Catacomb incense burners of kurgans 1 and 4 of Kounakovsky-2 (on the example of Andropovskiy District, Stavropol Region)

The author considers the data of Suvorov catacomb culture burials with incense burners, found in kurgans Kounakovsky-2, explored by the expedition of the «Nasledie» in Stavropol Region in 2005. The artefacts from burials of two kurgans (1 and 4) illustrate the typological variety of the catacomb ritual bowls. In addition these kurgans demonstrate good stratigraphy of burials that allows seeing the incense burner’s evolution. Such evolution has been already created on data of Vostochnomanych catacomb culture, when early and late types were identified. Suvorov catacomb culture’s incense burners of type I, II, VI, X are found in kurgans Kounakovsky-2, one item belongs to the early catacomb period. Stratigraphic data of kurgan 1 indicates almost synchronic construction of the burials, as evidenced by the finds of typologically close incense burners. Kurgan 4 was built at least in four steps, which are illustrated by ritual bowls of early (I, II) and late (VI, X) stages. As a result the authors of the paper justify that Suvorov catacomb culture may be divided in two periods of development, marked by different types of incense burners.