Tripolye Culture Research Articles

Red Deer Antler Artefacts from Gordineşti II- ”Stînca goală” and Vynnyky-”Zhupan”: Shape-and-Trace Formation Processes in Natural, Functional and Depositional Contexts

The paper scrutinizes the red deer hard tissues from the contexts attributed to the Trypillia Culture’s final phases. Having once been reported elsewhere, the objects under study are this time conceptualized in terms of shape-and trace formation processes, with an eye to incorporating them into research advances under the topic of the late Trypillia transformation, including typological affiliation, radiocarbon dating, archaeoecology, subsistence studies, etc. Particular attention is paid to artefacts that lack the overwhelming power of the tiniest wear marks, but do display extensive topographic features of manufacture and use. The formalized shape-and-trace aspects for the antler artefacts are proposed, which are considered to be suitable rather for a morphological than for a morphographicsystematization of a prehistoric antler assemblage. An interpretative application of the shape-and-trace approach for the sake of clarification of both past currents in morphogenesis of artefacts and praxis of their use is only possible in a systemic context of knowledge about habitats and lifestyles of the past.

Comparative Analysis of the "H"-shaped Symbol from Göbekli Tepe and the Ritual "Binocular-shaped" Ceramics of the Trypillia Culture in Light of Ancient Farmers' Cosmological Beliefs

This article is dedicated to a comprehensive analysis and interpretation of the sacred "H"-shaped symbolism, which originates from the ancient temple complex of hunter-gatherers and early farmers of the Near East – Göbekli Tepe. The research identifies and analyzes a similar symbol found in the religious complex of ancient farmers in the territory of modern Ukraine, specifically in the Trypillia culture and its ceramic artifacts known as "Trypillia binoculars." A comparative analysis of these symbols is conducted within the context of the cosmological beliefs of early farming societies in Asia and Europe. Special attention is given to interpreting this symbolism as a reflection of complex religious and philosophical concepts related to the cyclicality of nature, the movement of celestial bodies, and the unity of heaven and earth. The research examines the architectural features of Göbekli Tepe, particularly the arrangement of the T-shaped columns, and their potential astronomical purpose. The author hypothesizes a connection between the physical structure of the temple complex, its T-shaped columns, and the formation of abstract "H"-type symbols. Parallels are drawn between the symbolism of Göbekli Tepe and the ritual artifacts of the Trypillia culture, allowing the hypothesis of shared cosmological concepts between various early farming cultures, despite significant geographical and temporal distances. This article offers a new perspective on the development of religious thought in ancient societies, highlighting the depth and complexity of their spiritual ideas. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the cultural connections and exchange of ideas between ancient civilizations of the Near East and Europe.

Risks beyond the ditch: Copper Age tannery from the settlement of Kamianets-Podilskyi (Tatarysky), Ukraine

The evolution of Neolithic to Bronze Age settlement organization in Central Europe has revealed ditches as an important component of settlement structures. The various shapes and sizes of these features contribute to different understandings of their functions, mainly referring to ditches as elements of fortifications or ritual practices. Based on a newly discovered Copper Age feature at Kamianets-Podilskyi (Tatarysky), Ukraine, our paper contributes to the discussion on the function of ditches in their relation to prehistoric technologies. This study presents evidence on tanning techniques and technologies associated with a section of ditch belonging to the Western Trypillia culture. Due to the uniqueness of this discovery, we applied various analyses, including GIS spatial analyses, palynological, anthracological, archeozoological, malacological, and use-wear studies. The obtained results enable us to recognize the complex practices of Copper Age communities, skillfully combining technical knowledge with an understanding of environmental conditions.

