Children’s Burials of the Middle Sarmatian Period in the North Pontic Region
Abstract
The purpose of the paper is to investigate children’s burials of the Middle Sarmatian period on the territory of the Northern Black Sea region. Try to determine the gender of the buried children on the basis of the burial inventory in comparison with the adults of the respective burial grounds. Supplement archaeological materials with the help of ethnographic information.
Scientific novelty. The article reconstructs the life of children of Middle Sarmatian society based on archaeological, ethnographic and anthropological data. The study of children’s burials on the materials of grave sites from the Northern Black Sea region has not been conducted yet.
Conclusions. Peculiarities of children’s society are considered depending on their age and gender. Babies did not have their own individual property they were buried only in burials together with adult women. At the age of 1-3 years, little Sarmatians stopped feeding with mother’s milk. Sarmatians perceived children of this age as separate individuals and buried them in separate burials. Children already have their personal belongings, including weapons. However, it was not possible to trace any gender orientation of these things, according to the available sources, at the moment. Sarmatians already divided children between the ages of 4 and 7 by gender. Judging by the peaks of mortality, it was at this age that Sarmatian children were most at risk. In this group, it was possible to determine that most of the dead children were female. Evidence of children’s participation in domestic work was also found. At the age of 8-12, the education of Sarmatian boys was completely transferred to the hands of male society. Meanwhile, girls were actively taught housekeeping, preparing for future marriage. At the age of 12 to 16, Sarmatian teenagers entered adulthood as full-fledged members of both male and female society. Girls from wealthy families, at this age, could have a dowry, with which, in the event of their death, they were buried.
Funding. The research was implemented thanks to funding from project Documenting, Recording and Saving Ukrainian Archaeological Heritage by German Archaeological Institute (Deutschen Archäologischen Institut).
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