Computer technologies in archeology. Virtual reconstruction of Fatepur Sikri

Necropolis of Kobyakovo settlement
Archaeological rescue excavations for the project: "Construction of the shopping complex METRO Cash and Carry"

Scientific editor Larenok P.A.

Rostov-on-Don,
CJSC NPO Heritage of the Don, 2008
RRO VOO "VOOPIiK", 2008

Chapter VI

Chapter IV

ROBBERS

The necropolis of Kobyakovo settlement is the most studied cemetery of the Don Meotian settlements. To date, most of it has been excavated, in total more than two thousand burials have been found. However, archaeologists are often disappointed - about 70 percent of the burials are robbed. There are several types of robbery. The first - "barbarian" - when the grave pit is completely emptied, as they say, "under the sieve", not even fragments of human bones and objects remain. Apparently, all the contents of the burial rose to the surface of the earth and were viewed there.

But more often, the robbers seemed to know which part of the funerary structure they needed to penetrate. The predatory hole was located in such a way that it fell on the entrance to the underground chamber, then the carcasses of the sacrificial animals in the well remained untouched. Observant thieves saw on the surface of the earth a subsidence of soil above a hollow underground chamber, and they dug a passage here. So the robbery took place until the moment when the vault of the chamber fell. Inside, only that part of the burial, in which there were objects that interested the robbers, was destroyed. Most often, these were the head and chest of the deceased, the bones of which were moved or pulled out along with objects. It was here that objects made of gold could be found - earrings, hryvnia, bracelets and rings. The rest of the body remained untouched. This type includes such a robbery, when only the legs and those things that stood nearby were left in the burial, everything else was seized.

This is a "neat" way to rob. The third way is “destructive”, when all the bones are turned over, moved from their place, moved from the burial chamber to the well, where they are mixed with the bones of sacrificial animals and fragments of things. It seems that the thieves did not know where to look for gold and examined everything that came to hand, throwing away and breaking unnecessary things and the bones of the deceased.

There is no doubt that the robbery of graves took place not only during the existence of the settlements, but also later, apparently, up to the present time. Perhaps, in ancient times, the cemetery was robbed by the same people who dug grave pits, it was they who were well acquainted with the construction of burials and where the grave goods were located. Judging by what the thieves took with them, the jewelry was in demand, and their sale did not present any difficulties.

LITERATURE

1. Barbaro Iosophat “Journey to Tana”, translation and commentary by E.Ch. Skrizhinsky, Sat. Caspian transit, v.2, M., 1993.

2. Sharafutdinova E.S. "Kobyakovo settlement of the Bronze Age", Sat. Archaeological excavations on the Don, Rostov-on-Don, 1962.

3. Larenok V.A. and P.A. "Excavations of the necropolis of Kobyakov settlement", Donskaya archeology, No. 3-4, Rostov-on-Don, 2000.

4. Reader on the history of the Don and Azov regions, Rostov-on-Don, 1941.

5. Ilyin A.M. "Forward Trading Post of Tanais", Sat. "Reflection of the Past", Rostov-on-Don, 2000.

6. Larenok V.A. "New studies of the necropolis of Kobyakovo settlement", Sat. Historical and archaeological research in Azov and the Lower Don in 2002, issue 19, Azov, 2004.

7. Larenok V.A. “The ancient settlement named after Vasily Kobyakov”, ACCA magazine, No. 1/9, Rostov-on-Don, 2004.

8. Miller A.A. “A brief report on the work of the North Caucasian expedition of the State Academy of the History of Material Culture in 1924 and 1925, SGAIMK, I, 1926. SGAIMK, II, 1929.

9. Steppes of the European part of the USSR in the Scythian-Sarmatian time. Archeology of the USSR, M, 1989.

10. Ancient states of the Northern Black Sea region. Archeology of the USSR, M, 1984.

11. Larenok V.A. "Kobyakovo settlement", Sat. "Treasures of the Don Steppes" (from the collection of the Rostov Regional Museum of Local Lore), Rostov-on-Don, 2004.

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