The social hierarchy among the population of eastern variant of Pakhomovo culture (materials of Stary Sad burial ground)

We present here the research results of special aspects in the burial-ritual practice among the population of the eastern variant of Pakhomo culture at the Stary Sad site and the identified social hierarchy. We determined and approved the criteria, identified the status for this burial ground (complexity and labor-consuming aspect of the burial construction, the number and the qualitative difference of the accompanying equipment, the use of pottery in the burial practice). We fixed the presence of burial constructions with different status, and educed three relative ranks: “high”, “medium”, “low”. We described the characteristics of the burial structures for each of the ranks. “High”: the complexity of the organization of sacred space, a large amount and qualitative difference of accompanying equipment, the use of burial practice of four or more units of pottery, the placing it in several contexts. “Medium” rank is characterized by the presence of the graves and one or /two additional structures (ditch, pit, proc), under the one earth mound For the “average ” grade is characterized by a single burial mound and one and / or two additional structures (ditch, pit, fire place), the use of more than two ceramic vessels in the ritual practice. The “low ” rank includes the constructions, where there is only the burial of the deceased, without additional constructive features and two vessels at least. Planigraphic study permitted to fix the interrelation between the location of the burial construction at the territory of the burial ground and the social status of the buried. The representatives of the “high ” and “medium ” rank are buried in the central part of necropolis, the “high ” rank - in the marginal northeastern part. We denoted that earth constructions without burials was situated in all area of the burial ground.