About Individual Types of Cherniakhiv Culture Clay Cups

Abstract

The publication deals with the problem of interpreting miniature vessels, in particular of round-shaped body and biconical forms, such as drinking vessels in a ceramic set of Cherniakhiv culture. Doubts about their belonging to the cups are based on their similarity with cooking and tableware. Generally, miniature vessels are deffined as “childish” or ritual ceramics. To eliminate such confusion, we propose the resolution of this issue. Based on the material from the 94 burial grounds of the Cherniakhiv culture, the two most characteristic locations for the placement of “standardized” types of a clay cup in inhumation with respect to the skeleton and the rest of the ceramic service were identified. Allocation of these signs for types I, II, III and IV, as well as a detailed description of types V and VI, made it possible to determine 73 vessels of round-shaped body and biconical forms, like a cup.