Results Of Archaeological Research Research Articles

Underground parts of fence fortifications in Siberia in the late 16th – early 18th century

The article presents the results of a study in the design of the underground part of the fence walls in wooden defensive structures. It was established that to date this issue has not been properly developed. The source base consists of the results of archaeological research and data from written sources. The paper provides information on the depth and width of the fence grooves, their shape and the interdependence of these parameters. The author established the fact that there existed a standard for deepening fence into the ground. The issue of the multiple fence walls is considered in detail. It is proved that such fence structures did not exist, but the “multiple fence” pattern recorded on some sites is only a reflection of repairs of fence walls as well as the presence of retaining walls and supporting structures of platforms. It was found that the fence posts were dug into the ground rather than clogged. The latter technique was typical for the pillars of auxiliary structures at the fence.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH IN THE DOWNTOWN BERDYCHIV

Materials of 2024 scientific and rescue research in the downtown Berdychiv, at 11/4 Zhytomyrska Street are published in the paper. These are the first available results of archaeological research of the part of the city of the 18th—19th centuries outside the complex of the Barefoot Carmelite Monastery. The paper provides a brief outline of the settlement’s history and a description of the history of archaeological research in the central part of the city. In 2024, on an area of 61 m2 in the valley of the Kanava stream, materials of the late 18th—19th centuries were discovered. Some items can be associated with the functioning of a nearby marketplace that served the town. The research area belongs to the territory of the Jewish shtetl, and the found objects, including a metal dreidel, illustrate the material culture of its inhabitants. The 2024 field season is the first archaeological research on the territory of the exact settlement part of Berdychiv. These explorations supply the information of the 2018 research on the stratigraphic situation in the city. The survival of organic materials (bone, wood, leather) in the lower, waterlogged layers of the city raises the question of the need for a special program for the preservation of such organic artifacts dating from the nineteenth and even the late eighteenth century. The discovery of individual objects which are the ethnic and religious markers of the inhabitants (a dreidel) and evidence of trade relations (trade seals) helps to supply the information about the life of the city’s inhabitants. Now the processing of the artifacts obtained as a result of the research in progress. We hope that the analysis of the discovered artifacts will provide a more complete picture of the material culture of Berdychiv residents at the turn of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. This research indicates the prospects, scientific and social feasibility of archaeological research in the city. The analysis of the current Historical and Architectural Reference Plan indicates the lack of enough information about archaeological sites and objects on the territory of the modern city. We hope that this publication will be an impetus for the future clarification of the protection and registration documents for the city’s archaeological sites and will initiate further scientific and scientific-rescue research not only in Berdychiv and its environs but also in other cities and towns.

Results of archaeological research of Kharkhul Khaan ruins (2022-2023)

