Early Bronze Age Tumulus near the village of Kamentsi, Silistra Region, NE Bulgaria
Early Bronze Age Tumulus near the village of Kamentsi, Silistra Region, NE Bulgaria

Summary/Abstract: Results of rescue excavations conducted by the author in 2011 arepublished. Six burials were revealed. Each contained one inhumation (Fig. 2).Four of the skeletons were lying on the left or right side in hocker position(graves 1, 2, 5, 6; Figs. 4, 5, 6–6a, Fig. 7 respectively). The deceased from grave3 (Fig. 8) was laid on his back with his body arms stretched and bent and erectknees, leaning one another (probably tied). The skeleton in grave 4 (Fig. 9) wasdispersed by rodents. Grave 1 (Fig. 4) contained the remains of a 40–50-yearoldwoman; grave 2 (Fig. 5) – a 30–40-year-old person with an unidentifiedsex but more probably woman; grave 3 (Fig. 8) – a 20–25-year-old man; grave4 (Fig. 9) – a 11–14-year-old child; grave 5 (Figs. 6, 6a) – a 16–25-year-oldwoman; grave 6 (Fig. 7) – a 25–35-year-old man. The population that buriedtheir dead in the burial mound near the village of Kamentsi had good healthstatus. A dark red ocher was put under and on the deceased. Grave structurewas recognized only in graves 4 (Fig. 9) and 5 (Figs. 6, 6a) – rectangular burialpits with rounded corners and narrowed down walls. That of the grave 4 wascovered with oak planks. The pit of grave 5 was covered with plant sheet/fabric(a mat?) at the level of the then living surface. Burial gifts contained only twograves – flint artifacts: five in grave 2 (Figs. 5, 10) and two in grave 4 (Figs. 9,11). According to the burial rite, these graves can be dated to the beginning ofthe Early Bronze Age. Samples for С14 dating were taken from the skeletonin the central primary grave (#5; ossa longa), which specified the absolutechronology – between 3105 and 2912 cal BC (Fig. 14). The rest of the gravesshould be dated a bit later. All graves belong to the Pit-grave culture.

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