Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results
In the article, the results of research at the Scythian period ashmound near Mohrytsia village are presented. The topography of the site and the methods of its investigation are described in detail. The materials from the Scythian period and other epochs discovered during excavations are discu...
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2023
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irk-123456789-1995922024-10-17T20:29:11Z Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results Bilynskyi, O.O. Khodukina, Yu.M. Pototskyi, O.S. Статті In the article, the results of research at the Scythian period ashmound near Mohrytsia village are presented. The topography of the site and the methods of its investigation are described in detail. The materials from the Scythian period and other epochs discovered during excavations are discussed. Based on the obtained material, the article addresses questions regarding the interpretation of the site’s functions and the specifics of its formation. The hypothesis is put forward about the possible use of mounds for marking specific societies within the Scythian Forest-Steppe region. Виявлені нещодавно зольники скіфського часу на Пслі не лише фактом своєї наявності, але й через надзвичайну насиченість знахідками мають чималий потенціал для дослідження, що дозволяє отримати велику кількість масового матеріалу з невеликої дослідженої площі. Задля досягнення максимальної ефективності дослідження зольника був розроблений комплексний підхід до його вивчення. Основною метою стала якомога точніша фіксація та орієнтація на масові знахідки. Для цього весь ґрунт просіювався, а деяка частина промивалася, максимально часто фіксувалася стратиграфія. У процесі розкопок відбиралися проби для вивчення за допомогою FTIR-спектроскопії. Для виробів із бронзи та частини репрезентативних вінець встановлювався хімічний склад за допомогою РФА. Крем’яний та остеологічний матеріал опрацьовували фахівці з відповідних епох та тем. У процесі дослідження було виявлено понад 61 тис. знахідок, більшість яких представлена масовим матеріалом. Серед інформативних знахідок до скіфського часу належала колекція шпильок, стріл, виробів із кістки та каменю. Проте просіювання допомогло зафіксувати низку матеріалів інших епох — фрагменти посуду від доби енеоліту-ранньої бронзи до модерного часу та вироби з кременю. Проведені зазначеними методами дослідження дозволили порушити кілька дискусійних тем. Передусім це цікавість населення скіфського часу до белемнітів, слідів життєдіяльності в попередні епохи та можливе повторне використання кременю. Іншою важливою темою є призначення зольників як типу пам’яток. Проведені дослідження дозволяють описати вивчений зольник як місце скидання попелу з вогнища та території навколо нього, уламків обмазки жител та вогнища, які постійно осипалися, та деяких побутових відходів. Остання тема стосується того, що поселення із зольниками можна розглядати як наслідок окремої суспільної практики, яка була притаманна не всьому населенню Скіфії, а окремим його групам в конкретні проміжки часу, що відкриває можливість для вивчення системи заселення. 2023 Article Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results / O.O. Bilynskyi, Yu.M. Khodukina, O.S. Pototskyi // Археологія. — 2023. — № 4. — С. 5-20. — Бібліогр.: 44 назв. — англ. 0235-3490 DOI: https://doi.org/10.15407/arheologia2023.04.005 http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/199592 [904.4:66.042](466.52)"638" en Археологія Інститут археології НАН України |
| institution |
Digital Library of Periodicals of National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine |
| collection |
DSpace DC |
| language |
English |
| topic |
Статті Статті |
| spellingShingle |
Статті Статті Bilynskyi, O.O. Khodukina, Yu.M. Pototskyi, O.S. Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results Археологія |
| description |
In the article, the results of research at the
Scythian period ashmound near Mohrytsia village
are presented. The topography of the site and
the methods of its investigation are described in
detail. The materials from the Scythian period
and other epochs discovered during excavations
are discussed. Based on the obtained material,
the article addresses questions regarding the
interpretation of the site’s functions and the
specifics of its formation. The hypothesis is put
forward about the possible use of mounds for
marking specific societies within the Scythian
Forest-Steppe region. |
| format |
Article |
| author |
Bilynskyi, O.O. Khodukina, Yu.M. Pototskyi, O.S. |
| author_facet |
Bilynskyi, O.O. Khodukina, Yu.M. Pototskyi, O.S. |
| author_sort |
Bilynskyi, O.O. |
| title |
Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results |
| title_short |
Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results |
| title_full |
Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results |
| title_fullStr |
Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results |
| title_sort |
scythian period ashmound near mohrytsia: research methods and results |
| publisher |
Інститут археології НАН України |
| publishDate |
2023 |
| topic_facet |
Статті |
| url |
http://dspace.nbuv.gov.ua/handle/123456789/199592 |
| citation_txt |
Scythian Period Ashmound Near Mohrytsia: Research Methods and Results / O.O. Bilynskyi, Yu.M. Khodukina, O.S. Pototskyi // Археологія. — 2023. — № 4. — С. 5-20. — Бібліогр.: 44 назв. — англ. |
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Археологія |
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2024-10-18T04:02:07Z |
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2024-10-18T04:02:07Z |
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| fulltext |
ISSN 0235-3490 (Print), ISSN 2616-499X (Online). Археологія, 2023, № 4 5
Публiкацiї
археологiчних матерiалiв
УДК[904.4:66.042](466.52)"638"
https://doi.org/10.15407/arheologia2023.04.005
* BILYNSKYI Oleh Olehovych — PhD, Associated
Professor, National University of “Kyiv-Mohyla
Academy”, Archaeology Department, ORCID: 0000-
0002-5821-5114, o.bilynskyi@ukma.edu.ua
KHODUKINA Yuliia Mykolaivna — PhD student, National
University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy”, Archaeology
Department, ORCID: 0000-0003-3925-7420, yu.khodukina@
ukma.edu.ua
POTOTSKYI Oleksii Serhiiovych — PhD student,
Institute of Archaeology, National Academy of Sciences
of Ukraine, Early Iron Age Archaeology Department,
ORCID: 0000-0003-4618-838X, potocki.alexey@gmail.com
© O. O. BILYNSKYI, Yu. M. KHODUKINA,
O. S. POTOTSKYI* 2023
SCYTHIAN PERIOD ASHMOUND NEAR MOHRYTSIA:
RESEARCH METHODS AND RESULTS
In the article, the results of research at the
Scythian period ashmound near Mohrytsia village
are presented. The topography of the site and
the methods of its investigation are described in
detail. The materials from the Scythian period
and other epochs discovered during excavations
are discussed. Based on the obtained material,
the article addresses questions regarding the
interpretation of the site’s functions and the
specifics of its formation. The hypothesis is put
forward about the possible use of mounds for
marking specific societies within the Scythian
Forest-Steppe region.
K e y w o r d s: Forest-Steppe, Eneolithic — Bronze
Age, Scythian period, flint tools, ashmounds,
communal practice, settlement patterns, regional
division of the Scythian Forest-Steppe.
Introduction
Scythian period sites in the Psel River region can
currently be considered as significantly under-
explored. The last comprehensive study of these
monuments was presented in a monograph based
on the dissertation of P. Ya. Havrysh (Гавриш
2000). The researcher primarily focused on the
materials he and other scholars obtained from the
Knyshivka hillfort and its vicinity. He noted the
similarity between the materials from the Bilsk
hillfort and referred to this area as the periphery of
the latter (Гавриш 1996, p. 21). Northern territo-
ries around Lebedyn, Sumy, and Oboian were pre-
dominantly investigated by researchers specialis-
ing in other epochs. Consequently, they appeared
in the literature and reports mainly as points with
a few ceramic fragments. In such a situation, it is
not surprising that a new type of site for the re-
gion — ashmounds — was only discovered here
in the 2000s during land allocation works for con-
struction by archaeological survey of the Service
for the Protection of Archaeological Heritage of
Ukraine (OASU)1(Білинський, Кабанов 2015,
p. 124). Currently, there are more than ten loca-
tions with ashmounds in the Psel basin, each con-
taining several dozens of mounds. Publication of
surveys conducted in the Kursk region of the Rus-
sian Federation (Кашкин 1998, 2000) and active
investigations by the OASU staff in the Ukrain-
ian part of the river basin have revealed another
feature of the region. It now appears quite densely
populated. In areas where prospecting was active-
ly conducted, dozens of settlements can be found
at relatively short distances from each other. De-
spite their number, the materials from these sites,
especially those published, are extremely scarce.
Moreover, the situation with the reconstruction
of cultural and social processes that occurred dur-
ing Scythian times is also far from ideal. Most re-
cent studies employ the sites in the Psel region,
primarily focusing on individual finds and the
region’s settlement patterns. This approach has
served as the foundation for the latest research in
this area (Білинський, Кабанов 2015; Гречко,
Билинский, Кушнир 2021). While this approach
ISSN 0235-3490 (Print), ISSN 2616-499X (Online). Археологія, 2023, № 46
has been successful, the absence of data on mass
finds not only hinders precise dating of the re-
gion’s sites, but also complicates the construction
of a comprehensive understanding of them, mak-
ing comparisons with neighbouring regions more
challenging.
