Handmade Pottery From the Late Archaic Complex of Viktorivka I

Abstract

In the article a ceramic complex from the ashpit and other structures of the Late Archaic period from Viktorivka I, located on the Right bank of the Berezan estuary, is presented. The handmade pottery from the complex is considered on the background of all the household ceramics of the monument. By means of a comprehensive study of handmade pottery fragments and comparing it with materials from the neighboring Archaic sites (Borysthenes, Velyka Chornomorka II, Beikush, etc.), the authors show the handmade pottery of Viktorivka I archaeological complex. Mass material from the Late Archaic layers of the settlement complexes and the sanctuary of Viktorivka I allows determining those quantitative indicators that are chronological indicators for the Borysthenes suburb settlements. Ashpit No. 1 is the main object of study at the trench “Г” of Viktorivka I sanctuary. Its stratigraphy suggests that it was filled unevenly. Most of the finds are in the upper ash layer, which is dated from the second half of the 6th century to the end of the first third of the 5th century BC. The classification of the handmade pottery from the filling of ashpit No. 1 made it possible to distinguish the main types of handmade pottery: pots of two types (29 %); jar-shaped vessels of two types (16 %); cups (2 %); bowls of three types (8 %). The main feature of the ashpit No. 1 ceramic complex – a large number (46 %) of the vessels of small diameter bottoms with pre-bottom parts and walls. Most of them have soot residues on their inner surfaces. These visual characteristics and almost complete absence of lamp fragments put forward the suggestion that the bottoms of the vessels served as lamps. 4 % of handmade pottery of the ashpit No. 1 filling are small, poorly profiled jar-shaped vessels, which are rarely found among household pottery. One gets the impression that these two types of handmade vessels can be decisive in the study of ash pits. With a general assessment of the handmade pottery collection of the Viktorivka I complex, it is not difficult to notice that its overwhelming majority (pots with a bell, bottoms-lamps, cups, small jar-shaped vessels, bowls of two types) belong to the «Greek» genetic group by origin. Moreover, the assortment of handmade tableware from Viktorivka I complex is identical to the pottery of Borysthenes. The non-Greek group consists of ceramics, which has analogies among the dishes of the western neighbors of Borysthenes and its suburb area (jar-shaped vessels, bowls with ribs and cannelures). K. K. Marchenko named such pottery type as “Thracian” (Марченко 1988, с. 85). A wide range of modern analogies confirm such an opinion.