Seven-membered structure of the moon cycle and the “running spiral” ornament on Trypillian ceramics

The examination of the semantics of ornaments of the Trypillian culture, in particular, the most common ornament, “running spiral”, is necessary for penetration into the spiritual world of the bearers of this culture. The purpose of the study is to show that the symbols of the “running spiral” ornament hide the seven-membered cycle of the moon. The following methodological approaches are used: a) deities are seen behind the symbols of the ornament, not things; b) the division of deities by gender is considered c) the structural method is used in the analysis of symbols. Eight- and seven-membered ornament structures that were identified as moon phases were reviewed. It was determined that the female and male deities are hidden behind the phases. It is shown that the ornament “running spiral” is a seven-membered structure, and the order of symbols (deities) coincides with structures in which there are no symbols of the “running spiral”. Individual symbols of the “running spiral” are considered, and it is determined that they denote certain phases (deities) of the moon’s cycle. It is concluded that the eight- and seven-membered structures of ornaments hide the Goddess who represented the moon. The conclusion and the methods by which it is obtained may be the key to further research of Trypillian ceramics ornaments. It opens the horizon for investigating the kinship of the Trypillian culture with other Eneolithic cultures and examining modern folk ornaments

Ceramic “Imports” and Imitation of the Culture of Tiszapolgár and Bodrogkeresztúr at the Sites of Trypillia–Cucuteni Culture

The article examines the influence of the Tiszapolgár and Bodrogkeresztúr ceramic traditions on the ceramics of the Trypillia–Cucuteni culture. The dynamics of these influences are monitored in the paper, where it was found that there were not many “imports” from the Tiszapolgár culture and their influence on the formation of ceramic complexes of the Trypillia–Cucuteni culture was not significant. The impact of the Bodrogkeresztúr culture on the ceramic complexes of the Šipincì local group of the Trypillia culture was somewhat greater.

Trypillia culture pottery imports with attributes of the latest phase of the Trypillia CII stage in the Funnel Beaker culture settlement Zymne, western Ukraine

Trypillia culture pottery imports with attributes of the latest phase of the Trypillia CII stage in the Funnel Beaker culture settlement Zymne, western Ukraine

Entropology: an Information-Theoretic Approach to Understanding Archaeological Data

The main objective of this paper is to develop quantitative measures for describing the diversity, homogeneity, and similarity of archaeological data. It presents new approaches to characterize the relationship between archaeological assemblages by utilizing entropy and its related attributes, primarily diversity, and by drawing inspiration from ecology. Our starting premise is that diachronic changes in our data provide a distorted reflection of social processes and that spatial differences in data indicate cultural distancing. To investigate this premise, we adopt a parsimonious approach for comparing assemblage profiles employing and comparing a range of (Hill) diversities, which enable us to exploit different aspects of the data. The modelling is tested on two seemingly large datasets: a Late Bronze Age Cretan dataset with circa 13,700 entries (compiled by PG); and a 4th millennium Western Tripolye dataset with circa 25,000 entries (compiled by AD). The contrast between the strongly geographically and culturally heterogeneous Bronze Age Crete and the strongly homogeneous Western Tripolye culture in the Southern Bug and Dnieper interfluve show the successes and limitations of our approach. Despite the seemingly large size of our datasets, these data highlight limitations that confine their utility to non-semantic analysis. This requires us to consider different ways of treating and aggregating assemblages, either as censuses or samples, contingent upon the degree of representativeness of the data. While our premise, that changes in data reflect societal changes, is supported, it is not definitively confirmed. Consequently, this paper also exemplifies the limitations of large archaeological datasets for such analyses.

ТРИПІЛЛЯ. ЗВ'ЯЗОК КУЛЬТУР ЧЕРЕЗ СТОЛІТТЯ. ТАЄМНИЦІ, ГІПОТЕЗИ, ВІДКРИТТЯ

The article discusses the main issues related to the problem of studying and understanding the Trypillia culture. The author analyzed the subject heritage and studied scientific and folklore sources on the Trypillia culture itself and on similar cultures both in geographical and temporal aspects. The article is for informational purposes only. The author shows the connection between traditions in Neolithic architecture and modern architecture, and convinces us of the similarity in solving the problems set before the builders of the past and present. He puts forward his theories explaining the mysteries of Trypillia culture. One of the most important qualities of an architect is the ability to put himself in the role of a user. When designing, each time “guide” yourself through the imagined building. It must be remembered that the measure of any architecture is a person. The ancient Greeks called architecture the “third skin.” All sizes and proportions were subordinated to man, in harmony with his nature and the surrounding nature. Using the example of Neolithic culture, the author tries to restore lost traditions, make architecture less abstract and closer to the direct user - man. For the first time in a study of the culture of Tripoli, the features of this civilization were not only identified, but also the reasons for the emergence of these features were reasonably explained. An attempt was made to travel through time in a way. Through studying the origins of civilizations comes an understanding of the very essence of things, the very essence of architecture. Teaching a student not to mindlessly copy the architectural heritage, but to master the skill of understanding architecture is the most important task. And, the author, using the example of Trypillia, brilliantly shows the logic of the architectural decisions of the Trypillia people, their truthfulness and spontaneity in traditions, in art and in architecture. And it is precisely this approach that is most tenacious. It is because of truthfulness that architectural solutions and construction technologies of the Neolithic era are still alive.

