SibFU archaeologists are saving an ancient burial mound in Krasnoyarsk
SibFU archaeologists are conducting rescue excavations of a destroyed burial mound of the late Tagar culture. The team of the Laboratory of Archeology of the Yenisey Siberia of the School for the Humanities together with student volunteers from other schools began excavations on 20 September. The first finds are already at hand — those are rare bronze items.
Dmitry Vinogradov, researcher at the Laboratory of Archeology of the Yenisey Siberia, brought some light on the peculiarities of the burial.
“This mound was left behind by the carriers of the culture that existed in the Minusinsk hollow at the end of the first millennium BC. As a result of migration, some of the people of this culture moved further to the North. Here is one of the northernmost burial mounds of this culture, dating back to the III-I century BC. According to various estimates, there were about 150 such mounds near Krasnoyarsk. To date, about 25 burial mounds have been excavated, but most of the excavations were carried out in the 19th century and not always according to the rules. The most recent similar mound was excavated in 1956-1957. Without hesitation, we can say that this is a unique mound for the vicinity of Krasnoyarsk,” explained Dmitry.
The ancient burial mound was discovered by sheer luck in 2018 during the expansion of the Shinnoye Cemetery. The cemetery administration appealed to law enforcement agencies. Thus it became known to archaeologists.
At the moment, archaeologists have opened up the burial pit 6 by 6 meters and expect to see a collective burial. From several dozen people to 200 could be buried in such mounds. Among the first finds were a bronze mirror, a knife, fragments of ceramic vessels, and several well–preserved pots.
The found objects will be studied in the laboratory.
The archaeological expedition involved not only students of archaeology.
Anna Sereda, future geographer: «We found on social networks that the Lab is recruiting for an archaeological expedition. We decided that this also correlates with our disciplines, in particular, my thesis in soil science.»
Anna Kremenskaya, also a student of the School of Ecology and Geography: «We are volunteers, we work on our weekends. Cold but interesting. Yesterday we found a mirror that was used for ritual purposes during burial. I hope to work until the end of the expedition.»