ARCHAEOLOGICAL EXPLORATION OF THE FORTIFICATION OF ANNALISTIC VOLODYMYR IN 2018

Abstract

For the first time in the history of archeological research in Volodymyr the cross-section of the ramparts of «Valy» hill-fort were made. According to external morphological features the hill-fort belongs to the «Volyn type», and most researchers consider it to be remains of the citadel of annalistic city. There is no direct evidence of the latter but the available written sources directly indicate the location of the brick castle of Casimir the Great in the 14^th century and the later wooden-earthen headman’s castle. Just the main task of the work was to ascertain the conformity of the ramparts to these objects.

The internal structure of the rampart was explored by laying a stepped trench measuring 2 × 11 m at the end of the rampart at the place of its gap (entrance to the territory of hill-fort). The cross-section made it possible to record the stratigraphic column of layers and backfills for more than 6 m long and to ascertain the general picture of the rampart construction.

It was learned that the embankment of the rampart was carried out above the level of the cultural layer which occured on a yellow homogeneous loess-like loam (possibly the virgin soil). The generalization of the layers traced above for 5.96 m allows us to identify three of their main groups which probably reflect the sequence of erecting of the rampart at this area.

The first large-scale backfill, which formed the basis of the embankment, was traced in the square 5. It consisted mainly of yellow loess-like loam with inclusions of limestone fragments.

The middle part of the embankment was explored in squares 2—4, where the complex stratigraphic sequence of various layers and strata have been traced, which, in addition to loess-like yellow loam with limestone fragments, included the larger backfills of dark gray sand with inclusions of yellow loam and the same soil with inclusions of debris.

Finally, the upper part of the embankment, explored in the square 1, consisted of dark gray humused sand with inclusions of clay and charcoal. Since this layer contained a lot of pottery of the Late Middle Ages, it is possible that this is a filling of the late medieval building inserted into the embankment.

The research revealed material from different times, dating from the Bronze Age to nowadays. The dating of the embankment of rampart is indicated by the findings of late medieval pottery in its middle part. They confirm the written reports about the construction of a wooden-earthen headman’s castle in the 15^th century.

Some structural features of the rampart are in good agreement with historical data. In particular, the first backfill at the base of the embankment of yellow loess-like loam had significant inclusions of fragments of limestone, which may be the remains of the masonry of the walls of Casimir the Great castle, dismantled in 1370.

Dating the construction of rampart to the 15^th century indicates that the explored hill-fort was not the citadel of Old Volodymyr. On the other hand, it allows us to re-date at least the part of hill-forts of «Volyn type», which are traditionally attributed to the 10^th—11^th centuries.