Research of the Borizhar detachment

In the lower reaches of the Arys river, two burial mounds were studied - Borizhar and Karaspan.

7 barrows have been excavated at the Borizhar burial ground. Burials were found in them: a) inside ground burial structures made of pakhsa - 2, b) in the soil layer on special burial sites - 2, c) in soil grave pits - I, d) in catacombs - 2.

Funeral structures were placed on a platform of broken clay or the so-called pakhsa pillow. One of them is rectangular 502 in terms of a fence with an entrance-opening in one of the walls. The second is a complex building with an internal rectangular burial chamber and a long corridor-shaped entrance structure.

Burial chambers occupy an area of ​​4 to 8 square meters. m. The height of the walls of the structure is 1.2 m, the remaining thickness is 0.5–1 m. The entrance to the chamber faces southwest.

The burials are very disturbed. Judging by the remains of cranial bones, there are from two to six buried in the chambers. The anatomical order of the individual parts of the skeleton speaks of the rite of burial. The usual orientation of the buried is to the right of the entrance. But sometimes they buried right along the way to the chamber and to the left of the entrance.

Burials in the soil layer are under mounds. The buried were laid on a special platform made of broken clay with an admixture of small river pebbles. The thickness of the platform layer is 5-7 cm. Single burials were found in two of the excavated mounds.

The material of burial structures from burials in the soil layer is the same. The grave inventory is represented by tools, weapons, jewelry and ceramics. The most common item in the grave inventory is medium-sized iron knives with a straight blade; sometimes there are sickle-shaped knives. Often knives are accompanied by whetstones. Of the tools, we also note ceramic whorls. The weapons are represented by arrowheads, remnants of daggers and chain mail. All tips are three-bladed, moreover, both broad-blade with small holes on the blades and narrow-blade are characteristic, triangular ones are also found. Belt accessories are represented by belt buckles and plaques. Earrings of two types: copper with a drop-shaped pendant and a small ring for hanging, and bronze with a hollow lyre-shaped pendant; various beads; mirrors without handles, flat, disc-shaped.

Among ceramics, jugs with cylindrical spouts-plums predominate. All utensils are made of well-mixed and elutriated dough, their surface is covered with polished mostly dark red engobe.

Burial in soil grave pits and catacombs is new for the Borizhar burial ground.

Burials in barrow pits are single. The dead are laid in an extended position on their backs with their heads to the east. At the head of the flat-bottomed jar.

The dromos of the catacombs are from 3 to 5 m, adjoining the catacomb perpendicularly and at an angle. Oval catacombs with a vaulted ceiling, dimensions 2.60X1.20 m., height 1.2 m. There are from one to three burials in the chambers. They are laid out in an extended position on their backs, with their heads to the right of the entrance. In the catacombs, belt buckles, bone linings for bows, and clay and wooden vessels of various shapes were found.

Karaspan burial ground is located on the left bank of the Arys river near the settlement of the same name. Three burial mounds have been examined here. They found ground burial structures similar to those of Borizhar and Muslim burials in crypts-sagana. The latter took the place of the former. At the same time, pre-Muslim structures were deliberately destroyed. Up to three crypts are hidden under one burial mound. Burials are single without things; orientation is stable north-west.