Apart from being a new type of site, which is sig-
nificant by itself, ashmounds also hold substantial
potential for the study of mass material culture. In
the forest-steppe, we recognise them as barrow-like
mounds with diameters of up to several dozen meters
and heights of 4—5 meters. The layers of ashmounds
are exceptionally rich in various artefacts. While
some mounds contain residential structures, burials,
household pits, and possibly ritual objects, it can be
argued that the mass material culture of ashmounds
is not distinct from what we observe at settlements.
Therefore, they perfectly reflect mass material cul-
ture by concentrating a lot of artefacts in one place.
In the current situation with the degree of research
in the Psel River basin, it was of utmost importance
to have a relatively substantial sample of materi-
al culture items, even from a few “reference” sites,
from which data could be extrapolated to the entire
region. It was precisely for this purpose that, within
the framework of the program to study the Scythi-
an period sites in the Psel region2, archaeological re-
search on a Scythian ashmound near Mohrytsia vil-
lage in Sumy Oblast was initiated by the Archaeo-
logical Expedition of the “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.”3
Location and site overview
The location with ashmounds near Mohrytsia
was initially discovered by a local resident, Danyil
Sorokin. He subsequently transferred all findings and
data about the site to the staff of the Sumy Regional
Museum of Local History. In 2020 the area was sur-
veyed, and the presence of a group of ashmounds,
consisting of several dozens of mounds, was con-
firmed (Білинський, Ходукіна 2020). An explorato-
ry trench was dug on one of them, which confirmed
the presence of a rich layer of ash and artefacts from
2 Project “Settlement Patterns in the Scythian Forest-Steppe:
Case Study on the Psel River Basin” at the National
University of “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy.”
3 Fieldwork was conducted throughout the 2021 field
season. We had unquestionably planned to continue it in
the following year; however, these plans were disrupted
by the full-scale invasion of Russia. Currently, the site is
located within a 10-kilometer zone along the border, access
to which is restricted for civilians. As soon as conditions
permit, we will intend to return to the site and finish our
research.
a cultural stratum. The following year, we returned to
the site for full-scale excavations. One of the smallest
mounds, with a height of approximately 0.2 meters,
was selected for investigation. At the outset of the re-
search, the mound visually covered an area with a di-
ameter of 12 meters, but during the excavation pro-
cess, it became clear that it extended further in all di-
rections.
Overall, the excavation site is situated in a mixed
forest, predominantly composed of pine trees, at an
elevation of approximately 20 meters above the
Psel, which is about 300 meters away. Despite its
anomalous altitude, the site was identified as an
ancient dune formation, which, judging from its
height, had likely been formed during the process
of the Psel River valley formation, possibly during
glacial melting. This is evident on the topographic
map of the region (fig. 1). These conclusions were
also confirmed during the excavations. The natu-
ral layer consisted of golden alluvial sand with no-
ticeable clay inclusions and limestone concretions,
which can be associated with very ancient geologi-
cal processes. Above the strata of the ashmound for-
mation from the Scythian period, there was a lay-
er of forest soil. The presence of a forest is further
confirmed by numerous gaps in the cultural layer,
which resulted from tree falls, and, according to
stratigraphy, the area had not been ploughed (fig. 2).
General Overview of Excavation Methods and
Their Results
Ashmounds from the Scythian period have
been known to researchers for a long time. Their
exploration has begun almost simultaneously with
the studying of settlement sites. The first excava-
tions were likely conducted at the Bilsk hillfort
by V. O. Horodtsov (Городцов 1911). Since then,
ashmounds have been excavated during the re-
search of settlements throughout the Forest-Steppe
region.
A common feature of all these investigations
has been the use of a methodology traditionally em-
ployed for the study of settlement sites, specifically,
excavations with wide trenches and the tracking of
general stratigraphy. And this approach led to sig-
nificant results including microchronology, which
was constructed by studying findings from specific
layers at the Bilsk hillfort (Шрамко 2006). The re-
search of the ashmound at Tsyrkuny hillfort helped
to trace the trend of uneven distribution of findings
across the site area, suggesting the specifics of its
formation (Пеляшенко 2017).