Shell-tempered ceramics: A case study of Western Tripolye kitchen ware in the Middle Dniester region

The studies described in this article are based on the detailed examination of pottery assemblages from five Ukrainian sites attributed to the Western Tripolye Culture. Selected fragments of pottery were initially analysed using digital and electronic scanning microscopes in order to identify mollusc shells used as temper in pottery. Petrographic analysis revealed the elemental composition and techniques used in the manufacture of the ceramics, along with the differences between individual vessels.All the data was subsequently implemented in conducted experiments concerning the production of shell temper and ceramic vessels. The features of the vessels (resistance to thermal shock and influence of shell temper on cooking or stored products) were tested. Cooking products for experiments were selected according to the archaeological evidence. The pottery fragments and vessels used during these experiments were subsequently subjected to organic residue analysis.

Issues of Archaeological Cultures Study in the Territory of Uman Region (on materials by H.Yu. Khraban)

The purpose of the research paper is to focus attention on the role of the ‘second plan’ historians in scientific research of the history of Ukraine; to evaluate and study comprehensively the contribution of H.Yu. Khraban to the archaeological study of Uman region territory; to carry out a detailed analysis of the archaeological part of the scholar’s scientific heritage; to find out the results of his archaeological studies, and to show the importance of the archaeological study of the regions for the reconstruction of the genuine history of Ukraine.
 Scientific novelty: The contribution of H. Khraban to the study of various archaeological cultures sites in the western part of Cherkasy and neighboring oblasts is analyzed based on the fundamental source base, and after finding as well as introduction into scientific circulation of a significant array of new archival sources. The paper significantly augments a list of scholar’s works, many of which are unpublished and remain relevant to this day.
 Conclusions. The activity of H. Khraban devoted to the archaeological study of the territory of Uman region, Eastern Podillia, and the popularization of the ancient history of Ukraine is analyzed. The contribution of the historian to the addition of previously unknown pages from the history of the expansion of different archaeological cultures tribes into Uman region territory, his assistance in the organization of Uman Museum of Local Lore research activities, and the involvement of the public in the archaeological study of the region are shown. H.Yu. Khraban himself participated in archaeological field research in Cherkasy, Kirovohrad, Vinnytsia, and Zhytomyr oblasts. Hryhorii Khraban maintained systematic ties with the Institute of Archeology of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR and spoke at meetings of the Department of Archeology Early Slavs with important reports on the results of his studies. Scientific notes and collected material objects were systematically given by the scholar to the scientific funds of the Institute of Archaeology.
 According to the time of their dating, H. Khraban attributed the archaeological sites discovered in the territory of Uman region to the Paleolithic period, Trypillia culture, Bronze Age, Bilohrudivska culture, Scythian period, Zarubyntsi and Cherniakhiv cultures, and the sites of the early Slavs. H. Khraban’s merit as an archaeologist lies in the fact that he helped to study the continuity in the settling of Uman region territory since ancient times.

Seven-membered structure of the moon cycle and the “running spiral” ornament on Trypillian ceramics

The examination of the semantics of ornaments of the Trypillian culture, in particular, the most common ornament, “running spiral”, is necessary for penetration into the spiritual world of the bearers of this culture. The purpose of the study is to show that the symbols of the “running spiral” ornament hide the seven-membered cycle of the moon. The following methodological approaches are used: a) deities are seen behind the symbols of the ornament, not things; b) the division of deities by gender is considered c) the structural method is used in the analysis of symbols. Eight- and seven-membered ornament structures that were identified as moon phases were reviewed. It was determined that the female and male deities are hidden behind the phases. It is shown that the ornament “running spiral” is a seven-membered structure, and the order of symbols (deities) coincides with structures in which there are no symbols of the “running spiral”. Individual symbols of the “running spiral” are considered, and it is determined that they denote certain phases (deities) of the moon’s cycle. It is concluded that the eight- and seven-membered structures of ornaments hide the Goddess who represented the moon. The conclusion and the methods by which it is obtained may be the key to further research of Trypillian ceramics ornaments. It opens the horizon for investigating the kinship of the Trypillian culture with other Eneolithic cultures and examining modern folk ornaments

