[MR] History Blog: Unusual 11th c. Burials in Ukraine

[Garth Groff and Sally Sanford]

Noble Friends,

Yesterday's History Blog reported on a cemetery excavation near Kyiv,
Ukraine. The 107 burials date to the 11th century, but rich grave goods,
traces of funary meals, and orientation of the bodies hint at pagan
practices.

Several of the female skeletons were found wearing bronze neck rings. A
photo with the text shows a body with ten of these rings, hopefully more
than they might have worn at once when alive. Many of the male burials
included various weapons.

The region around Kyiv was supposedly Christianized by the late 10th
century, and pagan burial practices were outlawed by the Christian dukes of
Kyiv. The cemetery suggests that pre-Christian burial practices continued
for some time, or that the cemetery was used by settlers from still-pagan
Baltic regions.

The History Blog story is at https://www.thehistoryblog.com/archives/69298 .

Yours Aye,


Mungo Napier, Laird of Mallard Lodge  🦆
Continuing a crusade to keep Merry Rose relevant and in business.