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Already in the late 1950s J. G. D. Clark outlined the important changes that took place at the end of the Mesolithic period in many regions of Europe, North Africa and the Near East, which led to the production of chipped stone assemblages characterized by parallel-sided blades and different types of trapezoidal arrowheads. This paper discusses the origin, chronology, eventual spread, and distribution of the new assemblages that suddenly, almost contemporaneously made their appearance in many different territories of the Old World in the light of the discoveries made during the last fifty years.
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The article presents new data on the LBK architecture coming from recent geophysical and archaeological investigations on the territory of the Republic of Moldova. Combining geomagnetic prospections and test-trenches we have proved that the architecture of eastern LBK communities from the Prut-Nistru interfluve is very similar to the one known from Central-European settlements, namely the presence of longhouses with postholes accompanied by parallel-running long pits. In contrast to Central Europe, the presence of a thick chernozem layer above the Neolithic features as well as the effect of heavy bioturbations complicate both the recognition of dugout features and the interpretation of geomagnetic plots. Nevertheless, our research has shown that the geophysical identification of eastern LBK features is essentially possible, bringing to the reconsideration of some of the results of older investigations.
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Our study encompassed the area of Lesser Poland and is aimed to trace the evolution of the Linear Band Pottery culture (LBK) and of the Malice culture (MC). The study is focused on mineralogical and petrographic composition of clay as well as the component quantity ratios. Pottery analysed in this article was excaveted from Targowisko, located in the western part of the discussed territory and Rozbórz, located in the eastern part of it. Samples were assigned to groups using the hierarchical cluster analysis. The results of technological analyzes reinforce the hypothesis about the genesis of MC in the eastern part of Lesser Poland. It is certified by technological similarity of LBK and MC pottery in Rozbórz. Then MC spread to other regions of Lesser Poland, as evidenced by the lack of technological links between LBK and MC in other regions.
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Basing on a compact analysis of the Precucuteni dwellings’ construction, evolution of ceramics, anthropomorphic representations and funerary rites, the author finds inappropriate the term of „Precucuteni culture”, spread in Romanian archaeology, pointing rather to a linear evolution between Precucuteni and Cucuteni A stages. Thus, Precucuteni is rather a distinctive chronological horizon within Precucuteni-Ariuşd-Cucuteni/Trypolie Cultural Complex, with three evolutionary phases. Consequently, this article brings arguments in favour of using the term „Precucuteni chronological horizon” as part of Precucuteni-Ariuşd-Cucuteni/Trypolie Cultural Complex, which corresponds, generally, to phase Trypolie A (according to Passek’s periodization).
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The author uses palynological data to offer a reconstruction of landscape and climate in the vicinity of the Eneolithic settlement of Kartal. The pollen section should be considered extremely valid, since it is made in buried soil. The period of the Bolgrad-Aldeni accounted for the climatic optimum of the Holocene. This fact has been repeatedly pointed out by experts. This warm and humid cycle of oceanic climate largely contributed to the development of agrarian cultures of the early Eneolithic. Termination of life in Kartal in the period of the Bolgrad-Aldeni and subsequent population gap, which falls on the second half of the VI Millennium (5500—5000 BP), based on available data, was not accompanied by any abrupt climatic fluctuations. However, by the time Cernavoda I population appeared in Kartal, the climatic situation had become much less comfortable than in the Gumelnita period. In the most general terms, we can talk about a much more continental climate, general aridity and, consequently, low humidity.
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In meinem Beitrag stelle ich die 14C-Datierungen für Bestattungen zusammen, die als älteste Beisetzungen unter Grabhügeln in der Steppe nördlich des Schwarzen Meeres gelten können. Diese werden mit Daten für Tumuli in Südosteuropa verglichen, um eine mögliche chronologische Priorität für den Beginn der Errichtung von Grabhügeln in einem der beiden Gebiete feststellen zu können. Leider reicht die Datierungsgrundlage in beiden Regionen noch längst nicht aus. So kann lediglich bestätigt werden, dass im späten Äneolithikum bzw. in den letzten Jahrhunderten des 4. Jts. v. Chr. der Grabhügel zu einem weit verbreiteten konstruktiven Element in Osteuropa wird. Aber auch in Südosteuropa wurden Bestattungen in Grabhügeln nicht erst mit dem Beginn der Jamnaja-Kultur angelegt, so dass Interaktionen zwischen Populationen der Steppenzone und dem Karpaten-Balkan-Raum auch anhand von Grabkonstruktionen und Bestattungssitten während des 4. Jts. v. Chr. deutlich sichtbar werden.