ISSN 0235-3490 (Print), ISSN 2616-499X (Online). Археологія, 2023, № 4 7
Fig. 1. Map of Scythian period Psel River region sites near Sumy: 1 — hillforts; 2 — unfortified settlements; 3 — ashmounds;
4 — settlement borders
On the other hand, the issue of the origin and
purpose of ashmounds remains open, and there is
no consensus among researchers regarding the in-
terpretation of this type of site. Therefore, the pri-
mary task is to meticulously document the char-
acteristics of the archaeological complex during
fieldwork to obtain more information. The key
metrics to assess the results of such research in-
clude the approximate quantity of findings, the
number of stratigraphy sections (the total length in
meters relative to the excavation area), and inter-
disciplinary research.
Methods Used in the Research
In the investigation of the ashmound near
Mohrytsia, previous experiences from similar
sites were taken into consideration. The prima-
ry goal of our research was to enhance infor-
mativeness within the limitations of fieldwork.
Fig. 2. Eastern profile E1-E6, south-western sector: 1 — forest soil; 2 — light brown layer; 3 — dark brown layer; 4 — dark
chestnut forest soil; 5 — black-and-ash layer; 6 — upper ash layer; 7 — middle ash layer; 8 — lower ash layer; 9 — pre-natural
ash sand; 10 — natural layer sand; 11 — natural layer
ISSN 0235-3490 (Print), ISSN 2616-499X (Online). Археологія, 2023, № 48
There were three main research objectives: to
study the homogeneity of the mound; investi-
gate the stratigraphy in all directions and maxim-
ise the documentation of findings per square me-
ter. To achieve these objectives, the entire soil of
the mound was sieved unit by unit and in layers.
A method for documenting the stratigraphy was
developed, which allowed making cross-sections
every two meters and one meter in all directions.
A sorting, counting, and documentation system
for mass findings was also established. In addi-
tion to these techniques, we decided to employ
as many interdisciplinary methods as possible to
comprehensively characterise the mound and its
discovered items.
First and foremost, the mound was divided into
four sectors based on cardinal directions (NW, SW,
NE, SE), each measuring 6 × 6 meters. The entire
mound was marked with a grid of 1 × 1 meter units
labelled with Latin letters and numbers, which com-
plemented the division into sectors. Some units re-
mained unexcavated due to the presence of trees
within the mound, which complicated the research.
Depth measurements were taken using a theodolite
positioned at the centre of the mound.
During the process of excavation of the cultural
layer, the entire soil was sifted. For this purpose, a
mesh with cell dimensions of 6 × 12 mm was used.
This meticulous procedure ensured that no find-
ings larger than these dimensions were lost. All
discovered findings were sorted and counted ac-
cording to the same scheme (unit, depth) and doc-
umented in tables. Consequently, each unit can be
characterised by the number of various categories
of findings and their percentage ratios. The stra-
tigraphy was documented in great detail. In the
SW sector, this involved a grid with 2-meter inter-
vals, both longitudinally and latitudinally. In the
NW sector, units were selected in a checkerboard
pattern, which allowed covering of all four sides,
reflecting half of them. This provided a complete
stratigraphy in both latitudinal and longitudinal
planes with a 1-meter step. Excavating in a check-
erboard pattern, followed by soil sifting, made it
impossible for findings from adjacent units to en-
ter, allowing a strict square-by-square documenta-
tion. In addition to soil sifting from certain units,
layers, and all objects, washing was performed
through a plastic mesh with cell dimensions of
approximately 1 × 1 mm. This process potential-
ly allowed discovery of not only light fractions
and charred seeds, but also small items that have
passed through the sieve.
For specific research purposes, external experts
were invited4. Flint artefacts were analysed by D. V.
Stupak5, while osteological material was examined
by M. V. Kublii6. Given the orientation towards in-
terdisciplinary methods, soil samples were col-
lected and later transferred for the Fourier-Trans-
form Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis to O.
V. Pykhova7. The FTIR spectroscopy is a method
that allows the identification of organic molecules
and the determination of their qualitative composi-
tion (Shillito et al. 2007). In our case, it was used
to assess the quantity of organic waste within the
layer, which had decomposed entirely by the time
of the study. A similar approach was applied to the
analysis of amber beads. During the data processing
stage, O. O. Andreiev8 conducted investigations of
bronze artefacts and the most representative vessel
rims using the X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis.
