periods were found at different levels of the mound.