Introduction. The analysis of ancient populations economic systems using natural science methods is an acknowledged source of independent historical information. One of the possible directions of such research is making bioarchaeological reconstructions of nutritional features. At the same time, the development of such models makes it possible to identify the ways and timing of cultivated cereals distribution, often associated with a certain lifestyle and economic structure. This publication is devoted to a comprehensive analysis of the chronological trend in food culture and agriculture development in the Don forest-steppe region territory in Early Iron Age. The new data is considered in the context of steppe and forest-steppe Eurasia culturally similar series.

Materials and methods. To construct a nutrition model bioarchaeological reconstruction, a method of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes (d¹³C and d¹⁵N) variability in human and animal bones collagen analysis was used. Student and Mann-Whitney tests were applied to verify the statistical significance of the differences when comparing individual values in different groups. The study was carried out with introduction to scientific use of new data on the variability of isotopic composition in samples representing the VIII century BC - IV century AD regional population. Due to the Volkhonsky Vyselki monument materials, the series of d¹³C and d¹⁵N values for the buried dating back to the pre-Scythian period has been increased. For the first time, a representative individual data series on the d¹³C and d¹⁵N variability in bone collagen of individuals from of Sarmatian period kurgan graves has been obtained. The archeozoological materials were analyzed relate to grave goods or funeral feast remains discovered during the excavations of the Middle Don region Sarmatian burial mounds.

Results. The isotopic composition of collagen is interpreted in chronological dynamics, compared with funerary traditions and data known for other anthropological series of steppe and forest-steppe Eurasia. Based on an expanded series of d¹³C and d¹⁵N individual values, the previously expressed assumptions about the nature of nutritional and farming traditions in the region were verified.

Conclusion. A hypothesis is put forward about sustainable parallel existence of two food models in the forest-steppe region of Early Iron Age: those peculiar to nomads and settlement dwellers. A possible path of millet (Panicum miliaceum) distribution to the territory of Don river forest-steppe region is suggested.

Acknowledgements. The authors express their sincere gratitude to A.P. Medvedev; to V.D. Berezutsky, Candidate of Historical Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Russian History, Voronezh State Pedagogical University; and to A.S. Zheludkov, researcher at the Lipetsk Regional Scientific Public Organization (LRSPO) “Archaeological Research,” for providing the anthropological materials. The authors also thank V.I. Danilevskaya, Junior Researcher at the Laboratory of Contextual Anthropology, for conducting collagen sample preparation.

Funding. This work was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (RSF), grant no. 24-18-004101, “Problems of Mobility Studies in Sedentary and Nomadic Societies Based on Isotopic Analysis of Paleoanthropological Materials.”

Introduction. The study focuses on the dental morphology analysis of three individuals from Hunnic-period burials in Crimea (Ust-Alma and Belyaus necropolises). This study builds upon previous publication of the archaeological context and craniological analysis of these individuals (Khodyreva, Shkribliak, 2023).

Materials and methods. The research material consisted of two well-preserved skeletons (a male 20–25 years old and a female over 55 years old) from Hunnic-period burials at the Ust-Alma settlement necropolis, as well as the skull of a child aged 10–11 years from an ancient crypt at the Belyaus settlement. For all skulls, an analysis of dental and maxillofacial pathologies and non-metric dental traits was conducted. The individuals from Ust-Alma were also examined for the presence of traumas, pathologies, and developmental anomalies of the skeletal bones.

Results. The results of the dental analysis revealed the presence, in varying combinations, of traits associated with the Eastern dental complex (e.g., shoveling, hypocone expression, deflective wrinkle) and those characteristic of Western complexes (e.g., Carabelli's cusp). This indicates a mixed ancestry of the studied individuals. The paleopathological analysis of the male's postcranial skeleton revealed a series of entheseal changes, which may testify to high physical activity associated with horse riding and archery, consistent with historical data on the Huns.

Conclusion. The obtained results are in agreement with craniological data and confirm the anthropological heterogeneity of the Hunnic-period population in Crimea. The publication of individual dental morphological data from these rare finds is considered crucial for building a comparative database. This will enable a more comprehensive statistical analysis in the future, upon the discovery of new Hunnic burials, and will help clarify the micro-evolutionary processes associated with Hunnic migrations and their interaction with local populations.

