EXEMPLARY CERAMIC COMPLEX OF THE BILOHRUDIVKA HORIZONT IN VOLYN FROM STARYI LIUBAR

Abstract

As of today, the scientific literature lacks any ceramic complex from the territory of Volyn that could be associated with the Bilohrudivka horizon of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe. Accordingly, a rather representative ceramic collection from the site of Staryi Liubar—Villa, fully presented for the first time in this article, is relevant. The site was discovered by O. V. Hladunenko and excavated in 1999 in collaboration with V. O. Samoliuk. Currently, these materials are housed in the collections of the Netyshyn Local Lore Museum, where both researchers were employed at the time.

The first samples of ceramics were discovered from the erosion of the low right side of the stream at its confluence with the Sluch River in the village of Stariy Lubar, Zhytomyr region. A trench measuring 5 Ч 2.5 m was excavated at the site. No traces of archaeological objects were found. However, at a depth of 0.6—0.8 m, a large number of ceramic fragments were unearthed. In total, 52 diagnostic vessel specimens were identified. All ceramics are well-fired, colored in various shades of gray, brown, and brick red. The molding mass of all vessels contains inclusions of crushed stone, often in combination with sand. The surface of the vessels is well smoothed, with roughness evident to a varying degree depending on the amount of inclusions. The only decoration on the pots is rollers: both smooth and embossed. The collection is dominated by bowls with a funnel-shaped, slightly convex body. They all have rims bent inward. A separate type of bowl is represented by vessels with an S-shaped profile. A restored specimen of big vessel has a biconical shape. There are two small vessels that can be attributed to cups, although it cannot be excluded that they were pitchers. Another vessel, represented by fragments of unornamented rims, cannot be assigned to any specific vessel form.

The site at Staryi Liubar provides grounds for placing it in a relative position between the final horizon of the Trzciniec cultural circle and the Mogiliany group of the Early Iron Age. It currently stands as the sole representative of a separate horizon that can be correlated with the Bilohrudivka culture (the Bilohrudivka horizon) of the Right-Bank Forest-Steppe. Thus, these three horizons can be placed sequentially in the cultural development scheme of South-Eastern Volyn. However, it is worth considering the significant territorial distance of Staryi Liubar, as all the discussed sites are located between the rivers Styr and Horyn, and further refinement of this scheme may be necessary.

Comparing the collection from Staryi Liubar with other known reference complexes of the Bilohrudivka culture, we find analogies for all vessel forms. However, bowls with rims bent inward are represented only at settlements in Malopolovetske. We believe that their appearance and wide distribution should be associated with the northern part of the Bilohrudivka culture’s range.