The ancient city of Kharkhul Khaan, situated in the expansive valley of the Khanui River beyond the Khangai Mountains, has garnered attention since the 1870s, as evidenced by references in the writings of foreign travelers and scientists. Subsequently, site garnered increased attention from national researchers starting in the 1950s. Excavations conducted by the “Kharkhorum” expedition during the 1980s and 1990s suggested multiple construction phases, one of which potentially overlapped with the city of Kharkhorum. Later research under the joint Mongolian-German project “Geomagnetic and pedestrian survey of Khar Khul Khan Balgas” (2017-2019) unearthed approximately 40 kilns used in the production of construction materials, shedding light on the city’s infrastructure. In 2022, the Institute of Archaeology, aided by the Ministry of Education and Science, conducted excavations along the central avenue of the city. These excavations yielded artifacts and construction materials closely resembling the architectural style and structure prevalent in urban settlements dating back to the 13th and 14th centuries in Mongolia and the surrounding region. Continuing into 2023, the Institute of Archaeology persisted in their excavations under the auspices of the Ministry of Education and Science’s major research initiative. During this period, they uncovered the remains of a grand Buddhist stupa-shaped temple in the northern sector of the city. Remarkably, the temple’s roof tiles bore depictions of deities, further accentuating its significance. Geomagnetic surveys delineated the city’s layout, revealing a well-planned urban center with intersecting boulevards and numerous structures. In 2022, excavations along the central avenue yielded artifacts and construction materials dating to the 13th-14th centuries, showcasing architectural similarities with urban sites in Mongolia and the wider region. Continuing in 2023, further excavations revealed the remains of a grand Buddhist stupa-shaped temple in the northern part of the city, adorned with roof tiles depicting deities, suggesting its significance as a majestic palace. The city’s overall layout, including the positioning of the Buddhist temple and aristocratic residences, bears resemblance to the urban planning of Kharkhorum, the capital of the Mongolian Empire, underscoring its scholarly importance. Scholars have affirmed the grandeur of the discovered structure, identifying it as a magnificent palace. The broader urban layout of the ancient Kharkhul Khaan city ruins holds significant academic value, particularly concerning the positioning of key landmarks such as the Buddhist temple, the central district, and the noble residences. This layout bears striking resemblance to the urban planning principles observed in the capital city of the Mongolian Empire, Kharkhorum, further enhancing its scholarly significance. Хархул хааны балгасын археологийн судалгааны үр дүн (2022-2023 он) Товчлол. Хангай нурууны ар бие Хануй голын уужим хөндийд төвхнөн суурьшиж асан Хархул хааны балгас хэмээх эртний томоохон хотын туурийг 1870-аад оноос гадаадын аялагч, судлаачид тэмдэглэлдээ дурдаж, 1950- иад оноос үндэсний судлаачдын анхаарлыг татаж, 1980-1990 онд “Хархорум” шинжилгээний анги малтлага явуулж, гурваас доошгүй цаг үед бүтээгдсэн болохыг тодорхойлон, тэдгээрийн нэг нь Хархорум хотын зарим барилга байгууламжтай нэгэн үед холбогдоно хэмээн үзсэн байдаг. 2017-2019 онд Монгол-Германы хамтарсан “Хархул хааны балгасын геомагнетик болон археологийн хайгуул судалгаа” төслийн хүрээнд Хануй голын савд хайгуул судалгаа гүйцэтгэж барилгын материал үйлдвэрлэж байсан 40 орчим зуухыг шинээр илрүүлэн, малтлага судалгаагаар бүтэц, зохион байгуулалтыг тодорхойлсон юм. Геомагнетикийн судалгаагаар Хархул хааны балгасын бүсийн дэвсгэр зургийг үйлдэж, огтлолцсон өргөн чөлөө бүхий олон барилга, байгууламжтай, төлөвлөлтийн дагуу байгуулсан томоохон хот байсныг баталгаажуулав. 2022 онд Археологийн хүрээлэн нь БШУЯ-ны дэмжлэгээр хотын төв өргөн чөлөөний хэсэгт малтлага судалгааг гүйцэтгэж, илэрсэн олдвор, барилгын материалууд нь Монгол болон бүс нутгаас илэрсэн XIII-XIV зууны үеийн хот суурины олдвортой хамгийн ойр хийц, бүтэцтэй болохыг тогтоосон юм. 2023 онд Археологийн хүрээлэн нь БШУЯ-ны судалгааны суурь санхүүжилтийн хүрээнд малтлага судалгааг үргэлжлүүлж хотын хойд хэсгээс бурхны дүртэй нүүр ваар бүхий буддын шашны томоохон суварга хэлбэрийн сүмийн туурийг илрүүлж, хотын баруун хэсэгт орших шороон хэрэм дотор орших барилгуудыг хаад язгууртанд зориулан луун хээтэй нүүр ваараар чимэглэн барьсан гоёмсог ордон байсныг тогтоогоод байна. Хархул хааны балгас эртний хотын ерөнхий төлөвлөлт, ялангуяа бурхан шашны сүм дуган, хотын төв хэсэг, хаад язгууртны орд барилгын байршил зэрэг нь Их Монгол Улсын нийслэл Хархорум хотын ерөнхий төлөвлөлттэй давхцаж буйгаараа эрдэм шинжилгээний хувьд онцгой ач холбогдолтой байна. Түлхүүр үг. Дундад зуун, Хануй голын сав, Хархул хааны балгас, эртний хотын туурь