A complex subsistence regime revealed for Cucuteni–Trypillia sites in Chalcolithic eastern Europe based on new and old macrobotanical data

We present a comprehensive data-based characterization of the subsistence economy of Chalcolithic Cucuteni–Trypillia societies (CTS) on the Moldovian and Suceava plateaus and the Podolian and the Dnieper uplands. This study is based on a quantitative evaluation of archaeobotanical samples from 34 settlement sites, with a focus on Trypillia mega-sites and on stable isotopic analysis of ancient crop residues. The isotopic analysis allows us to identify specific cultivation strategies, which show a close relationship with animal husbandry for manure. We describe the economy of the Trypillia mega-sites as having been based on an elaborate agricultural system, in which the inhabitants knew how to grow crops that could withstand the ecological constraints of growth, especially along the forest steppe ecotone. We also argue that the agglomeration of greater population densities at these mega-sites contributed to landscape change from woodland and forest to open grassland and steppe. Following on from this, we suggest that cultivation practices of the CTS were important in the establishment of the present-day cultural steppe in this region.

Late Tripolye Culture Settlement Spatial Pattering: Case study from the Gordineşti II-Stînca goală site, Northern Moldova

Abstract The Gordineşti II-Stînca goală is an archaeological site located in the northern part of the Moldavian Plateau in Edineț Region. Chronologically this settlement is linked to the later phase of the Tripolye Culture. Currently, in archaeological literature, the problems of human occupation, land management, and spatial arrangement of settlements in Moldova during the Eneolithic are highly understudied. In this paper, we present the results of recent archaeological works focusing on the spatial patterning of housing structures, Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) survey, and desk-based Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) analysis, that has been undertaken to further the understanding of the spatial organisation of the Gordineşti II-Stînca goală settlement. The results indicate the high archaeological potential of this site, with the likely presence of multiple housing structures arranged in a planned and functional manner.

Adam Kirkor: the Discovery and First Research of Trypillia Sites in the Ukrainian Dnister Region

It is well known that the Trypillia culture in Ukraine was singled out by Vincenc Chvojka (Vikentii Khvoika — in Ukrainian) based on his research in the Dnipro region at the end of the 19th century. However, a little earlier, the same sites were studied in Eastern Galicia, Dnister region, by Polish researchers: Adam Kirkor, Izydor Kopernicki, Władysław Przybysławski, and Gotfryd Ossowski. The territory, where Trypillian settlements were discovered, at that time, belonged to two empires — Russian and Austro-Hungarian, so the culture had different names in the Dnipro region and the Dnister region. In Galicia, they became known under the name of the Painted Pottery culture, whereas the sites in the Dnipro valley were called the Trypillia culture by V. Chvojka. Nowadays it is a cultural and historical community of Cucuteni-Trypillia culture. The first reports of the Trypillian antiquities discovery are dated to the 1820s, but full-fledged research had began in 1876 by the Krakow archaeologist Adam Kirkor. For five seasons (1876—1878, 1881, 1882), the researcher had been studying rocky and cave sites of the Dnister region; he collected fossils and fossil remains of animals. Adam had excavated the burials of the Globular Amphora culture and initiated the excavations of the barrows of the Early Scythian period in the Middle Dnister region. During the exploration, he examined several Trypillian settlements (Vasylkivtsi, Verkhniakivtsi, Horodnytsia, Zhabyntsi, Kozachchyna, Lychkivtsi, Lanivtsi, Sukhostav, Yabluniv) and the Verteba cave near Bilche-Zolote village. The researcher managed to record the positioning of the Trypillian dwellings’ remains in circles and straight lines. A. Kirkor interpreted these settlements as a burnt Pagan burial ground. The first Trypillia sites discovered in the Dnister region were associated with the periphery of ancient civilisation and the squares were interpreted as burnt cemeteries, which was a tribute to the scientific trends of that time. Such opinions are not surprising and are explained by the fact that the researchers encountered the Trypillian antiquities for the first time, and the ideas about their dating and purpose were quite conventional. The scholar had taken the materials he excavated during the trips, to Krakow. Today, these finds are kept in the Archaeological Museum of Krakow.

