EARLY MEDIEVAL MATERIAL FROM THE SITE 6 ON MOKHNACH HILLFORT (based on the rescue investigations)

Abstract

The Early Medieval material that occurred during the rescue excavation on the site 6 on Mokhnach hillfort is analyzed in the paper. The site is located in the eponymous village of Slobidska gromada in Chuhuiv region; it occupies one of the capes on Siverskij Donets right bank (fig. 1). The cultural layer of the Early Middle Age (fig. 2) left by the population of the Romny culture in the mid-10th — early 11th centuries was researched (fig. 3). The remains of the defensive structures, remnants of two household complexes and numerous artifacts of the mentioned historical and archaeological period have been discovered there (fig. 4). A significant part of the site is damaged by the cemetery of the 17th—19th centuries (fig. 6) which in a certain way complicated the excavation.
 The fortifications under research were the remains of a ground rampart and a wide but shallow moat in front of it that was damaged by a trench in World War 2. One of the household complexes («A») was the remains of a trash pit, while another one («Б») was the remains of a small household building that turned into a pit for domestic waste over time (fig. 5).
 The discovered artifacts are mainly the fragments of pottery (fig. 7; 8). The Romny culture ceramics are presented by the fragments of handmade vessels; beside sand, small and average fireclay pieces were widely used in its composition. These are the fragments of cooking pots. However, there are also separate remnants of frying pans and remains of the furnace. The ornamentation is traditional: a serrated stamp or a wooden stick with a wrapped rope was made on the shoulder of a vessel. Also, it could be non cross-cutting deepenings made by an end face of a stick. The top edge was decorated by similar prints of serrated stamp, inclined lines or by a finger. The Saltiv culture ceramics differ in top quality of pottery clay and great firing. Tare cookware is presented by amphorae fragments, kitchenware — by pieces of pots with traditional horizontally drawn lines. Tableware (remnants of jugs, mugs and hydrias) is more extensively decorated with flutes and various polished ornaments.
 Obtained materials indicate the coexistence of the Slavs-Siverians sites (the Romny archeological culture) and the ones of the population represented cultural and technological traditions of the Khazar Khaganate (the Saltiv cultural and historical community). This is confirmed by the analysis of the findings of our predecessors (fig. 9).