Arhaeological Research in Okhtyrka — the Arhaeology of War

The article is devoted to the result of archaeological research carried out on the territory of the Okhtyrka fortress of the second half of the 17th–18th centuries. Excavations were conducted in the basement of the Okhtyrka Municipal Local History Museum. The building was severely damaged because of the night bombing in spring 2022. During the reconstruction of the museum, the workers had discovered archaeological artefacts. In the result of archaeological research, there were discovered the remains of a building buried in virgin soil. The most informative were the remains of the cellar walls. In the filling of the building, there were distinguished two layers separated by a sterile one. In the lower layer, the vast majority of fragments of tiles and furnace slag were found, and in the upper layer — numerous fragments of pottery and individual finds. The analysis of the artefacts location and the general stratigraphy allows presuming preliminary conclusions. The dwelling had two levels — the ground living level with the furnace and the underground one, or a cellar. The level had a massive ceiling made of oak logs and a wooden construction made of logs with a diameter of 0.15–0.25 m. The space between the wooden construction and virgin soil was filled with yellow sand. Mostly, in the filling of the dwelling were found light clay pottery fragments and some items covered with green glaze. The tiles were decorated with stylised floral ornament. Among the imports, the most noticeable are a handle of a faience cup produced in the Ottoman Empire and fragments of clay bottles of Riga balsam. In addition, a faience ointment jar, produced in Germany or Austria in the 18th century. Based on the analysis of the finds, the time of construction of the building is dated to the 20s–30s, and the time of destruction — 70s–80s of the 18th century. The first date is indicated by a coin minted in 1731, found in a piece of preserved oak log, and the second one by the lower part of a clay bottle, found on the floor of the cellar. Some of the imported finds are related to medicine, so we can assume using the building as a pharmacy in the last years of its existing.

Cemeteries of the Churches of Our Lady in Summo in Ostrów Tumski in Poznań from the second half of the 10th? towards the late 18th century – variety of funeral practices

Abstract. The cemetery of the Church of Our Lady on Ostrów Tumski in Poznań was mentioned in written sources for the first time after the consecration of the Gothic collegiate church (1448), together with the information concerning the construction of a wall in the years 1465-1466. However, observations resulting from archaeological research suggest that the dead could have been buried also in the pre-Romanesque palace chapel. In total, about 160 graves were recorded around the Gothic church and inside it, as well as numerous human bones, either in clusters or separate. The obtained data concerned various forms of burials, arrangement of skeletons, and grave goods. In the later phase of the cemetery, within the area south of the church, a change in the orientation of the skeletons was observed, while in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries an arrangement of three rows of graves appeared. The most recent of the burials seems to be an ossuary in the middle of the central nave. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, human bones, transferred from the cathedral, being rebuilt at the time, were reburied there. The results of archaeological research of the cemetery have been confronted with written sources and iconography of Ostrów Tumski. From the south, west and north, relics of the brick and stone cemetery wall were also recognised. The material obtained during field works requires further detailed analyses and research: either archaeological or anthropological, and also in terms of conservation.

Bustanaevo Burial Mound – a New Great Migration Era Monument in the North-West of Bashkortostan

The article publishes preliminary results of archaeological research on mound No. 45, the Bustanaevsky burial mound, located on the territory of the Buraevsky district of the Republic of Bashkortostan. The monument was discovered in 2011, archaeological research began in 2015 under the leadership of A.G. Kolonskikh. Currently, excavations of the necropolis continue in the course of joint research by the Institute of Ethnological Research named after. R.G. Kuzeev and the Institute of Archaeology named after A. Kh. Khalikov Tatarstan Academy of Sciences. During excavations, one single burial was discovered under the mound. Along with the poorly preserved skeleton, the burial contained archaeological material represented by two vessels, arrowheads and elements of a belt set made in the heraldic style, horse bones and iron bits. The data obtained allow us to assume that the necropolis was left by the bearers of the Kushnarenkovo archaeological culture. The preliminary dating of the burial is the end of the 6th - beginning of the 7th century AD.

