Burials with awls and needles in Eastern Europe’s cultures of the Late Bronze Age and pre-scithian time (Steppe and Forest-steppe).

Abstract

Among the complexes of the Timber-Grave community there are numerous burials where the bronze awls and needles were found. The authors have analysed 36 burials with awls, 28 burials with needles, 16 burials with a set “awl + needle” and 4 burials with bone awls. Finally several conclusions were made, the most important of them are the following: a) awls and needles were found in the men’s and women’s burials; b) these objects take a corellation with adult people; с) the researched material show that on the western territory of the Timber-Grave community man had more chances to be buried with the awls; d) in oldest group (from 40 years) these chances were the highest; e) on the eastern territory women had more chances to be buried with the needles; f) awls and needles take a corellation with socially extraordinary burials; g) some people buried with awls had to do with the ruling and ritual functions; h) some people buried with needles had to do with the ritual functions. Awls and needles have been found in sanctuaries of the Timber-Grave community too.

In the burial ceremony of the Belozyorskaya culture awls and needles take a corellation with socially ordinary burials of various age-groups.

Awls and needles have been found in men’s and women’s burials of the Chernogorovskaya culture. Needless take a corellation with a high social position. Probably they were priest’s attributes.

The application of ethnographic and folk-lore materials to the analysis of the semiotic status of the awl and needle allows us to interpret these as sacred attributes.