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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 232-250
Paleopedological Studies of Bukivna Cemetery
Matviishyna Zh.M.¹, Lysenko S.D.², Parhomenko O.G.³
¹ Department of Paleogeography, Institute of Geography NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv
² Department of the Archaeology of Chalcolithic – Bronze Age, Institute of Archaeology NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv
³ Department of Geography, Taras Shevchenko Chernihiv National pedagogical University, Chernihiv

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-251-253
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-251-253

ABSTRACT

Burial mound cemetery in Bukivna is one of the basic sites of Komarov culture of the Tszciniec cultural circle. It locates on the high right bank of the Dniester River to the west and south from the village Bukivna, Tlymatsky district of Ivano-Frankivsk region. In the 30th years of the XIX century there were excavated 13 kurgans. The work was resumed in 2010-2013. In group №1 three kurgans were excavated and in group №2 one more was explored. Kurgan №1 from group №2 is the earliest among the studied. This mound might be dated by ending of the 3rd and beginning of the 2nd millennium BC for its ceramic complex and arrowhead. It is also synchronized with the group of post-catacomb cultures. Kurgans of group №1 for ceramic complex and non-ferrous metal products can be attributed to the early stage of Komarov culture and dated within the second quarter of the 2nd millennium BC. All kurgans are erected over the slight natural height that visually increases their size. The main part of the kurgans is composed of chunks of sod from the surface of the ancient soil. Rocked siltstone mass from subsoil blocks the top of this mound. Soils, on which the mounds were built, are identified as podzolic soils that develop under meadow vegetation in a warm-temperate climate with sufficient rainfall. In the Bronze Age, the natural areas in the Carpathian region were clearly shifted to the north, dominated by open spaces with lots beech and hornbeam forests.

Key words: Paleopedology, Bukivna Cemetery, Bronze Age, Komarov Culture, Eastern Europe

Language: Ukrainian

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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 222-231
Ecological Base of Trzciniec Cultural Circle
Lysenko S.D.¹
¹ Department of the Archaeology of Chalcolithic – Bronze Age, Institute of Archaeology NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-222-231
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-222-231

ABSTRACT

The Trzciniec cultural circle (TCC) is a group of related late Bronze Age archaeological cultures of Eastern Europe forest and forest-steppe zone. Covers an area of the basin of the Oder on the west to the basin of Dеsna on the east, from the Baltic States on the north, to the border of right-bank forest-steppe and steppe on the south. The area of TCC is divided on the Western (Baltic Sea basin) and Eastern (Black Sea basin) assemblages. To the west, assemblage concerns the Tszciniec culture, to the east concerns Komarov and Sosnitsa cultures. According to the system, connection between culture and surrounding landscape the forest and forest-steppe lines of development of TCC differs. The first is related to the lowland landscapes (Wielkopolsko-Kujawska lowland, Masovia, the Baltic States, Ukrainian, Belarussian and Briansk Polesye), the second – to highlands (Prykarpattya, Volhyn, Podolsk, Dnieper sublimities). The Sosnitsa culture matches the forest line of development, and the Komarov – the forest-steppe line of the eastern assemblage of TCC. On the verge of the 3rd and the 2nd millenniums B.C., the researchers of paleoclimate of South Russian steppes mark the maximum of subboreal aridization, that in the second quarter – middle of the 2nd millennium B.C. has changed with the subboreal climatic optimum: moistening, reduction of continentality of the climate. The complex paleogeographical studies (paleopedological, landscape, geophysical, archeozoological, paleobotanical, palynological, dendrochronological) of the Bronze – Early Iron Age sights on territory of North Ukraine and Belarus give an opportunity to confront the oscillation of climate in the eastern assemblage of TCC and their consequences with the climatic scale based on results of studies in other regions of Eastern Europe.

Key words: Ecological base, Tszciniec cultural circle, Bronze Age, paleoclimatology, Eastern Europe

Language: Ukrainian

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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 206-221
Indicators of «Imports» in Trypillian Culture (on materials of «hoards» of flint blades)
Pichkur Ye.V.¹
¹ Department “Archaeological Museum”, Institute of Archaeology NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-206-221
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-206-221

ABSTRACT

The article considers the unique for Trypillian culture category of finds – complexes of flint artifacts, mostly blades, interpreted in literature as “hoards”. History of investigation, archaeological context and technical-typological characteristics of artifacts are discussed. In addition, a few variants of interpretation is proposed through the point of view of important role they played in Trypillian society.

