The paper raises the question of the reconstruction of the social structure of the Early Scythian population of the forest-steppe area of the Dnieperland. In the course of analysis, it was established that the most important elements of funeral rites among the population related to this group, as well as based on ancient writers, are the size and the complexity of burial and mound construction, and the diversity of grave goods. The classifi cation of 197 burial complexes carried out in relation to the above-mentioned features, with the use of statistical inference methods, has led to separation of seven classes of graves, which may be combined within different social classes. The higher and the lower aristocracy, the ordinary population with the distinguishing class of warriors and the poorest population are numbered to these classes. The lowest place in the social hierarchy was represented by the people buried in the graves of representatives of upper classes.
The article discusses the issue regarding the reconstruction of social structure of the early Scythian populations from the forest-steppe area of the Dnieper river, in the period between the second half of 6th–4th/3rd century BC, on the basis of funeral materials. As a result of the analysis of the most important elements of burial rites implemented by the discussed population groups, and based on records of ancient authors (The Histories by Herodotus), it has been established that the most valuable sources are the size and complexity of the funerary structure and covering embankment as well as quantitative and qualitative diversity of included inventory. The classification developed on the basis of 198 burials, by means of statistical inference methods, has led to the separation of several classes of graves that can be combined with different social strata. These layers included nomadic higher spheres (leaders of local communities, leaders of “military teams” and tribal aristocracy) and elites of local settled tribes, average members of the population divided into its wealthy representatives and the so-called “simple Scythians” and lower layers of (“the poor”) and people with limited rights (domestic slaves?).
The article presents the results of the trial excavations carried out in 2016 at the fortified settlement in Chotyniec, Jarosław district. It is an object which has been known and mentioned in archaeological literature for a long, but without its precise chronological affiliation, due to the lack of excavations. However, it was most often combined with the Middle Ages. The conducted research requires significant adjustments. All the sources and contextual records allow us to link this large fortified settlement in Chotyniec with the Early Iron Age and the forest steppe variant of the Scythian cultural circle. This unique site will be researched in the next excavation seasons.
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