The case of a mass death of livestock in the Early Iron Age in the steppe zone of Kazakhstan

A mass burial of complete and almost complete cattle and small ruminant skeletons found in a pit within the Early Iron Age settlement of Abylai in Central Kazakhstan (49°15'N, 75°07'E) has been studied. The results of archaeological research and archeozoological contexts have shown that the animals’ burial was a single event. The aim of the work was to determine the reasons for the formation of this accumu-lation. The analysis of skeletal element composition, animal age composition, and the season of their death has been performed. A com-parison of species composition, skeletal element composition, age composition, season of animals’ death and taphonomic features be-tween samples from the pit and the cultural layer of the settlement has been made. Significant differences between these samples have been revealed. The animals from the settlement layer were slaughtered during late autumn-winter, while animals from the pit died in early spring. The bones from the pit were almost all intact, while those from the settlement layer had characteristics typical of household waste. Bones from the “layer” have significantly more postmortem modifications than those from the “pit”. The age composition and the skeleton parts ratio between the samples are different. The analysis of the obtained data shows that in the beginning of spring 89 small ruminant and 6 cattle individuals were buried in the pit in a short period of time. According to ethnographic data, this could possibly be interpreted as the burial of animals who died as a result of spring jute. In the steppe zone of Eurasia, jute is the most frequent extreme event leading to mass death of ungulates. Jutes can happen in summer, when grass burns out with drought. But the most large-scale and frequent are winter jutes, when, due to catastrophic snowfalls, grass becomes inaccessible to animals, and spring jutes, when frosts come after a thaw. During jute, many animals die from starvation in a short time. Small ruminants are the most vulnerable because they are the least adapted to breaking ice crusts with their hooves. Cattle are less vulnerable, and even less so are horses. The following archaeological situation has been observed: all animals died in early spring; many of them were buried in a short time; the remains of small ruminants prevail, there are few cattle and no horses; most animals were probably skinned. This picture is most consistent with the burial of animals killed by jute. As an alternative hypothesis, a sacrificial nature of death of the animals has been considered. However, the combination of characteristics of the archaeological and archeozoological contexts of pit filling allows us to reject the latter hypothesis.

Municipal Defensive Walls in Western Poland: The Example of Żagań

ABSTRACT Many relics of municipal fortifications are preserved in multiple cities in the Silesian — Lusatian region. Research works are mainly focused on area such a history, architecture or technical state, without correlation between these areas. The correct approach is to identify walls, or sections of them, as part of parallel, interdisciplinary research that covers the history and chronology of transformations, expansion phases, and their state of preservation which was also the primary and main goal of the research in case of Żagań municipal defensive walls. Thanks to architectural and archaeological analysis, it was possible to determine the chronology of the transformations and layers of the walls. Combining the results of the chronological analyses (C-14, dendrochronology) of wood samples from putlog holes with the results of architectural research allows hypotheses regarding the chronology of constructing objects to be confirmed or excluded. During the study it was found, that it is recommended to correlate the results of archaeological research conducted within the area of excavations next to the foundations of city walls with the results of the structural analyses of soil and water conditions. It is then possible to conduct a comparative analysis of the identified soil and anthropogenic layers. The correlation of architectural research in the field of the chronology of the construction of city walls with the results of the analyses of the cross-sectional deformation of their structure (based on 3D laser scanning) enables answers about the causes of the walls’ inclination to be obtained. The proposed algorithm for interdisciplinary cooperation in research of historical municipal walls is presented.

REZULTATELE ARHEOLOGIEI BULGARE ÎN ANII '80 AI SECOLULUI TRECUT PRIN PRISMA DEPARAMENTULUI SECURITĂŢII STATULUI DIN ROMÂNIA

The 80' are marked by a broad nationalist in historical research in Romania, a situation similar to that in Bulgaria. A large number of Romanian archaeologists have chosen to collaborate with the Department of State Security (DSS). There is a great diversity of notes made available to the DSS by them, but the ones discussed in this study draw attention to the concern of the DSS towards the results of archaeological research in Bulgaria and their use as arguments in possible future territorial claims. The case of Bulgaria is not unique in ACNSAS documents; the Hungarian archaeological research was equally focused, with the same arguments.

