Symbolization of a horse in a funeral ritual of South Ural early nomads in V—IV century b. c.

Abstract

The article is devoted to the publication of early Iron Age materials obtained
during the field research of burial mound No. 8 of Ushkattinsk I burial ground.
The work gives a description of funeral ceremony and clothing inventory. It gives
cultural and chronological characteristics of the obtained data. The article draws
main attention to the definition of horse place in the funeral ceremony of the early
nomads of South Ural. On the basis of architectural monuments analysis there
are discovered the tracks of different forms of horse participation in a funeral
ceremony. At the same time the article tells about the symbolization of this animal
by means of placing the trappings in the sacral space of a funeral complex. In
the conclusion the article reveals the significance of a horse for stratification of a
nomadic society.