У статті описано два поховання вельбарської культури за даними біоантропологічного та археологічного
аналізів.
Reconnaissance works carried out on the banks of the Hrinnytske water reservoir in 1999-2000
revealed a new settlement of Velbarska culture. A burial ground located nearby evidently belonged
to this settlement. The burial ground was destroyed by drainage and other earthworks. Two
inhumation burials were discovered. Burial № 1 was ritually disturbed: the main part o f the skeleton was dragged out through a pit dug near the grave. Some of the grave goods, sacrificial vessels and
a bone three-teeth comb inclusive, remained untouched.
Judging by the few preserved bone fragments, the burial housed a male o f 25-35 years old.
Burial № 2, partially damaged by plough, contained a 1.6 m long skeleton in supine position,
head oriented to the southwest, placed at the natural rock level. A silver temporal ring was discovered
near the right forearm, several white cornelian beads - at the base of the neck. The anthropological
study has shown that the skeleton belonged to a grown-up 35-39 year old female, 162 cm tall.
Combination of muscular relief development and degenerate-dystrophic changes in the joints are
similar to changes in osseous system caused by working at handloom, as well as by systematic
gathering and harvesting. Presence of cartilaginous hemiae in the thoracic spine and spondylolysis
in the 5th lumbar vertebra indicate long-lasting traumatizing of spine resulting from lifting heavy
weights and superthreshold strain of trunk musculi. The analysis of visceral surface of ribs revealed
inveterate pneumonic infection. Dental calculus on the lingual and buccal surface of the teeth
might indicate predominant proteinaceous diet.
Aanalysis of grave goods generally dates the uncovered burials to the III-IV cc. A.D. Burial
№ 1 could be dated more narrowly to second half of ІІІ-early IV cc.
The study of the burials supplements to the materials testifying that tribes of Velbarska culture
practiced inhumation burials and a special ritual of disturbing the dead. Bioarchaeological
reconstruction brings light into specific features of everyday life and culture of Velbarsky tribes
from the territory of Volyn’. An example of bioarchaeological investigation demonstrates its
perspectives for the study of ancient societies.