Key words: Trypillian culture, flint blades, lithic technology, Chalcolithic, Eastern Europe

Language: Russian

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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 194-205
Spatial Organization of the Stone Implements from Trypillian Settlement Ozheve-Ostriv
Radomsky I.S.¹
¹ Department of Archaeology and Museology, Historical Faculty, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-194-205
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-194-205

ABSTRACT

Investigation of Trypilia culture lasts for over 100 years. Many Trypillia settlements have been opening during this time. However, settlements-giants (Trypillia B II – C I) are the most studied by area and the number of objects. For results of detailed investigations it is determined the planning of settlements, оrientation structures, interiors of buildings etc. For spatial organization of ceramic materials in buildings Tomaszewkа local group, V.O. Shumova determined that some categories of dishes were stationary and they in certain degree could be attributed to the elements of interiors. Researchers often refer to spatial organization method. Nevertheless, spatial organization of stone materials concerning the “platforms” is rare (exception: E.V. Pichkur and P.S. Shydlovskyi by materials Pekari II). This is primarily due to the fact that flint materials on the settlements-giants are rather the exception than the typical categories of implements. However, this thesis does not apply to the early period of the existence of the culture. Spatial organization experience of stone materials was obtained during the research of the settlement Druce (Trypillia B I). During the excavations all stone tools were fixed in details with leveling. In this way A.V. Engovatova has determined in which part of the building there were production and household operations. Also according to the direction and location of arrowheads, the authors of investigations have shown that the settlement was attacked. The Ozheve-Ostriv settlement dates back to the late phase В І. At this time increased a number of the fortified settlements and weapons on many sites. The author aims to determine how the stone products were correlated in space. And also whether identical the use of internal space buildings on the settlement. The results are compared with the above noted settlement Druce.

Key words: Trypillian culture, settlement of Ozheve-Ostriv, spatial analysis, Chalcolithic, Eastern Europe

Language: Ukrainian

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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 180-193
Between the Sea and the Mountains. The strategy of economic activity of the Crimea Mountain population in Chalcolithіс
Telizhenko S.A.¹, Yanish Ye.Yu.²
¹ Institute of Archaeology NAS of Ukraine, Lutsk
² I. Shmalgauzen Institute of Zoology NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-180-193
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-180-193

ABSTRACT

In the Copper Age, at the territory of the Crimean Mountains, were two local and cultural related groups of sites – coastal and open, and secure (shelters and caves) types. Under natural conditions, the specified group developed their strategy of economic activity. The population of the first group was oriented towards animal husbandry, agriculture, and exploitation of marine resources. Also, at least one site (Laspi-I) was one of the specialized centers for the production of beads from organic materials (shells and shellfish valves, bones). The population of the second group engaged in cattle breeding and hunting. Considering the location of this group of sites within the river valleys – Kacha, Chorna, and Zuya, it is possible that people could engage in agriculture. The similarity of some elements of the material culture of the Copper Age sites of Crimean Mountains to the Late Neolithic settlements in the West Caucasus (Anaseuli-II) suggests the possibility of cultural contacts between the two regions.

Key words: prehistoric archaeology, paleoeconomy, Crimea Mountain, Chalcolithic, Copper Age

Language: Ukrainian

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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 171-179
The Natural Environment and Cultural Adaptation of the Prehistoric Population of Dnieper Nadporizhzhya in the Late Mesolithic – Early Neolithic
Demchenko О.V.¹
¹ Department of archeology and ethnology of Ukraine, Faculty of History, I.Mechnikov Odessa National University, Odessa

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-171-179
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-171-179

ABSTRACT

“Dnieper Nadporizhzhia” (Dnieper Rapids Region) is a specific region located between the Middle and Lower streams of the Dnieper, between the modern cities of Dnepropetrovsk and Zaporozhye. In terms of addressing the issue of the relationship between environment and human activity, this region is extremely promising. For this site during the late Mesolithic – Neolithic is characterized by a peculiar adaptive model of fishermen-hunters-gatherers, which was due to specific geographical conditions and resource potential of the region. Using paleoecology approach to the study of archaeological sites we will reconstruct the way of life, characteristics of living space and the specifics of human behavior in specific landscape and climatic conditions of the Dnieper Rapids Region. This approach makes it possible to explain the causal of the population adaptive strategy that preserves appropriating type of economy within the boundaries of a small ecological niche for a long period at relative sedentariness. The success of the adaptive strategy of the population was concluded in well-planned economic calendar, which corresponded to the opportunities resource base, the annual climatic fluctuations with respect to the natural fauna and flora biorhythms. All of this imposed places and principles of settlements formation (island, coastal, basic winter, summer, season, etc.), changing economic and domestic dominance over the year (fishery, gathering, and catching riverine game), instruments and domestic implements specialization, worldview formation, etc.

