AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY AND DRAWINGS OF THE LATE SCYTHIAN HILLFORTS OF THE LOWER DNIEPER: THE WORK OF KOSTIANTYN SHYSHKIN

Abstract

In the course of work on clarifying the role of Kostiantyn Shyshkin in the formation of archaeological research based on aerial photography, we managed to find in the Scientific works collection of the Scientific Archive of the Institute of Archaeology, NAS of Ukraine a separate folder of this researcher. It contained, together with other materials and part of personal correspondence, the photocopies of aerial photography of four areas on the right bank of the Lower Dnieper and photocopies of the drawings of four Late Scythian hillforts, made on the basis of these aerial photographs: Hannivske, Havrylivske, Konsulivske and Sablukivske hillforts.

The careful analysis of graphic materials and correspondence made it possible to find out that the original sources of aerial photographs were too small in scale to detect the sites. To identify and map them the researcher had to enlarge the photographs 7 times to achieve the image suitable for study. Then, after analyzing the pictures, identifying the sites and their individual features, he drew a map plan of the site on a scale of 1 : 5000 which was already quite suitable for further processing.

The main features that can be distinguished on the basis of Kostiantyn Shyshkin’s drawings are the defensive structures of these sites (partly unknown now) and the selection of agricultural areas in the close surroundings of the hillforts and sometimes also additionally defended by fortification. It is quite possible to assume that he followed the general scheme — the central hillfort — craft suburbs — agricultural land — necropolis, although this is not yet confirmed by his manuscripts.

Thus, the discovered new materials show us the possibility of using aerial photography in archaeological research of the Soviet period, some issues of their making and use. The aerial photos handled to the archive by Kostiantyn Shyshkin and the drawings of four Late-Scythian hillforts, created on their basis, are a valuable source for the history of the development of Ukrainian archeology and, in particular, Scythian studies. We can consider some of their special features to be required for further careful study.