The ritual complex of Kholyato-1 was situated at the Yuribei River mouth on the Yamal Peninsula. It was represented by an anthropomorphic fi gurine located in front of a semi-circle of arrowheads, and a concentration of reindeer bones and antlers. The ritual complex was placed over a burial. The site is dated to the turn of the 17th–18th centuries and has been interpreted as a warrior burial containing part of the body or as a cenotaph constructed for a warrior, possibly a chief, that was subsequently used as a ritual place. The ritual site was used for post-funeral ceremonies and then as an assembly place for the local home guard.
Keywords: Northwestern Siberia, Yamal-Nenets Autonomous District, Yamal Peninsula, Yuribei River, Samoyedic peoples, sanctuary, burial, military rituals.
