To the question of functional and sakred purpose of pendants with serrated edge

Abstract

Pendants with serrated edge are known already in Upper Paleolithic. On the territory of the former USSR from the Baltic to Yakutia on 46 archeological sites about 140 pendants with serrated edge were found. On the half of sites they are presented sporadically, on the rest there are from two to five pendants.Chronologically the pendants are distributed as follows: in Paleolithic and Mesolithic they are 2,1 and 2,9%, in Neolithic their number increases to 25,2%, and in Eneolithic reaches up to 66,9%. In Bronze Age the number of pendants with serrated edge drops to 2,9%.Most pendants were found out in burial sites — in 19 burial grounds discovered 90 pendants with serrated edge (64,8%). In ten cultic sites found 33 pendants with prongs (16,5%). And from 17 sites and settlements 26 pendants (18,7%) are origin. Total 81,3% pendants with serrated edge are connected with cultic sites.If we analyze accompanying the pendants with serrated edge funeral equipment it becomes clear that these complexes did not belong to ordinary members of society, but to persons with high social status. Such persons could be leaders and shamans. Because of prongs on products enhanced their protective properties, we can assume that pendants with serrated edge in burials should have blocked communication of the deceased with the outside word.