Symbolism of burials with impact weapons among the populations of the Caucasian spas group and burials with stone axe near the village of Galyugaevskaya(the middle bronze age and the early late bronze period)

The paper analyzes finds of impact weapons (a stone mace head and stone axesof the Kabarda-Pyatigorye type) in 13 assemblages of the Caucasian Spas group. It emphasizesthat impact weapons were found in the graves of males of the virile age. The burials withaxes in the kurgans can be primary and secondary. Assemblages of implements containingstone axes are analyzed separately. Most frequently they are accompanied by grindstones/pestles. As G. F. Korobkova has observed, they were used as small anvils. The paper concludesthat symbolism of the burials containing stone taxes of the Caucasian Spas group indicatesthe military status and demonstrate that this symbolism is associated with symbolism of skilledmetalsmiths.