The collective burials of the Kish-Dokhun necropolis

This article examines the characteristics of burial practices at the Kish-Dokhun site, located in the northwestern region of the Republic of Azerbaijan, based on the collective graves and ritual areas discovered during archaeological investigations conducted in 2020. The research of two graves revealed that they featured multiple interments. The study suggests that the collective nature of these burials was not a result of mass death events, but rather related to specific religious and ritual traditions. One three-tiered collective grave and another with repeated collective interments alongside an extended skeleton show parallels with certain Sarmatian and late Scythian burials. Due to their complex structure, these graves are considered unique within the region. The presence of ritual areas indicates that the observed burial practices were not limited to the physical act of interment but also carried social and religious significance. The collective and repeated burials recorded at the necropolis, along with the associated grave goods, were compared to Sarmatian and Alan burials at the Klin-Yar III necropolis near Kislovodsk, Sarmatian burials in the North Caucasus (Dagestan–Garabudaghkend), and those in the Aral Sea region of Kazakhstan, revealing significant parallels. At the same time, local burial customs and artifacts were also observed – such as secondary burials in jars, local ceramics, and other features. These analogies suggest that the Kish-Dokhun necropolis was located at a cultural crossroads, where burial traditions evolved through localized modifications influenced by various cultural interactions. The research concludes that the collective graves at Kish-Dokhun are not merely rare archaeological finds, but also manifestations of widespread and ritualized burial traditions in the region. They exhibit similarities with Sarmatian, late Scythian, and Alan burial forms, while also demonstrating local architectural and ritual particularities.