Burial complex of equestrian class representatives from the northwestern Khazaria

The authors analyze the plentiful material complex that was discovered at the cremation burial ground in the vicinity of the Staraia Pokrovka village of Chuhuiv District in Kharkiv oblast. On account of the absence of any bone remains this complex doesn’t belong to burial sites. However, it is connected with the Saltovo people’s burial ritualism in the forest-steppe zone of the Khazar Khaganate. On the basis of multiple analogies of considered artifacts from Saltovo-Mayaki sites, this material complex can be dated to the second half of 8th – early 9th centuries.The presence of military items, equestrian equipment and nomad living items allows to refer it to the burial complexes of the equestrian warrior class representatives. There are the second fibula, two cosmetic kits (“ostensories”), tweezers with chain and mirror with graffiti, which point to the fact that part of things refer to women's dressing. A bronze ring found in the complex probably belonged to a woman, as well. Two sets of things appertained to two heterosexual individuals. These findings show that complex under study apparently accompanied the pair burial.