Archaeology, Ethnology & Anthropology of Eurasia 40 (1) 2012

Annotation:  Bairaki – a Lower Paleolithic Site on the Lower Dniester The Denticulate Mousterian as a Supposedly Distinct Facies in Western Central Asia Non-utilitarian Lithic Objects from the European Paleolithic Decorated Birch-Bark Artifacts from Section VI of the Gorbunovsky Peat-Bog An Alakul Funeral and Ritual Site in the Eastern Orenburg Region Medieval Amulet Illustrating the Divine Horseman Myth, Rozhdestveno, Perm Territory Face Images in Lower Angara Rock Art Boats in the Rock Art of Kanozero and Northern Europe New Data on Bronze Age Jewelry in the Southeastern Urals The Old Russian Male Funerary Attire (Based on Finds from the 10th–11th Century Burial Mounds at Goc Investigation of Wooden Burial Structures in the Process of Archaeological Excavations A Contribution to the Study of the Eastern Links of the Bronze Age Culture of the Northern Middle Vo Secular Imagery in the Islamic Space of Medieval Zirikhgeran Stone Statue of Ailyan, Gorny Altai Jurchen Pendants of the Netsuke Type Elements of Religious Ritualism in Popular Medicine among the Izhma Komi of the Lower Ob Region Early Metal Age Crania from Bolshoy Oleniy Island, Barents Sea   

Investigation of Wooden Burial Structures in the Process of Archaeological Excavations

V.P. Mylnikov.

Archaeological objects of wood are just as an important and valuable historical source as pottery or artifacts of stone, metal, bone, fabric, etc. However, their study requires special conditions: due to their organic origin they rapidly decay after removal from the former environment. Examination of wooden objects is done in two stages: in the fi eld and in the laboratory. During the fi rst stage, the archaeologist can obtain maximal information only when he unconditionally observes a sequence of operations and conducts them rapidly and carefully. Large-sized wooden objects – burial structures and burial beds – are the most diffi cult for studying. Their examination is carried out throughout the whole process of excavating the archaeological site. The fi eld stage of examining the burial structure ends up with its rapid reconstruction at the excavation site – a sequential assembly for re-examining and obtaining new data on its structural features and layout.

Keywords: Archaeological objects of wood, burial structures, sequential examination in the process of excavations, rapid reconstruction.