An Archaeology of the Pomeranian Crime of 1939: The Case of Mass Crimes in the Szpęgawski Forest (Poland)

This article presents the general historical context of the mass shootings in the fall of 1939 in the pre-war Gdańsk Pomerania, Poland, and introduces the very term “Pomeranian Crime of 1939.” The executions in the Szpęgawski Forest, where between 2,413 and 7,000 people lost their lives, illustrate of the process itself. The results of archaeological research carried out at the site of the mass killings in the Szpęgawski Forest in 2023 is used as a case study. Archaeological research is shedding new light on the crime and its cover-up through analyses of the material evidence.

CASTLE OF CASIMIR III THE GREAT IN ZŁOTORIA

The ruins of the castle in Złotoria were not the subject of interest for a long time after the Second World War. The first architectural and construction inventory was prepared in 1966. At that time, a description of the castle ruins was also made. These were preliminary architectural studies of the monument. Special actions were recommended to save the fragments of walls that were sliding into the Vistula at that time. The next construction and conservation inventory was prepared by researchers from Toruń in 1967. The area of the castle in Złotoria had never been the subject of methodical archaeological excavations, nor detailed historical studies. Situated on the waters of the Vistula and Drwęca, the picturesque ruins of the castle gradually underwent further gradual degradation. The results of archaeological research would probably allow for a more precise reconstruction of the original spatial layout of the castle and for determining any spatial transformations that took place from the 14th to the 20th century. To this day, fragments of the castle in ruins have survived: the foundations and lower parts of the angular tower, significant fragments of the southern and south-eastern defensive walls, the foundations of the gate building standing on the southern side, as well as traces of a wide moat separating the promontory built with the stronghold from the mainland. The aim of the article is to present the results of detailed historical studies and to develop guidelines for organizing a methodical cycle of archaeological and architectural research, related to historical investigation.

Early Dilmun Burial Mounds in Bahrain: the Wâdî al-Sail Archaeological Project and the Dilmun Mapping Project

This paper overviews the results of archaeological research by the Japanese mission on the Early Dilmun burial mound sites. The archaeological research on Early Dilmun burial mounds in Bahrain has a history of more than 100 years. Excavations of a number of burial mounds, including 'Royal Mounds', have revealed different aspects of the mortuary and burial practice of the Early Dilmun period and the emergence of a complex society on Bahrain Island. However, there are many issues to be discussed with different approaches; how the mortuary practices changed through time, how the distribution pattern of burial mounds changed through time, how the social organization can be approached from burial mounds, and so on. The Dilmun Mapping Project run by Akinori Uesugi, one of the authors of this paper, focuses on the distribution pattern of burial mounds and the formation process of extensive cemeteries. The Wâdî Al-Sail Archaeological Project led by Masashi Abe has been revealing the mortuary and burial practice of the Early phase of the Early Dilmun period, which was not so well understood before. In addition, Wâdî Al-Sail provides an important clue for considering the origins of Dilmun.

History of the west coast of North Sumatra before Barus: Preliminary results of archaeological research at the Bongal settlement site

The Bongal area, near Kota Pandan, in the Tapanuli/Sibolga Bay, has been known to archaeologists since 2001 through the identification of the remains of a Ganeśa stone image. Eighteen years later, archaeologists returned to the same area to examine a large number of chance finds uncovered by local gold washers. Their observations led to undertake systematic excavations in 2021 and 2022. The aim of this article is to introduce the main categories of finds revealed since 2019 and to suggest a number of hypotheses. The surface area of the settlement site exceeds 200 hectares, covering part of the Bongal hills as well as the alluvial plain which extends toward the Lumut river. Finds include dozens of coins inscribed in Arabic, glazed and unglazed earthenware, stoneware and porcelain, glassware, various metal and alloy objects, beads, gems and faience jewel, artefacts made of wood, resins, nuts, seeds, cords, as well as ivory. The quantity and diversity of archaeological material suggest the existence of a port site dated between the 4th and 10th c. CE, participating in trade networks covering Southeast Asia, China, South Asia and the Middle East. The end of the occupation of Bongal would coincide with the beginnings of the occupation of Barus on the site of Lobu Tua, which flourished later.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL RESEARCH AT THE TASTAK CEMETERY IN 2023 (ABAI REGION, URZHAR DISTRICT)