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The article presents preliminary information on a Copper Age flat cemetery with stone constructions, investigated in the northern part of the island Khortytsia (on the territory of the city Zaporizhzhia) on the Dnieper river.Burials of children in graves with stone constructions were laid out in two rows. Each burial was covered with a small “cairn”, built of stone slabs and various other stones placed around and on top of the slabs. In addition, stone circles adjoin each burial “cairn” from its southern side. The circles consist of small stones and pebbles placed on the ancient surface. Each stone “cairn” containing a child burial was connected with a stone circle, together they formed a so-called “burial complex”. In total, nine such complexes were excavated.Unfortunately, only in two graves the fragments of the children’s skulls were preserved. We do not know the exact funerary rite employed in the burials. Some vessels, copper ornaments and pieces of ochre were found directly in the burials, but many fragments of Eneolithic ceramics of the so-called “Kvitiana type” were collected from the ancient surface. All artifacts are very similar to finds from the so-called “extended burials” of the Black Sea steppe area. According to radiocarbon dates available both from sites of Trypillian culture (stages BII—CI; CI) and from kurgan steppe burials, we can date the cemetery by the first part of the IV millennium BC.
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The Middle and Late Chalcolithic settlement of Provadia-Solnitsata was exceptionally well fortified. Remains of three major, successively existing Chalcolithic fortification systems (4700—4200 BC) have been excavated. The massive and high stone walls enclosing it on all sides were the best protection for both the wealth gained as a result of salt production and trade, and for the lives of its residents. There has been no evidence so far of the existence of such a stone citadel during the fifth millennium BC in Europe which, apart from everything else, was an incredible achievement of the military theory and the building art. Its construction and reconstruction after several subsequent large earthquakes was an exclusively labor-consuming activity which involved the efforts of many people including highly specialized builders. That could have been done only for a sufficient amount of ‘money’, i. e. salt. The fortress of Provadia-Solnitsata could have been erected, maintained, rebuilt and extended only as a military center and a symbol of the power of the Middle and Late Chalcolithic community in the area of the Provadiyska River.
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Remains of burnt down structures have been lately considered to be evidence of incineration ritual, common for Trypillian settlements at the final stage of their existence. At the same time, as demonstrated by digs on different settlements (starting from the smallest ones, like Lenkivtsi or Polyvaniv Yar, and up to such giants as Maidanetske, Olkhovets and Kosenovka), the incineration ritual could have been used repeatedly in their history. Meanwhile, the results of some `interim’ rituals — such as burnt houses — were supposed to be fully or partly buried in pits. And only when a settlement was to be abandoned forever, provided that it was not replaced by another settlement, everything was to remain in its place. The rite of `interim’ incineration, as suggested by the data we have collected, had been practiced from Trypillia A to early СІІ stage.The fact that, in most cases, material collected in such `burials’ and from debris of burnt structures found close to the surface is indistinguishable, we can conclude that all such finds can be attributed to the same chronological phase. Its duration, given the package of radiocarbon dates from Maidanetske, could last for 150—200 years. Currently, it would be difficult to ultimately determine the reason for an `interim’ ritual — whether it was a calendar cycle or a certain case, or some special circumstances that imposed this action.We are tempted to conclude that dwellings were not supposed to neighbor debris of burnt houses left on the surface. The latter was supposed to be placed in a pit, while this action could be accompanied by an offering (pit 50 from Maidanetske, etc.). The rite included placing in the pit of meat/bones of sacrificed animals (skulls, horns), ceramic ware (vessels, sometimes a ceramic model of sledge (`the idea of road’ after B. I. Balabina), zoomorphic and, especially, anthropomorphic figurines), tools (an antler hoe was found on the bottom of many such pits, with different degrees of preservation), use of fire.We should also draw attention to the fact that such objects were found at different, sometimes rather remote parts of the settlement at Maidanetske. This means that the `interim’ ritual associated with `burial’ of houses was practiced by inhabitants of several structures of the settlement, who might belong to different groups (large families, clans). This ritual might be used to commit a certain part of the settlement to such social groups.
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This paper examines the relation between long-term trends in the demographic development and evolution of socio-political organization and economy of settlements and settlement cluster. Case studies dealing with Butmir and Tripolye sites do not show a significant correlation between the population proxies and economic and/or socio-political increase.
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The article defines typology of small Maikop-Novosvobodnaya community vessels, which are commonly known in archaeological literature as beakers and tulip-shaped vessels. There is a perception that these forms are similar to the vessels of the funnel beaker cultures, and reflect the migration of the latter tribes to the Ciscaucasia, which enabled the formation of Novosvobodnaya group of sites. The article presents a typological analysis of the Western Caucasus beakers and an overview of the forms of goblets of Trichtenbecher culture published by R. Kossian (2005). The author concludes about almost complete absence of typical ornamented Trichtenbecher beakers in Western Ciscaucasia. This outcome of the benchmarking analysis does not enable treating the carriers of the funnel beaker cultures as initiators of the formation of spiritual and material culture of the Novosvobodnaya community tribes in the piedmont Adygea.
