JEWELLER’S ESTATE AT STAEVO-5 SETTLEMENT OF THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES (THE UPPER VORONEZH RIVER)

Abstract

In the eastern part of the Staevo-5 settlement, an estate consisting of a dwelling, two outbuildings, two hearths, and a series of pits has been completely explored. From the south, its territory was limited by a fence resting on massive pillars. The estate belongs to the initial stage of the settlement functioning and dates back to the late 5th–6th century AD (possibly, the first half of this century). Based on the distribution of ceramics in the structures and the cultural layer, it was possible to distinguish three conditionally closed complexes. The first one refers to the period of the estate functioning, the second – to the period of its destruction, the third (the latest) – to the garbage dump that was formed in its place. It is indicative that all three complexes include ceramics of both the post-Kiev and Oka traditions. Thus, from the very beginning of the settlement existence, two main components of the Upper Voronezh cultural group are distinguished in the composition of its population – the Early Slavic and Finnish ones. The estate dwellers were engaged in jewellery and bronze casting. They used a domestic hearth for melting metal. The crucibles, most likely, were made of clay which was prepared for this reason in one of the pits.