The XRF analysis permits the determination of met-
al content in samples and their proportions relative
to each other (Shackley 2014).
Stratigraphy of the Mound
During the investigation of the mound, several
primary layers were identified, which were related
to its construction and those formed due to natural
processes. In total, 58.5 m2 were investigated, and
the overall length of the recorded stratigraphy was
110 m, resulting in a stratigraphy ratio of 1.88 m
per square meter.
The uppermost layer was comprised of forest soil.
This layer was loose and heavily interwoven with
fine roots. It was present throughout the entire area
of the mound, with a thickness ranging from 0.1 to
0.2 m. This layer had already contained a significant
number of various finds. It can be assumed that this
layer had been formed after the site ceased to be ac-
tive and is associated with soil formation in the for-
est. Below this layer and sometimes overlapping with
it, three additional layers were identified. All of these
were the result of natural soil formation processes
4 A series of separate publications will be dedicated to the
dissemination of the results of these studies.
5 PhD in Archaeology, Researcher in the Archaeology of the
Stone Age Department at the Institute of Archaeology of
the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
6 PhD in Archaeology, Researcher in the Bioarchaeology
Department at the Institute of Archaeology of the National
Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.
7 PhD Student at Nizhyn Mykola Gogol State University.
8 PhD in Geology, Leading Researcher of the Physical-Chem-
ical Research Department at the National Research and
Restoration Centre of Ukraine
ISSN 0235-3490 (Print), ISSN 2616-499X (Online). Археологія, 2023, № 4 9
and not associated with human activity. Their thick-
ness rarely exceeded 0.1 m, and the finds were iden-
tical to those in the uppermost layer.
The upper ash layer (fig. 2: 6), located just be-
neath the forest soil, was unequivocally formed
as a result of human activity. This layer was quite
dense and had a distinct presence of ash, as well as
traces of charred clay. It was widespread across the
entire area of the mound, with a thickness ranging
from 0.1 to 0.4 m. It likely extended beyond the
excavation area and beneath this layer numerous
finds and animal bones were discovered.
The middle ash layer (fig. 2: 7) of the mound,
located immediately below the upper layer,
was also associated with the construction of the
mound. This layer was very dense, with a higher
ash content compared to the upper layer, though
the quantity of charcoal and charred clay was low-
er. Its thickness varied between 0.05 and 0.5 m.
The number of finds in this layer and their propor-
tions were similar to those in the upper layer.
The lower ash layer (fig. 2: 8) of the mound
rested on the natural soil and is the initial phase
of the mound construction. It appeared grey, con-
sisting mostly of ash and sand particles, and had a
very loose structure. It was the smallest in terms of
area, with a thickness ranging from 0.1 to 0.3 m.
The number of finds in this layer was significant-
ly lower than in the previous layers, and animal
bones were almost absent. Occasionally, layers of
natural soil sand were identified underneath this
layer, featuring traces of infiltrated ash from the
upper layer or isolated fragments of charred clay
or charcoal. These layers were not associated with
human activity, but resulted from natural process-
es of layer diffusion.
The natural layer was composed of light yellow
and yellow alluvial sand, with occasional streaks
of light brown and light chestnut colours formed
during the depositing of this layer. In some areas,
there were inclusions of green and bluish sands,
which were also linked to the geological history
of the layer.
Due to the detailed and frequent stratigraphic
recording, the extent of all layers within the ex-
cavation area was established (fig. 3). The lower-
most layer of the mound (fig. 3: I) had the smallest
area. Most likely, a larger portion of it extended to
the eastern part of the mound, which remains un-
investigated. It’s also worth noting a lens near the
pit no. 3. The middle layer of the mound (fig. 3:
II) covered the lower layer completely. An inter-
esting feature is the discontinuity of this layer in
the SW sector, though it reappears on the southern
edge. Small lenses of this layer near the pit no. 2
are also intriguing. The discontinuity in this lay-
er in the SW sector may be due to the specific na-
ture of the construction or the fact that this feature
emerged after the accumulation of the uppermost
layer of the mound (fig. 3: III). Overall, it can be
said that all layers have an irregular form, indicat-
ing the haphazard nature of their forming.
Features Description
At the level of natural soil several stains from
pits became visible. Some of them, were found to
have a natural origin, having traces of a fallen tree
that had upturned its roots, mixing the soil in this
area, or possibly animal burrows. Investigations of
features nos. 5, 9, and 10 were postponed until the
following year since they extended beyond the ex-
cavated area. The rest of the spots turned out to be
pits from the Scythian period.
