Rusenikha Burial Ground: interdisciplinary approach to monument investigation

The article presents the results of excavations at Rusenikha burial ground of Mari culture dating back to the medieval period obtained as a result of bioarcheological research. The research conducted by the authors is based on the atomic-absorption photometry method. Study of mineral composition allowed to classify the burials of Rusenikha burial mound into 2 conventional groups. The bone tissue located in burials of the first group contain exceedingly high concentrations of zinc, copper, lead and manganese with low calcium content, and low to average strontium content. Bones feature average or low mineralization. Of special interest is an individual group of skeletons with high zinc and manganese content, and very low strontium content. The differences determined on the basis of studying the mineral composition of bone tissue have been confirmed by an analysis of archaeological material: planigraphy, funerary rite and item inventory.