The article introduces for the first time the results of archaeological research at the Tastak cemetery in the field season of 2023, located in the southern foothills of the Tarbagatai Range. The mentioned region in archaeological terms is a little-studied region. In the process of field stationary works, recon-naissance of the area was carried out and a topographic plan of the cemetery was taken. Two kurgans (no. 7 and no. 11) were investigated during this period. According to the planographic arrangement of the sites, the structure of the overmound and intra-mound construction, as well as the position and orientation of the burials corresponds to the classical Saka period. Some constructive features of the structure were revealed: stone shell, grave fence. The noted constructive features of the construction can be connected with ancient migration processes in this period. In the course of comparative-typological analysis, which includes a versatile characterisation of the archaeological source, identification of dated analogies, as well as 14C radiocarbon AMS dating, the investigated sites are generally placed in the IV century BC. Despite the fact that the burials were looted earlier, the materials we obtained during the study of the site will certainly make a great contribution to the study of material and spiritual culture of the Saka tribes of East Kazakhstan.

Plastic Artefacts from Archaeological Investigations Carried out at the Auschwitz-Birkenau Camp Complex in 2015–2022

This article is a study of the results of archaeological research conducted at the site of the former German concentration camp Auschwitz-Birkenau and the Jawischowitz forced labour sub-camp attached to it. It discusses historical objects produced from plastics, as a result of chemical modification of natural products or synthesis of products of chemical processing of coal, oil or natural gas. The history of previous archaeological research at the site of the former Auschwitz-Birkenau camp complex and its sub-camps is outlined. The scope and regions of research that were carried out by the authors between 2015 and 2022 are discussed. Plastic products have been characterised by grouping them in terms of raw material and function, distinguishing among other things everyday objects and parts of clothing. On this basis, a comparative base was created, which can serve as a basis for applying a preliminary chronological division of plastic products.

ARROWHEADS OF THE SOŚNIA TYPE – A TECHNOLOGICAL AND TYPOLOGICAL PHENOMENON IN PARA-NEOLITHIC FLINTWORKING

The Sośnia-type arrowheads are an extremely interesting example of combining distinct chronological and technological elements in a single item. These arrowheads integrate technology drawing from the Mesolithic traditions and the Neolithic way of shaping the surface, which suggests that these blades should be placed between the Mesolithic trapezoids and the Neolithic arrowheads. The function of these tools remains unknown, so the name “arrowheads” is based on a functional image derived from the Neolithic traditions. Until recently, the Sośnia-type arrowheads were considered to have been related exclusively to para-Neolithic flintworking known from sites in Podlachia, Lithuania, and Belarus. This view was verified in result of archaeological research conducted in the first decade of the 21st century on Eneolithic sites from southeastern Poland, for example at the cemetery of the Lublin-Volhynian Culture in Książnice. The presence of para-Neolithic elements in the Lublin-Volhynian environment is not limited to the Sośnia-type arrowheads but represented also by other categories of insets with Mesolithic features. In addition, traces of mutual influences have also been observed in ceramic vessels.

Rezultati arheoloških istraživanja na lokalitetu Baričko brdo – Lug (prethodno saopštenje)

The purpose of this paper is to present the results of archaeological research carried out in 2022 at the site of Baričko brdo – Lug near Lukavac. Having above mentioned in mind, the methodology used during the two phases of archaeological research and the flow of work in the field is first briefly described. Next, the condition of the site prior to the fieldwork is described, followed by a description of previous archaeological research. What follows is a presentation of the results of archaeological excavations carried out during all the phases of archaeological research and geophysical surveys carried out during 2022.

