A New Burial Find of a Polovtsian Stone Statue in the Stavropol Region (from the second half of thirteenth to fourteenth century)

Research objectives: To introduce a new discovery of Turkic stone statue that was deliberately (?) buried in the mound, authors seek to substantiate reasons for this unusual approach sculpture. Drawing on well-known and close analogies situation under analysis, article link such processes with some innovative phenomena within Golden Horde. materials: The into scholarly circulation completely archaeological materials found during research October November 2020. novelty research: consideration their historical cultural attributes have never been published or discussed previously, except volume mandatory complete scientific report excavations (the text descriptions, photos, illustrations), which has submitted archive Institute Archeology RAS eternal storage accordance established procedure. results: describe as according Polovtsian funeral rite compare description similar from Don region. A.O. Dobrolyubsky (Odessa) connects massive change traditional orientations late nomads’ burials time Horde when former pre-Mongol rites began lose meaning acquire meanings. Such innovations were made possible appearance generations (1260–1270s). Subsequently, population formed syncretic culture influence ideological influences gradually replaced old beliefs and, among other things, led rejection veneration statues. accelerated by process Islamization nomadic All spread ritual burial statues an obsolete semantic image.