Key words: Prehistoric Archaeology, Early Neolithic, Late Mesolithic, Dnieper Nadporizhzhia, cultural adaptation

Language: Ukrainian

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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 152-170
The Development of Neolithic Cultures on the Territory of Ukraine: overcoming determination of a certain type of landscape
Manko V.O.¹
¹ Department of the Crimean Archaeology, Institute of Archaeology NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-152-170
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-152-170

ABSTRACT

The analysis of the Mesolithic archaeological cultures shows us the tough correlation between a specific type of material culture and landscape. Thrre are archaeological cultures that are rigidly tied to the Mountain Crimea (Murzakkobien, Shpankobien), that are connected with steppe landscape (Zymivnykien) and forest zone (Pisochnorivian). The use of different kinds of landskapes has contributed, on the one hand, maximum adaptation of carriers of archaeological cultures to the environment, and the other – creating a closed society that demonstrated a complete lack of contact with neighbors who hold other landscape niches. Even within a single environment landscape contacts between different groups are absent. For example, carriers of Postswiderian and Postarengsburgian often occupied a same territory. Thus, there are no traces of enrichment industries. The landscape shaped not only the kind of economic system, but the original system of relationship to the world, when just being neighbors is not taken into account. Neolithic – the era of revolution, not only and not so much in the way of obtaining resources as in human relations. In the Neolithic creation of huge “cultural and historical region” (CHR) takes place, within which innovative technologies spread. This process made people, who previously just did not notice each other to interact. CHR establishment became the cause of large-scale migrations, during which certain groups preprogrammed on the use of certain types of landscapes, started distant migrations, which led to a radical change in migrants’ lifestyle. The decreasing of landscape role in providing of new economic strategies and consciousness revolution correlate, one does not exist without the other. Distribution of Neolithic lifestyle in Ukraine due to migration of peoples and diffusion of Kukrek-type, Grebenikitype and Tash-Ayir-type traditions. The migration of Kukrek-type population began long before they started their own development of reproduction type economy. If in the middle of Preboreal Kukrekian known only in the foothills of the Crimea, in early Boreal we see advancements of Kukrek population on a frontier of steppe and forest-steppe zones (Dobrianka 1, 2, 3). In Atlantykum the promotion of Kukrek-type population to the forest-steppe (Donetsk culture at Seversky Donets) takes place, and then to the forest zone (Lazarivka, Krushnyky and others). So Kukrek population at the beginning of VI millennium BC mastered all types of landscapes of Ukraine, became the basis for the formation of the DnieperDonets cultural historical region. Grebenyki-type population (carriers of Grebenyki and Matviiv Kurgan Cultures) appearing in the steppe zone in Early Atlantykum, remained for some time in its niche in steppe landscape. However, in the second quarter of VII millennium BC promotion of Matviiv Kurgan population to the forest-steppe takes place (Tuba 5), in the end of VII - beginning of VI millennium BC process of moving people to the north became global. By this time the early Bug-Dniester sites and Starobelsk-type complexes in eastern Ukraine appeared. By the end of VI millennium BC Grebenyki-type population reaches the boundary of the forest and steppe zones (Romankiv 1). Tash-Ayir culture originating from the mountain area of Crimea. But in the early VI millennium BC we observe a splash of Tash-Ayir-type population in the steppe zone, which led to the appearance of Azov-Dnieper Culture. In quarters 2-3 VI millennium BC we see the migration of Azov-Dnieper population to the Southern Bug (Gard). At the end of VI millennium BC we see Tash-Ayir-type population on the frontier of the forest zone (Nikolskay Slobidka). Thus, the development of Ukrainian Neolithic associated with overcoming the landscape limitations by certain carriers of archaeological cultures. The process of overcoming such limitations programmed the appearance of CHR in Eastern Europe, in which Neolithic lifestyle developed.

