Reshetova I.K.

Key words: Saltovo-Mayatsk culture, Verkhniy Saltov, paleoanthropology, physiological stress markers, injury, trephinations, isotopic analysis.
Archaeological study of Saltovo-Mayatsk sites near the village of Verkhniy Saltov (Volchansk region, Kharkov Oblast) began in 1900 and continues to the present day. Recent research of the anthropological materials allowed characterizing the biological status of the forest-steppe zone population of Saltovo-Mayatsk culture. The collection of 30 individuals (13 males, 9 females, 3 children, 3 newborns) was studied by craniometrical and osteometrical methods. Physiological stress markers and pathological cases have also been described. Isotopic analysis of the collagen has been done to reconstruct the paleodiet patterns. The investigated skulls are characterized by dolicho-mesocranium proportion, with medium and large- size longitudinal diameters, small and medium transverse diameters, significant horizontal and vertical profile and high nasal bones projecting (table. 1). There are cases of physiological stress marked in the group. Among the signs of episodic stress are enamel hypoplasia and cribra orbitalia (table 2). Epigenetic traits include osteoms, wormian and suture bones, grooves on the surface of the frontal bones. There are a number of dental pathologies, dental caries, odontogenic osteomyelitis, dedentition, anomalies of development (table 2). The selection is characterized by a high level of injury. There is a large number of fractures (nose, depressed fractures of the bones of the skull). When working with the remains of the individuals, two cases of trephination have been revealed (cat. no.51, № 79).
A pilot study of isotopic composition of collagen bone tissue of individuals from the catacomb burials in the necropolis of Upper Saltov-IV allowed identifying the type of diet in the group. The most significant feature of the average diet is probably the significant share of C4 plants. Thus, the study of the anthropological materials from Upper Saltov-IV cemetery yielded new data, allowed recording the number of defects and anomalies, gave evidence of stress factors in the group, and provided the materials for bioarchaeological reconstruction.