The Results of Archaeological Investigations Near Moshuriv Village in Cherkasy Region

Abstract

Understanding of numerous paleoeconomic, chronological and ethno-cultural processes in Trypillia societies of the Southern Bug and the Dnieper interfluves may be reached through the interactions between populations of the mega-sites and their “satellites”, small settlements in the surrounding of settlements-giants. This may be exemplified by the Late Trypillia sites near the village of Moshuriv (Cherkasy Region), which are located not far from the giant settlement of Talianky. The earliest explorations at these sites were conducted in the late 1960-ies (A. Zabolotskyi, V. Stefanovych, O. Didenko). Excavations here were conducted in 1981 (Moshuriv I) and 1993 (Moshuriv III). The research made the identification of settlements size and their planning structures mainly composed of wattle-and-daub houses possible. The discovered houses were reconstructed basing on study of their construction techniques. The sets of finds were analyzed. The latter allowed the identification of chronological sequence and attribution of sites: Moshuriv I (Tomashivka local group), Moshuriv II (Kosenivka local group) both belonging to the Western Trypillia culture, and Moshuriv III (Kocherzhyntsi-Shulhivka site-type). The settlement of Moshuriv III demonstrates the influences from the Eastern Trypillia culture sites referred to Sofiivka local variant. Also a woman’s burial accompanied with inventory of the Bilohrudivka culture of the Final Bronze Age was investigated here. The analyzed sites mark the decrease in settlement size. Besides, the settlement structure turned from the organization of houses into circles, semi-circles and parallel rows to its organization into clusters of houses composed of two-three dwellings. The number of wattle-and-daub houses decreases. Ceramic complexes demonstrate the decrease of the relative number of tableware along with the decrease in the number of shapes and ornamentation schemes. Application of decorative elements in simplified compositions on cookingware also decreases. Despite the interaction between populations of Talianky and Moshuriv I, the latter is rather considered for an independent socio-economic unit, than the satellite in the vicinity of a mega-site. Final Trypillia demonstrates the loss of cultural traditions and possible admixture of the population with peoples coming from the Steppe.