Key words: Neolithic culture, Neolithic, Landscape Archaeology, Mesolithic, Eastern Europe

Language: Ukrainian

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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 144-150
Final Upper Palaeolithic Assamblages from South Caucasus (Dzudzuana Cave)
Chkhatarashvili G.¹
¹ Department of Stone Age, Batumi Archaeological Museum; Batumi Shota Rustaveli State University, Batumi (Georgia)

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-144-150
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-144-150

ABSTRACT

In this paper we present Final upper Palaeolithic assemblages from South Caucasus (Dzudzuana Cave) . Dzudzuana cave site, in the Imereti region (Chiatura municipality), is situated on the right bank of the Nekrissi river, a tributary of the Kvirila river, which drains most of Wcstern Georgia. The cave is a large, elongated hall, emerging as a tunnel from which a small creek flows. The wide opening of the cave (22 meters) and high ceiling (ca. 15 m). Excavations in Dzdudzuana cave have been conducted in two campaigns. The first in 1966–1975, was directed by D. Tushabramishvili. There was discovered two layers: the Eneolithic and the Upper Palaeolithic deposits. A second campaign took place in 1996–2008 (head of expedition T. Meshveliani). The basic units of excavation were 50 mm thick quadrants of 0.5×0.5m, within a 1×1m grid. The excavated deposits were wet-sieved, dried and later handpicked in order to retrieve the smallest archaeological components (lithics, bones, etc.). Final upper Paleolithic period (B layer) in Dzudzuana cave dates back between 16.5-13.2 Ka cal BP. This layer comprises an assemblage characterised by the presence of microgravettes and backed and retouched bladelets. The local character of these assemblages is marked by the consistently high percentages of endscrapers, which always outnumber the burins, through all the archaeological occupations on site. There are elongated blades, c. 80 mm long, but most of the debitage comprises flakes, small blades, bladelets and debris. There are no obsidian cores and only c. 50 debitage artefacts. Dzudzuana cave rich in faunal remains too. As we can see, Bison (Bison priscus), aurochs (Bos primogenius) and Caucasian tur (Capra caucasica) are the most common taxa in all occupation levels. Other ungulate species are represented in small frequencies and include primarily red deer (Cervus elaphus). The palynological spectra (five samples) from Unit B demonstrate a major change from bottom to the top. The lower part is characterised by large amounts of rhododendron (Rhododendron caucasica) pollen and other highland elements that suggest the presence of an alpine belt in the vicinity of the cave. Although, during the course of pollen analysis (by palynologist E. Kvavadze) numerous non-pollen polymorphs were discovered. Among these were unique finds of wild flax fibres, including spun and dyed ones. Fibres were recovered from all archaeological layers, but in B layers which is interesting for us, it was 48.

Key words: Upper Palaeolithic, Final Palaeolithic, South Caucasus, Dzudzuana Cave, lithic assemblage

Language: English

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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 139-143
Reconstruction of Paleoclimatic Life Conditions of Ancient Population at the Site near Kamyanka Village in the Kharkiv Region
Snizhko I.A.¹
¹- Ukrainian State University of Railway Transport, Kharkiv

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-139-143
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-139-143

ABSTRACT

An important part of complex research of Upper Palaeolithic sites is environment reconstruction of ancient population. For this purpose, a method of pollen analysis has been successfully and long while used. It allows creating a local stratigraphical scheme of sediments and reconstructing flora and climate of archaeological object. Upper Palaeolithic site near Kamyanka village in the Izum district of the Kharkiv region has been researched since 2005. Excavated area counts 146 square meters, the collection of flint artifacts contains more than 7500 items. Cultural level extends vertically, it is defined by the level of artifacts expansion, and it does not have any specific coloring. Apart from flint artifacts, it contains small fragments of sienna, coal and animal bones. Planigraphic structure shows assemblage that corresponds to working places of flint processing. The set of tools is specific to site workshops that are situated near flint raw material exposure. With the method of microstratigraphy, it has been defined that level of cultural remains bedding is associated with pale-yellowish loess loam, which belongs to Upper Back Sea subhorizon. For the purpose of conducting pollen analysis 8 samples have been taken, two of which come from cultural level. The composition of sporo-pollen spectrum of these samples shows that during the period of the site functioning the researched area lied in the steppe zone with subperiglacial climate, which was much colder and drier than that of nowadays. Vegetational cover was thinner, poorer and more unvaried in composition. An ancient human site is situated in a river valley in immediate surrounding of wooden and mixed gramineous herbs.

