SITES OF THE SLAVS IN THE TERNOPIL REGION

Abstract

The article deals with the situation of Slavic sites study in the Ternopil region. By chronology the Slavic sites divide into 2 periods: the early (second half of the 5th—7th centuries) connected with time of the existence of the Prague culture, and the later (8th — first half of the 10th centuries) — the time of the existence of Raikovetska culture. Special attention is paid to the hill-forts and settlements near Terebovlia. Author describes the excavated dwellings and household buildings and analyzes the hand-made pottery discovered in the closed assemblages of settlements. The ceramic assemblages typical for each chronological period are researched. So, the findings of the hand-made pottery of the Chernyakhiv and the Welbark cultures together with Slavic one are typical for the early period of the Prague culture. The early period of the Raikovetska culture is characterized by the absence of pottery fragments. The assemblages of the late periods of the Raikovetska culture include about 15—20 % of early pottery. Among the hand-made pottery of the second half of the 5th—6th centuries only pots and bowls are present, and dripping pans are absent. The pottery has no ornament except the one case. Assemblages of the 8th century include pots and pans ornamented with finger nips. Set of pottery of the second half of the 9th — first half of the 10th centuries are characterized by hand-made pots, bowls, pans and dripping pans occurred together with early wheel-made pottery. This period is characterized by wide spread of hand-made pottery decorated by finger nips and early wheel-made pottery with line and wave ornament, sometimes together with recurrent fir-shaped ornament made by comb-shaped punch. The results of the study indicate that the region around Terebovlia on both banks of the Gnizna river was settled by the Slavs for a long time since the second half of the 5th — first half of the 10th centuries. The group of settlements in Terebovlia district can be considered as one of the Slavic «nests of settlements» in the Gnizna river basin. The hill-fort and two settlements of the Prague culture (settlements Krovinka I, Terebovlia V, Pidgaychyky III) and seven sites of the Raikovetska culture (settlements Terebovlia I, Terebovlia III, Terebovlia IV, Terebovlia IX, Terebovlia X, Krovinka II, Krovinka III) are placed near Terebovlia city.