Abstract
Religious rituals, funerary customs, and monuments of ancient peoples provide valuable insight into their daily life, economy, and spiritual culture. Archaeological evidence shows they performed rituals, practiced various cults, and used talismans made from materials such as morion, turquoise, and agate (sheva) dating back to the Paleolithic period. According to belief, negative thoughts leave the body through the eyes, the so-called evil eye. It was thought that objects resembling an eye, which have survived to the present day, protect against evil thoughts and the harmful effects of the evil eye.
This article focuses on archaeological finds from the Hynalyq site in the Guba district, with particular attention to ornaments and amulets featuring “eye bead” elements. Based on the analysis of burial complexes discovered in stone boxes and kurgans, the study examines features of material culture, funerary practices, and elements of interregional exchange. The findings reflect well-developed cultural contacts and highlight the strategic importance of Hynalyq as a mountain pass connecting different parts of the Caucasus. The burial complexes are dated to the 5th–8th centuries CE, demonstrating the stability of local cultural traditions and the influence of Caucasian and Dagestani cultures.
01 Introduction
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