VITA ANTIQUA ISSN: 2522-9419 (Online), ISSN: 2519-4542 (Print)

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 69-80
Stages of research of Mezhyrich site
Dudnyk D.V.¹
¹- Department of Archaeology and Museology, Historical Faculty, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-69-80
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-69-80

ABSTRACT

The article deals with the actual problems of research stages of the Mezhyrich Upper Palaeolithic site. There are four stages of research. The first stage is an exploration of I. Pidoplichko (1966-1974), the second is research made by M. Gladkykh (1976-1989), N. Korniets (1989-2002) is the third and the research of D. Nuzhnyi, S. Péan and P. Shydlovskyi is the fourth stage (since 2003). All of these stages have the different specific of research, advantages and disadvantages. The first excavation of the Mezhyrich site occurred half a century ago, in 1966. During this period, researchers focused on dwellings mainly. It gave good opportunity to explore the Palaeolithic architecture. However, consequently, area around dwellings had remained unexplored until 1970th. I. Pidoplichko didn`t leave scientific reports. M.  Gladkykh has explored the fourth dwelling and household complexes around all dwellings of the site, architecture of the fourth dwelling and lithic industry. He left many reports, but they still not published. N. Korniets worked on the site according to the archeological methodology. She left reports of excavation. In addition, were used new research methods that gave an opportunity for better material fixing. The research has also focused on biological aspects. Nowadays scientists continue researching the site. Every year more and more specialists are interested in researching and publishing the results of excavations. The Mezhyrich site attracts scientists and students from Ukraine and abroad such as the USA, France, Switzerland etc. Modern stage has many publications made by D. Nuzhnyi, P. Shydlovskyi, S. Pean etc. Excavations conducted by Ukrainian scientists such as I.  Pidoplichko, M.  Gladkyh, N.  Korniets, D.  Nuzhnyi, P. Shydlovskyi with participation of foreign colleagues from the USA, Russia, France and Belgium. Joint expedition with researches of various scientific directions allows to apply research methods, which improve the expansion of knowledge about the site, its flora and fauna, lithic industry of mammoth hunters, historical and architectural reconstruction. The results of research gave a possibility to describe the climatic conditions of the Late Pleistocene 15 000 years ago. Special exploration helped to determine the absolute dating of the site, set the type of settlement, explore the technique of making tools and define it as the epigravettian. The problem of conservation of the fourth dwelling is still relevant.

Key words: Upper Palaeolithic, mammoth hunters, Epigravettian, Mezhyrich site, Eastern Europe

Language: Ukrainian

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