Половозрастная структура позднесарматского населения на территории Республики Калмыкия (по материалам археологических раскопок 1974–1982 гг.)

Introduction. The work delves into anthropological materials from Late Sarmatian burials housed at Kalmyk Scientific Center (RAS). It briefly characterizes a variety of Early Iron Age sites — and, in particular, Late Sarmatian burials — explored in the territory of Kalmykia. Goals. The study attempts an analysis of the age-sex structure inherent to Kalmykia’s Late Sarmatians, and shall introduce some newly obtained anthropological materials into scientific circulation. Methods. Traditional anthropological methods have been most instrumental in determining sex and age. The methodology for calculating key paleodemographic indicators have been borrowed from The Vlachs by T. Alekseeva, D. Bogatenkov, and G. Lebedinskaya. The demographic calculations involve published data on respective groups from neighboring regions — Volgograd and Rostov Oblasts. Results. The paper shows despite the three paleopopulations of the Late Sarmatian era are similar enough, which be manifested in a large number of deformed skulls, demographic imbalances associated with few children’s burials, prevalence of male individuals, etc. — each group is distinguished by certain peculiarities of its development.