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The archaeological research on a multilayered late Tripolian settlement Chirileni III conducted by the author in 1988 revealed a kiln dated by the Chirileni time of CII stage of Cucuteni-Tripolian culture. The kiln contained a unique find, i. e. geometrically painted amphora with two scenes of female ritual dances. The objective of this article is a detailed publication of this find with extended description and analysis. The author suggests that the scenes could mean spring-summer rites of the Cucuteni-Tripolian agricultural calendar, related to important religious dates and accompanied by dances. The author maintains that the amphora and the dances depicted on it are connected with the cult of the Goddess of Animals — the local Artemis — a highly esteemed goddess among the Cucuteni-Tripolian bearers. The fact that this goddess played a very important role among the Cucuteni-Tripolian population is confirmed by its images on earlier painted ceramics, where she is depicted as a Great Goddess invested with a number of functions: the Goddess of Hunting and the Goddess-Patron of Animals, the Goddess of Earth and vegetal fertility, as well as the Goddess of Moon and moon calendar.
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The article represents information about the archaeological situations in the microzone of Trinca, Edineţ district, Republic of Moldova, where there have been discovered five sites with different materials, characteristic of the Middle and Late Eneolithic. Excavations were conducted on two settlements (Izvorul lui Luca and La Şanţ), and resulted in unearthing dwelling, manufacturing and utility complexes as well as some pottery. The other three were recorded during some saving excavations. All sites rank high on both sides of the gorge formed by the river Draghişte.
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Article treats the cultural and historical situation during the Late Eneolithic-Early Bronze Age, and the role of steppe pastoral populations in cultural transformations that took place in the world of early farmers (such as the forest-steppe zone of Ukraine, and areas to the west of it). Apparently, the population of Yamnaya (Pit Grave) culture, moving to the territory previously occupied by Tripolian tribes, was not related to the death of protocities. There is no reason to explain all the cultural changes in Europe during Paleometal epoch by the influx of new-comers — their causes could be quite varied. In this context, one should speak rather of the interaction of different cultures, influences of cultural and ideological traditions, which were manifested in the individual micro-regions in a variety of ways.
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This paper is devoted to the publication and analysis of the letters written by N. E. Makarenko to A. M. Talgren in the period from March 1917 till September 1935. The letters are kept in the Manuscript Department of the Finland National Library. The correspondence is divided in three periods: Petrograd period (March—April 1917), Kiev period (October 1925 — March 1934) and Kazan period (September 1935). The subject of the correspondence were publications in the journal “Eurasia Septentrionalis Antiqua”, excavations of the Mariupol burial mound, Makarenko’s efforts to organize the archeological research in Kiev etc. The dramatic events in Makarenko’s private life, such as exile, detention and execution on 4 January 1938 were also reflected in this correspondence. The letters are supplied with comments and notes.
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Advance in development of theory in prehistory is one of the directions of improvements of the prehistoric research. It may also have impact on the way prehistory has been integrated into the theoretical research.The systematic approach in prehistoric research follows the general qualification of the scholarly approaches by using quantitative and qualitative methods, typically in combination (QlQnI approach — a qualitative-quantitative integrative approach).The archaeological study usually misses the social sciences methodology based on a literature review, revealing the gaps and filling of the gaps. This three step research has been substituted by approaches which rarely would include a critical analysis of the previous research and rarely explain what exactly and how the used records fill specific gaps related to well defined research question.The emerging theory on filling of gaps considers critical approach, debating, generating a system of new arguments, cross-discipline interactions, new theories and new ways of bridging prehistory and contemporary culture.
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The article examines the snake as a mythological character of folk traditions of Europe, Western and Southern Asia and Africa, in the aspect of their sex and marital connection with a person, idea of the relationship of man and snake, as reflected in the fairy-tale and folklore. Fairy tales and ethnographic evidence reveal a snake as a human counterpart (both living and dead), the connection with the birth of the human snake, the reincarnation of the deceased into a snake and the snake — into a newborn. Special attention is paid to the idea of the snake as a tribal ancestor (totemism), and how the snake is related to male and female initiation. The article addresses the relationship of the snake with the elements (fire, water, earth, air), parts of the home (fireplace, oven), the world of plants, the world of the dead.
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More than eight years ago A. A. Romanchuk, basing on the analysis of archaeological, paleobotanical and linguistic data, suggested the localization of the Dene-Sino-Caucasian Motherland in Eastern Eurasia. The “East-Eurasian hypothesis” of Dene-Sino-Caucasian Motherland had found new confirmations from the analysis of physical anthropology’s data: odontological and craniological ones.The previous results suggest the localization of Dene-Caucasian Motherland in the area of so-called “Chinese-Siberian Late Upper Paleolithic”.This article presents main results of verification of East-Eurasian hypothesis of Dene-Caucasian Motherland through the light of genogeographical data — investigations of haplogroups of Y-chromosome, first of all. The genogeographical data support the East-Eurasian hypothesis. So, we come to conclusion that the spread of R haplogroup from Eastern Eurasia into the western parts of continent, which occurred in the end of Late Pleistocene — Early Holocene, was closely related with Sino-Caucasian peoples.
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