Historical Topography of Tsarevokokshaysk

The article deals with analysis of the historical topography of Tsarevokokshaysk on the basis of cartographic, written and archaeological sources. The most informative cartographic source on the historical topography of Tsarevokokshaysk is the city plan of 1795, which depicts the main elements of the urban landscape. Written sources provide the most detailed descriptions of the city in 1728, 1795 and 1837. The results of archaeological research of the historical center of Yoshkar-Ola significantly refine and supplement the data of archival sources, allowing us to localize historical and topographic objects on the modern map of the city. The author describes the objects of the urban planning of Tsarevokokshaysk, starting with its central part – the Kremlin, then the prison and Zaostrozhnaya territory. The description includes information from archival sources supported by archaeological research data. In conclusion, the author characterizes the change in the main features of the urban layout of Tsarevokokshaysk during the period from the founding of the city to the beginning of the 20th century, raises controversial issues of the historical topography of Tsarevokokshaysk and concludes that further archaeological research of the historical center of Yoshkar-Ola is necessary.

Socio-environmental implications of shifting subsistence practices at Diallowali, a Late Stone Age site system in the Middle Senegal Valley

In this paper we present the results of archaeological research at the Late Stone Age site of Diallowali, located along the western edge of the Middle Senegal Valley, northern Senegal. As the occupation spans the period between 3100-2400 years BP, it is contemporary with few other West African sites, and therefore represents a unique – and uniquely detailed – archive. Excavations conducted between 2014–2017 revealed deeply stratified and dense deposits, yielding more than 5,000kg of pottery and 169kg of faunal material – the largest faunal assemblage of any site in West Africa. Thus, the present study focuses on the zooarchaeological data and their implications for shifting environmental conditions, subsistence practices, and social institutions at the site. The faunal assemblage reflects the exploitation of a remarkable diversity of wild animals, including a range of bovids, suids, carnivores, rodents, hippopotami, birds, and various aquatic resources – representing local conditions at the end of the African Humid Period. Interestingly, the consistent presence of domestic livestock, as well as Bos taurus figurines and ceramic ‘arm-bands’ throughout the occupation support a connection to Saharan agro-pastoral communities possibly escaping the Late Holocene aridification. Therefore, the keeping of low numbers of Bostaurus and Ovis/Capra, while maintaining a high reliance on hunting, fishing, and gathering wild plants, likely functioned as a risk-buffering strategy to manage against environmentally unpredictable periods.

The Significance of Annalistic Ulyches in the Early Medieval History of Ukraine

The purpose of the article is to study the habitat of the Ulych tribe on the territory of modern Ukraine, the specifics of their interaction with non-Slavic peoples, and the reasons for their confrontation with the princes of Rus. The research methodology is based on a combination of general scientific (analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special-historical (historical-comparative, historical-typological, historical-systemic) methods with the problem-chronological principle and the principles of scientificity, historicism, objectivity, comprehensiveness and integrity scientificity. The scientific novelty of the work is that, for the first time, historical information about Ulyches in different regions of our country is correlated and analyzed, and their civilizational influence on the population of Ukraine during the Middle Ages is established. Conclusions. The historical information about the habitation of the Ulyches in the Middle Podniprovya, Southern Pobuzhzhia, Podnistrovya, and the Danube region is confirmed by the results of archaeological research. Separate local zones of Ulyches’ settlement were Southern Podniprovya, Southern Kyiv Region, Southern Volyn, and Dnister Canyon. The Ulyches possessed developed for their time agricultural technologies, which were based on agriculture and homestead cattle breeding. The metallurgy, metalworking and jewelry were among the main crafts. The production of millstones from volcanic tuff was a unique technology . The main Ulyches’attractions are numerous hillforts, which were above all things a military camp and a shelter for the population. The ability to build and improve these objects quickly testifies to the presence of developed clan relations, authoritative administration and nobility. The Ulyches and the Tyvertsi were particularly close tribes and had a common area of residence in Podnistrovya. Both tribes together participated in the development of the right bank lands of the Danube mouth in the 10th-11th centuries. Counting the number of known hillforts and analyzing the Ulyches’ settlement area allows us to call them one of the most numerous tribes of Ukraine in the 9th–11th centuries. The long period of wars of the 9th–10th centuries. between the princes of Rus and the Ulyches was caused by the struggle for supremacy in the Dnipro region and possession of the Dnipro river route to the Black Sea.The Ulyches had a special relationship with nomadic peoples, that distinguishes them from other Slavic tribes. The representatives of the southern branch of the Saltiv culture were their neighbour and constant partner in interaction during the VIII–XI centuries.