Acknowledgements. The study was conducted under the state assignment of Lomonosov Moscow State University

Introduction. Skeletal assemblages from securely dated, closed archaeological contexts are an invaluable resource for bioarchaeological reconstructions of health and lifestyle in past populations. Objective: To conduct a comprehensive paleopathological analysis of the skeletal collection from the Vologda necropolis (second half of the 15th – first half of the 16th centuries).

Materials and Methods. The skeletal material originates from a necropolis excavated in 2022 at 12 Leningradskaya St., Vologda. The excavation area of 166 m² revealed 121 burials dating to the 2nd half of the 15th – 1st half of the 16th centuries. The paleopathological analysis of the adult sample (N=44) was performed using standard macroscopic and radiographic methods; Fisher's exact test was employed for inter-group frequency comparisons.

Results. Pronounced sex-related differences in the patterns of pathology were identified. The male sample exhibits a high prevalence of traumatic injuries (67.9%), with rib fractures being the most common type (42.9%). In the female sample, trauma prevalence is lower (33.3%) and lesions are confined to the distal limb elements. Among degenerative diseases, a notably high prevalence of Schmorl's nodes were found in the female sample (80.0%). A non-significant trend towards a higher prevalence of dental caries was observed in the female sample (55.6%) compared to the male sample (29.2%). Isolated cases of severe infectious and systemic diseases were also recorded in both groups.

Discussion. The trauma profile in males suggests a high level of involvement in interpersonal conflict. Patterns of degenerative changes in the spine suggest a sex-based division of labor. The high prevalence of Schmorl's nodes in females is a striking feature, as its etiology is complex and may relate not only to activity but also to constitutional and genetic factors. Conversely, males exhibit only a non-significant trend towards more pronounced arthrosis and spondylarthrosis, possibly related to physical stress.

Conclusion. The analysis of this well-contextualized skeletal assemblage from Vologda has enabled a detailed reconstruction of the health profile of an urban population during its emergence as a significant military and administrative center.

Acknowledgements. This study was carried out as part of the research project of the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, “The Ancient and Medieval Population of the European Part of Russia in the Context of Cultural Development and Genetic Dynamics” (State Registration No. 124050700063-0).

Introduction. The population of the city of Astrakhan has been formed from quite heterogeneous groups from the very moment of its founding in 1558, both anthropologically and confessionally. Anthropological studies of the region are very important for understanding the migration processes that contributed to the formation of the city.

Materials and Methods. The material studied was discovered in the territory of the Blagoveshchensky Women's Monastery during the work of the archaeological expedition in 2022. The analyzed sample represents a Europoid population from excavations at the Blagoveshchensky Monastery (9 male skulls, 7 female). A standard craniological study was conducted on both the male and female parts of the sample. Canonical analysis was applied. Contour and graphic portraits-reconstructions were created for four male and two female skulls using M.M. Gerasimov's method.

Results and discussion. The craniological study revealed some increased variability in a number of traits, indicating the heterogeneity of the group. The male series is characterized by brachycephaly. The faces are wide at the level of the forehead, cheekbones, and lower jaw. The female sample shows mesocephaly, and like that of the males, has large facial breadth measurements. The male sample from the territory of the Blagoveshchensky Monastery in Astrakhan was found at the center of the graph surrounded by series from necropolises near monasteries in the Upper Volga region.

Conclusion. The studied sample is characterized by average craniological parameter values typical for late medieval Eastern European populations. The gallery of portraits presented in the article demonstrates the range of variability in the appearance of late medieval populations in Astrakhan. Based on the conducted craniological analysis and completed reconstructions of appearance, we can conclude that the studied group is somewhat heterogeneous within the Europoid race and can be classified as a Central European variant.

Funding. The study was carried out within the framework of the Russian Science Foundation and Belorussian Republican Foundation for fundamental research grant № 23-48-10011 «Bioarchaeological reconstruction of the lifestyle and physical characteristics of the medieval population of Belarus and the European part of Russia».