Eneolithic Bronze Age mound near the village of Katerynivka in the Middle Prisamarye

Abstract

The purpose is to analyse the materials of the mound near Katerynivka in the Petropavlivsky raiion of the Dnipropetrovska oblast studied by the expedition of the Oles Honchar Dnipro National University in 2016. Research methods: descriptive, typological, chronological, comparative historical. Main results. The mound construction and 13 burial complexes of the Eneolithic – Bronze Age are analyzed. At the time of the excavations, the mound located on the edge of the high root cape of the Samara River was significantly damaged due to anthropogenic activity. There are difficult ritual actions in the main Eneolithic burial № 9. The tomb has stone mortgage and cromlech with diameter on the Nord-South direction equal 5.2 m. The skeleton of an adult is stretched out on his back, head to the South. The chalk sprinkling is fixed on the bottom. The miniature molded pot from the main Eneolithic tomb № 9 belongs to ceramics of the Zhyvotylivsky culture type. Tombs no. 2–8, 10, 13 belong to Yamna culture. Rectangular tombs are made with the use of wood in the floor. Plant litter and ocher is found in the bottom of the graves. The skeletons are bent at the back, oriented in the western semicircle (two cenotaphs). Two tombs are without skeletons. Concomitant equipment includes an egg-shaped pot and a flint chip. For some of the burials, backfilling was carried out mainly in the southern direction (to the edge of the cape), which necessitated the strengthening of the embankment in the form of a stone lining up to 3.5 m wide with small stones in this direction. Tomb no. 12 belong to the Catacomb culture. It is located in a tomb with a round entrance well and an oval chamber attached to it. The skeleton of a young man or a young woman lay twisted on the right side, head to the northeast. The remains of a lamellar bronze bracelet are on the ankle of the right leg. Log burials (no. 1, 11) are represented by skeletons bent on the right side in the northeast and northwest orientation. The ceramic is represented poorly. Conclusions. The ancient mound was built in the Eneolithic period. Other constructions represent different periods of the Bronze Age. Practical meaning: the published materials can be used in generalizing research of the problems of archeology of the Eneolithic – Bronze Age of Ukraine. Scientific novelty: cultural and chronological features of the mound near Katerynivka in the Petropavlivsky raiion in the Dnipropetrovska oblast are determined. Type of article: analytical.