ASSESSING THE SPREAD OF ENEOLITHIC AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITIES IN THE FOREST-STEPPE OF UKRAINE USING AMS RADIOCARBON DATING

ABSTRACTCurrent scholarship suggests that Neo-Eneolithic systems of settlement and subsistence in Eastern Europe were defined by short-to-medium range migration, while sparsely populated land in peripheral regions allowed for the continual colonization of new territories. We address the Eastern Tripolye Culture (ETC), a sub-group of the Cucuteni-Tripolye cultural complex that flourished ca. 4300–2950 BC by expanding into the forest-steppe ecozone of Central Ukraine. While a general lack of multi-layer sites complicates regional chronology, we resolve several longstanding questions in Ukrainian archaeological discourse by combining traditional relative chronologies of ceramic types with high-precision AMS dating of material from key sites. We offer a revision of the chronology of Tripolye BI and BI-II, which, rather than consisting of distinct “early” and “late” temporal periods, instead constitute a single period characterized by stylistic diversity in material culture. With an absolute chronology established, we then analyze the space-time distribution of sites, revealing a southwest-to-northeast migratory vector across Central Ukraine characterized by punctuated episodes of “leapfrog” colonization. The establishment of this vector by the ETC presages larger-scale population movements by the Western Tripolye Culture (WTC), which led to the establishment of the giant-settlement phenomenon during the first part of the 4th millennium BC.

THE ISSUE OF THE LARGE DWELLINGS OF TRYPILLIA CULTURE

This paper aims at the analysis of remains of the Trypillia culture dwelling of a large size. The study includes the comparison of large houses’ inventory. More specifically, the analysis included the data from the cluster of ploshchadka from the settlement of Talianki (the so-called ‘Potter’s family I’ complex), which included five houses. The largest of these dwellings differs from the others not only by its size but also by the number and importance of the material.
 Besides this, the study included the dwelling remains of a size of 200 m2 and of a useful size of 100 m2 and more. Population estimates indicate the possibility of such structures’ inhabiting by 20―35 people. Therefore, the author proposes to distinguish ploshchadkas group by the parameter of their useful size for the whole Trypillia culture. Such dwellings belong to different periods of the culture. This distinguishing is exemplified by house remains from Ozheve-Ostriv. The analysis of dwellings’ inventory indicates that the Dwelling 3 was not only inhabited by a large group of people but it also served for conducting certain craft processes, i.e. tanning, flint knapping, bone and antler processing. Moreover, the inventory of this structure included a high number of weapons (arrowheads, spearheads).
 In general the author concludes that the large size dwellings of this group may be interpreted as men’s houses. Such dwellings were inhabited by the young people belonging to a certain sex-age group, and served for training in various fields of crafts and activities. Men’s houses were also used for gathering the male part of the tribe for magic rituals and feasts. Patriarchs taught young people the rules of common living and taboos of their society. This explains the dwelling size used to gather a particular or supposed number of the representatives of sex-age groups of patriarchs and young men.

Development of Indo-European Hypotheses in Europe of the 19th-20th Centuries: From Aryan Ideas to the Renaissance of the Trypillian Culture

Development of Indo-European Hypotheses in Europe of the 19th-20th Centuries: From Aryan Ideas to the Renaissance of the Trypillian Culture

