The Unusual Construction of Kurgans of the Scythian Elite from the 4th Century BC in a Burial Ground near the Village of Vodoslavka in the Northern Sivash Region (Ukraine)

Bibliographic Data

ID21974387
AuthorsMarina Daragan (0000-0003-1019-9407, Institute of Archaeology), Sergei Polin (Institute of Archaeology)
Year2026
Volume15
Issue6
Pages133
Publication date2026-06-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueArts (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2076-0752 • E-ISSN: 2076-0752
PublisherMDPI AG (PUBLISHER • IT)
DOI10.3390/arts15060133
OpenAlexW7163523294
LanguageEN
References cited4

This study focuses on the construction sequence of three complex and atypical Scythian kurgans at the Vodoslavka burial ground in the Northern Sivash region, which incorporate several unique structural and ritual elements. One of the most striking features is the layer of mud applied to the ground surface prior to mound construction, which, in several cases, formed anthropomorphic outlines. Funerary feasting, which took place both before and during the burial ceremony, was just one of the other features. So too was the deliberate shaping of soil removed from the central grave into a spherical segment, and the ritual activity associated with this prepared spoil heap. Although the mounds’ preserved height is relatively modest (originally about 3–5 m), their internal organisation and the composition of the grave goods suggest that they were used for burying individuals of high status within Scythian society. The cemetery’s proximity to major salt lakes suggests that the local elite’s affluence may have been linked to their control over this vital resource. The architectural and depositional features of the kurgans can be interpreted as elements of a ritual system designed to ensure the deceased’s proper transition to the afterlife. The design of the burial chambers and the richness of the grave goods reflect a concern for the conditions of existence in the afterlife, while the associated manipulations of the sub-mound space and mound deposits, prepared surfaces, deliberately shaped spoil heaps, and related ritual practices can be understood as material markers and procedures intended to secure the successful passage of the deceased to the afterlife

Elite · Grave goods · Sedimentary depositional environment · Ancient and Medieval Archaeology Studies · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Archaeology and ancient environmental studies

Tools

Open DOIOpen Access