The subject of this research is the anthropological materials acquired in the course of archaeological excavations of the solitary burial mound “Krasnaya Dubrava”, located in the Ilovlinsky district of Volgograd Region. The conduct of archaeological excavations revealed eleven burials and bone remains from 12 individuals. The anthropological materials were poorly preserved. The burials are attributed to the Late Bronze Age, possibly to the periods of Srubnaya or Pokrovskaya cultures. In the course research, the author determined the gender and age of the buried individual, as well as the occurrence of discrete-varying traits. The paleopathological analysis employed the survey method developed by A. P. Buzhilova (1995, 1998). The examination of small-numbered and poorly preserved series presented in this research is of major significance. First of all, there is no opportunity for craniological and osteological research of individuals from the burial mound of Krasnaya Dubrava, therefore, pathological and gender-age analysis allow including the anthropological materials from this archaeological site into the scientific discourse, Secondly, the acquired results broaden the representations of lifestyle peculiarities of the population of the Late Bronze Age of the Lower Volga Region. The solitary burial mound of Krasnaya Dubrava is characterized by a large number of children burials under 4 years of age, and early mortality of adults at young age. The most common teeth pathologies indicate mineralized deposits due to the absence of oral hygiene. The studied individuals also mark the diseases of metabolic nature due famine. Most likely, these factors led to the early death of children and adults. The absence of traumatic injuries on the bone remains of the population buried in the mound of Krasnaya Dubrava testifies to peaceful lifestyle of this group.

Skeletal remains from the burials of timber-grave period of the Late Bronze Age originating from kurgans of the Archedino-Chernushensky group served as the material for this research. The archaeological monument is located in the territory of the Frolovsky Municipal District of Volgograd Oblast. The remains of 12 individuals (6 adults, 4 children, and 2 adolescents) were explored. In the course of this research, the author applied the method of account for the occurrence of discretely varying traits on the skull and bones of postcranial skeleton, as well as evaluation program for dissemination of pathological characteristic developed by the national researchers A. A. Movsesyan, E. V. Pererva, A. P. Buzhilova. The archaeological explorations of group Archedino-Chernushensky Kurgan group were carried out in 2020. Therefore, the acquired anthropological materials are introduced into the scientific discourse for the first time. The author was able to establish that the equal number of children and adult burials can be attributed to timber-grave period. The examined skeletal remains of the Late Bronze Age of the Lower Volga Region demonstrate the signs of episodic stress (enamel hypoplasia) and distribution of diseases related to the deficiency of microelements in the body (porosis of the diaphysis in individuals who did not reach the age of puberty). The records of such type of deviations on anthropological materials of deviations indicates chronic stress associated with systematic occurrences of famine, which is natural for the population of the Late Bronze Age of the Lower Volga Region, who were involved in mixed farming. The excavations reveal the series of injuries of household and battle nature among adult population. The prevalent burial method of timber-grave culture Archedino-Chernushensky Kurgan group of appears to be the cremation ritual.   

We describe artificial openings in crania of the Early Iron Age nomads of the Lower Volga region, owned by the Moscow State University’s Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology. Such openings were found in two male specimens of the Sauromato-Sarmatian age from Bykovo (burial 4, kurgan 13) and Baranovka (burial 2, kurgan 21). Using macroscopic and X-ray examination, we attempt to identify the surgical techniques and the reasons behind the operations. The cranial vault of the Bykovo individual was trepanned by scraping and cutting, for medical purposes. The man survived the surgery, as evidenced by healing. In the case of Baranovka, the operation was performed postmortem or peri-mortem by drilling and cutting, possibly for ritual purposes. Collating these cases with others relating to the Early Iron Age nomadic (Sauromato-Sarmatian) culture of the Lower Volga region and adjacent territories and with written and archaeological sources suggests that the closest parallels come from Central Asia, and Southern and Western Siberia, where the custom of post-mortem ritual trepanations was very common. The surgical techniques practiced in the Lower Volga region were likely due to the penetration of Greek and Roman medical traditions in the mid-first millennium BC.