TRYPILLIAN SETTLEMENT MAKARIVKA IN BUKOVYNA

The information about archaeological sites located near the village of Makarivka, Dnistrovskyi district, Chernivtsi region is collected and generalized in the article. Special attention is paid to the materials of the Trypillia culture. The results of the archaeological research conducted by the Dnister expedition of Lviv department of the Institute of Social Sciences of the Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR led by O. Chernysh near this village are considered. Namely, it is a small collection of finds from different periods, consisting mainly of flint products and preserved in the storage of the Department of Archeology. Based on the researcher's report, two locations were identified where archaeological material was found. The first – Pomirky tract, where ceramic sherds from the Slavic period were collected. The second – Schovb tract. Trypllian, Scythian, Slavic, and Paleolithic finds came from this place. An overview of information about the site from the scientific literature was made. The results of the archaeological research conducted by the author near the Makarivka village on a large cape, formed by the Dnister river, are presented. Special attention is paid to the surveys of the plateau in the central part of the cape. Probably, it is the place where Trypllian materials were found in 1950. Among the locals, the name of this tract has not been preserved, so we do not know its exact location. Most of the finds were discovered on the slopes, on the plateau sherds of modern ceramics, natural stones, and flint without traces of knapping were mainly found. According to the results of the archaeological surveys conducted near the Makarivka village in 2022, it was established that there are three locations of different times on the territory of the cape: the location of the Mesolithic Age (core and three flint flakes) and the Chernyakhiv culture (two pottery sherds), located on the northern slope of the plateau. It is noted that flint products and a fragment of the wall of a ceramic vessel with a handle are quite typical for various stages of Trypillia culture, starting from Trypillia BI, so a more detailed definition of the relative chronology of the site based on them is impossible. The materials collected during archaeological surveys have been processed and published. It was found that in scientific literature the name «Makarivka» was also related to another Trypillian site – Luka-Vrublivetska II. It was revealed that T. Passek used the new name, and then N. Vynogradova. The latter also attributed the settlement to the Zalischyky group of Trypillia culture. From the description of the ceramic complex of the site, and also taking into account the fragments published by N. Vynogradova, conclusions were drawn that agree with the definition of the relative chronology of Luka-Vrublivetska II, which was proposed by S. Bibikov, and it was assigned not to the Zalischyky group of the stage Trypillia BI– BII, but to the sites of the final of Trypillia BI. It was noted that the Luka-Vrublivetska II site is located on the high plateau of the left bank of the Dnister river 3–3.5 km northwest of the Luka-Vrublivetska village almost opposite the right-bank Makarivka khutir. It has been suggested that this very circumstance probably contributed to the fact that T. Passek, and later N. Vynogradova, renamed this site from Luka-Vrublivetska II to Makarivka. This change of the primary name of Luka-Vrublivetska II to Makarivka is uncaused and has created confusion in the literature. It is proposed to use the name assigned to the site by its discoverer S. Bibikov – Luka-Vrublivetsika II. Since Makarivka Trypillian settlement exists, located near the village of the same name, discovered by M. Rudynskyi i S. Bibikov O. Chernysh in 1950 and examined in 2022. In addition, the sites are situated not only on opposite banks of the Dnister river, but also in different regions of the country: Makarivka in Chernivtsi, and Luka-Vrublivetska II – in Khmelnytskyi. Keywords: Eneolithic Age, ceramics, painted ornament, Makarivka, Luka-Vrublivetska II, relative chronology

Reproduction of the Sacred Significance of the Ritual “Binocular” Plastic Arts of the Trypillia Culture

The article deals with the analysis of the religious component in the manifestations of ritual plastic arts of the Trypillia ethno-cultural community. The author brings into consideration one of the “visiting cards” of the Trypillia civilization—“binocular” (biconical) ceramic plastic arts, which became one of the most characteristic visual markers of the culture.

Place and Time at Trypillia Mega-Sites: Towards a New Synthesis of Analyses and Social Theory

The Trypillia mega-sites (‘TMS’) form an exceptional aspect of the broader Cucuteni–Trypillia group in the Balkan and East European Neolithic and Chalcolithic. The TMS are currently the largest sites and the earliest urban complexes in Eurasia in the fourth millennium cal. bc. In this article, we chart the trajectories of theoretical and methodological development of TMS research. We build on the social implications of the Visibility Graph Analysis of Nebelivka and Bayesian modelling of three significant TMS. In the key section, we examine TMS in the light of three points made in Graeber and Wengrow’s book The Dawn of Everything: cultural schismogenesis, the three elementary forms of freedom, and those of domination. The integration of the latest analytical results and political theory provides a new platform for future investigations of TMS.