In terms of the number of weapons, Ust-Alminsk necropolis stands out among the late Scythian sites of the Crimea. The burials with weapons, considering their typology, chronology, statistics, as well as the place and role in the rite are studied in the paper. Primary role of weapons in the obsequial rite is their functional purpose. The analysis of burial complexes showed that a significant number of bladed weapons were in the first place, while at the second place in the obsequial rite of Ust-Alminsk necropolis were remote weapons (bows and arrows), the third took spears, and the last — axes. From the middle of the first century CE, the number of weapons increased in the burial complexes of Ust-Alminsk necropolis. At that time, Chersonese and much of the Crimea (including the state of the late Scythians) were under the control of the Bosporan Kingdom. Crimean Scythia participated in the Bosporan-Roman War as an ally of Bosporus. In the second century CE, the hostilities of Bosporan army took place in the Crimean Scythia. Those events were reflected in the obsequial rite. In the first centuries of CE in Ust-Alminsk necropolis appeared the traditions of an obsequial rite, peculiar to the population of the Sarmatian era of steppe areas of the Northern Black Sea region and Volga region. This can be observed in the peculiarities of the obsequial rite. In addition, there were changes in the ethnic and social structure of late Scythian society, since along with the civilian, the military elite was formed. That was reflected in the richness of the obsequial inventory of military burials.
Source: Medvedev G. (2021). Weapons in Obsequial Rite of Ust-Alminsk Necropolis (South-Western Crimea). Eminak: Scientific Quarterly Journal. 2(34): 46-56
Source web-site: https://eminak.net.ua/index.php/eminak/article/view/514/361
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