The Late Mesolithic juveniles of Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov, Russia: New insights from mortuary data

Juveniles remain a largely underexplored socio-biological category in Mesolithic mortuary research, despite their potential to shed light on social values and community dynamics. The burial site at Yuzhniy Oleniy Ostrov (YOO), Karelia, Russia, the largest known Mesolithic burial site in Northeastern Europe, provides a unique opportunity to explore the mortuary treatment of children and adolescents. This study uses osteoarchaeological methods in addition to enamel peptide analysis for the determination of biological sex to investigate how juveniles were perceived at different life stages and the role that biological sex may have played in these perceptions. The results suggest that burial practices at YOO were selective, likely being influenced by age and sex. Grave goods exhibit significant variation by sex and age, with juvenile males more frequently interred with tools and a greater diversity of items, particularly during adolescence. These patterns may reflect social recognition of male identity, while also hinting at the possibility that some juveniles were viewed as ‘potential adults’ or held symbolic roles. However, the diversity of practices and the absence of clear demarcations between childhood and adulthood caution against overly simplistic interpretations. Ultimately, inclusion in the burial ground may have been more contingent on ancestry or social affiliation than on age or sex alone.