Key words: paleoclimatology, Upper Palaeolithic, Kamyanka village site, Prehistoric Archaeology, lithic assemblage

Language: Ukrainian

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

VITA ANTIQUA 9, 2017, HUMAN & LANDSCAPE: Prehistoric Archaeology of Eastern Europe, 127-138
Landscape Changes in Kyiv Dnieper Region on the Border of Pleistocene – Holocene : archaeological evidence
Shydlovskyi P.S.¹, Lyzun O.M.¹
¹- Department of Archaeology and Museum Studies, Faculty of History, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv

DOI:10.37098/VA-2017-9-127-138
https://doi.org/10.37098/VA-2017-9-127-138

ABSTRACT

One of the most important issues in the study of ecological systems is to determine the nature of the changes that occurred during the transition from the Late Pleistocene to the Holocene. Paleoecological research involves the study of interaction between the three types of environments - physical, biotic and social in different chronological epochs. Detection of continuity or discontinuity of transitional periods is possible with involving the analysis of data of several related disciplines - in this case and prehistory archaeology and paleogeography. Geological data claims the presence in the Late Pleistocene of strong watercourse of Pra-Dnieper, which was filled with water from the edge of Scandinavian glacier and fed from the northern tributaries, through Zamhlay valley (Chernihiv region), partially through Desna valley, through widely developed Trubizh valley and formed a wide floodplain south to Kaniv dislocations in the place of confluence of Ros and Rosava rivers and the mouth of Tiasmyn (Pazynych, 2004; 2012). Paleontological and arheozoological data claim that the territory of the Middle Dnieper Region belongs to mammoth zone, in which mammoth played the role of the main component in a complex of herbivorous mammals and was the basic hunting object of palaeolithic groups. Sites with a prevalence of mammoth’s remains in the cultural layer, including such basic camps with dwellings, built using bones of these animals, like Mezhyrich, Dobranychivka, Hintsi, Mizyn, located quite tightly in the defined region, except large areas formed by Trubizh, Dnieper and Desna valleys. The majority of these sites belong to Gravettian - 27-19 thousand years BP and Epigravettian – 18-12 thousand years BP culture traditions. Some sites are located almost on the perimeter of the defined area – on the native shore of Kiev plateau and high terraces of Desna, Trubizh and Supii. This may indicate unfitness for habitation in the land between the Dnieper and Trubizh rivers, in Late Pleistocene, or the destruction of sites of this region by natural factors. The upper limit of mammoth-hunters culture falls on the 13 thousand years BP and is associated primarily with the disappearance of the main object of hunting. The sharp decrease of the sites on the territory of Kyiv Dnieper Region in the Final Paleolithic is recorded with the presence of only three sites with characteristic low trapeze and federmesser-type points (Velykyi Dyvlyn E, Velyka Buhayivka and Zhurivka) traditionally dated in frames 12–11 thousand BP. The occupation of the territory between Dnieper and Trubizh rivers was on the bound of Preboreal and Boreal, proof of which are Mesolithic sites: Zahai (Zymivnyky culture, 10100-9300 B.P.) and Vyhurivschyna (Kudlaivka culture, 9500-8300  B.P.) that genetically associated with different geographical regions of Eastern Europe. This coincides with the formation of meanders and oxbow of Desna River of a modern type that occurred 9.8-9.5 thousand years BP. The spread of the sites in Mesolithic was possible only after the formation of the modern Dnieper River valley, formed by the breakthrough of Poliske Lake, which was located in the modern basin of Prypiat river at the end of the Pleistocene. According to L. Zalizniak, this breakthrough happened in Rauniss, approx. 13.5 thousand years BP (Zalizniak, 2009, 28). Changing in regime of the river drain due to the retreat of the Scandinavian glacier has led to changes in the nature of river’s meanders and release of large masses of alluvial sand, floodplain formations of which were suitable for the accommodation of Mesolithic-Neolithic population.

Key words: Landscape Archaeology, Middle Dnieper, Final Palaeolithic, Mesolithic, Eastern Europe

Language: Ukrainian

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