Abstract: The subject of the study is the determination of average morphotype of the Sarmatian population (II-IV centuries) that resided in the Lower Volga region. Anthropological characteristic of the population is provided. The history of studying the craniology, demography and pathologies of the late Sarmatian population is considered. The main theories of the origin of the craniological types of the population are singled out, the demographic ratio of the population, the level of survival is determined, and the main diseases associated with this population are identified. The article is first to publish the data on the osteometric measurement of the postcranial skeletons of the Sarmatian population (II-IVc.) who resided in the Lower Volga region. The research applies the classical method of osteometric examination in accordance with the generally accepted program developed by V. P. Alekseev using the osteological blank. The reconstruction of the body length was performed through the arithmetic mean values of the shinbone. The study introduces into the scientific discourse the osteometric data, which complement the anthropological picture of the study, as well as provide information about the physical type of population. The formulas of K. Pearson and A. Lee, and V. V. Bunak were applied for calculating the height of the groups under the research. The result of the study consists in creation of an average morphological type of the Late Sarmatian population living in the Lower Volga region.

Abstract: Physical appearance of the population of the Golden Horde resulted from interbreeding of representatives of two big races, i.e. the Mongoloid and the Caucasoid. The presence of the Mongoloid component is to some extent manifested in the appearance of inhabitants of all the Golden Horde towns. Nevertheless, it is the Caucasoid features that prevailed in urban population. One of such places was Vodyanskoe settlement. This article presents the history of the antropological study of Vodyanskoe settlement during the Golden Horde period. The article includes craniological study of the Golden Horde population. The author provides a detailed description of the osteometrical series, conducts analysis of osteometrical material, as well as determines the anthropological type, which dwells on this land. The author’s main contribution consists in carrying out the osteometric research and introduction into the scientific circulation of the data about physical type of the Golden Horde population. Based on the craniological and osteological facts, the author was able to give almost precise description of appearance of the urban population of the Christian part of necropolis of the Vodyansky settlement.

Abstract: The article focuses on the history of studying the anthropological material found on the territory of the Lower Volga region dating to the time of the Golden Horde. The historiography regarding the examination of the anthropological material collected on the territory of the Lower Volga is relatively scarce andfragmented. Unfortunately, none of the modern works on this subject are dedicated to the compilation of all the anthropological works, whose published conclusions concern the whole period of study of the Golden Horde. This article summarises and systematises various paleoanthropological works. In this study the systematic method of processing data was applied, which works with the method of logically analysing source material. This article reviews the history of study of yet another important source of anthropological material. The anthropological material from the towns of the Golden Horde in the Lower Volga region has been studied from the 1920s–1930s and is still studied today. From the whole body of examined material, the author comes to the conclusion that the population of the Golden Horde was not homogenous in its racial composition, but combined Mongoloid and Caucasian traits. The main population component was Caucasian-Mongoloid mestizos, with varying proportions of Caucasian and Mongoloid miscegenation, which has been identified as a local substrate. Along with the local component of the substrate on the territory of the Lower Volga region, there was also a component of alien population, which can be identified as Khorezm, Central Asian, and Russian. The Mongols in a relatively short period of time almost completely dissolved into the conquered tribes. Wherein two methods of miscegenation can be identified: mechanical and biological.