Дистанционные и геофизические методы в изучении уникально сохранившегося ландшафта раннего железного века верховьев озера Донузлав в Крыму

Abstract

The article discusses the results of remote and geophysical studies, as well as selective excavations in the upper reaches of one of the largest and deepest lakes of Crimea — Donuzlav, which separate Tarhankut from the rest of the peninsula. Due to the unique landscape features, this region had important economic and communicative significance in all historical periods, especially in the early Iron Age: nomadic paths from the steppes to winter pastures and natural shelters of the Tarkhankut Peninsula extended to the sea and Chersonessian trade and military routes resembled here. To study the cultural landscape of Lake Donuzlav and its branched ravines system, a comprehensive technique was developed combining the methods of cartography, remote sensing, GIS, geophysics, ground-based automobile-foot archaeological explorations and selective excavations. With the help of detailed historical maps, the main routes and crossings of the autochthonous population of the early Iron Age and ancient Greek colonists were revealed. The presence of natural shelters (deep ravines and balkas, capes and cliffs) and the richness of natural resources of Donuzlav (the abundance of fresh water, fertile soil, building materials (stone, clay, wood, reeds), food (fish, shellfish, wildfowl), led to dense population in the early Iron Age. The use of archival aerial photographs of 1943 and 1971, as well as satellite photographs of 1966 in combination with modern high-resolution satellite imagery revealed at least two dozen of settlements of the Early Iron Age along the shores and in the ravine system of the upper reaches of Lake Donuzlav. Terrestrial archaeological explorations were accompanied by geophysical surveys (magnetic, electromagnetic surveys) of the most promising objects. Using magnetic maps of the identified settlements, locations for archaeological spotting were determined. Excavations at the sites selected based on the results of remote and geophysical studies have revealed typical structural features of houses and outbuildings of the local population of the early Iron Age. These features were determined by the presence of local natural building materials: dense building limestone of the Sarmatian geological layer, clay and reeds growing in the lower reaches of the ravines that flow into Donuzlav Lake. As a result of the study, it was concluded that the unique natural-historical landscape of the upper reaches of Lake Donuzlav is the key to adaptation methods, survival strategies, and economic models of the Early Iron Age population in Northwest Taurica.