Female burials of the Kichigino I cemetery in the framework of the burial rite of the South Ural early nomads

The article concerns female burials in the Early Iron Age cemetery Kichigino I. In total, 10 kurgans were investigated. The mounds contained burials dated from 7th to 2nd-4th centuries BC. At least seven women were buried in the kurgans. There were burials of varying degree of preservation. Five burials were provided with anthropological identification. The age of the buried at the time of death is from 25-35 to 45-55 years old. Grave goods included numerous ornaments, including gold jewelry, ritual and domestic items and weaponry. Three burials from mound 3, all related to the Early Sarmatian period (4th century BC), were especially interesting in terms of grave goods. Large quiver sets of arrows with bronze heads were found in two graves (pits 3 and 4). Items of the high social status (gold ornaments in the animal style, bronze vessel and ritual things) were discovered in grave 5. In general, female burials from the cemetery Kichigino I fit well into the context of the funeral ritual of the Southern Ural early nomads both in terms of grave goods and the way of disposal of the dead.