Pit no. 2 (fig. 3: 1) is represented by a feature
dug into the upper ash layer. The pit had a depth of
0.4 m and lacked a distinct form. Notable finds in-
clude two fragments of spindle whorls, a clay arte-
fact in the shape of a roundloaf, and a fragment of
a clay vessel belonging to the Bondarykha culture.
Washing was conducted for this pit, during which
four beads were discovered.
Pit no. 3 (fig. 3: 2) was excavated from the up-
per ash layer, cutting across the middle ash lay-
er. Interestingly, the latter terminated at the pit’s
walls, which likely indicates that the pit was dug at
the edge of the middle ash layer. Of particular in-
terest are a flint burin on a flake and a fragment of
a black-glazed vessel. For this object, washing was
also conducted, revealing 17 beads.
Pit no. 4 (fig. 3: 3) was also excavated from
the upper ash layer. Notable findings are two frag-
ments of a clay block, a fragment of a black-glazed
vessel, two halves of belemnites of varying sizes,
a flint flake, and fragments of Neolithic — Bronze
Age vessels: Zrubna and Comb Ceramic cultures
and Mali Budky type.
In summary, three features that turned out to be
pits from the Scythian period were of similar size,
but had diverse shapes. All of them were dug into
the upper ash layer and featured a prominent black
stain at the centre or along the edges. In terms of
their construction, they all have numerous analo-
gies at Scythian settlement sites, but do not belong
to the classical cellar and likely represent differ-
ent types of objects. Despite the discovery of Neo-
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lithic-Bronze Age fragments, there is no doubt that
these pits are dated to the Scythian period, and the
earlier vessel fragments got mixed into it due to
soil disturbance.
During the excavation, four features represent-
ed by concentration of ceramics were identified.
The most interesting is feature no. 2 located in the
unit C7. It contained numerous vessels fragments,
three rims (two belonging to the same pot), one
base resembling two rims, two pieces of quartzite,
and a double-sided flint tool of the Bronze Age.
This tool was found in the middle of two Scythi-
Fig. 3. Map of ashmounds distribution and pits: I — lower ash mound layer; II — middle ash mound layer; III — upper ash
mound layer; 1 — pit no. 2; 2 — pit no. 3; 3 — pit no. 4
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an period rims and base, strongly suggesting it en-
tered this context along with the vessel, indicating
its use by the Scythian period population.
Findings Description
In the course of the investigation, over 61693
artefacts were uncovered, resulting in an artefact
density of 1054 per m2. More than 99 % of the
items for which cultural affiliation could be
determined belong to the Scythian period. They can
be roughly divided into two categories: diagnostic
items, which were collected and carry specific
informative value, and bulk artefacts, represented
by small fragments of vessels, fired clay, etc.
Ceramic vessels are represented by few
categories9.
Bowls include 23 fragments, all of which
have analogies in the Scythian Forest-Steppe.
Among these fragments, three belong to the type
1 according to K. Yu. Peliashenko; three items
to the type 6, variant 1, and one — type 2 (Пе-
ляшенко 2020, с. 36-41). Most of the bowls are
black-glazed and red slip, with only the type 2
represented by fragments of rough pottery.
Cups are represented by four fragments of
profiled vessels with nipple-shaped projections.
Such items exist in the early Scythian period, but
may also belong to a previous period, given the
presence of finds from the Bondarykha culture.
Based on the wall thickness, they likely belong
to two different vessels, although they share
similar forms and decorations (fig. 4: 14). The
closest analogies are known from the settlements
Neporotove 2 and Kryvche in the Dnister River
basin (Крушельницька 1998, рис. 8, 110).
Pot rims include 2372 fragments of vessels, with
the majority being very small, making it impossible
to determine their shape. The most representative
vessel in terms of shape is the pot from feature no. 4,
which was successfully reconstructed graphically to
its full height (fig. 4: 13).
There are 678 fragments of pots’ bases. Similar
to the rim fragments, most of these are very small.
However, they do not contradict the typical shape
of Scythian pots.
Greek pottery is represented by eight fragments
of amphorae. Six of them belong to the “proto-Tha-
sian” amphorae (late 6th — early 5th centuries BC)
(Bîrzescu 2012, p. 124). They were discovered
9 In this article, only general data is provided since a separate
article will be dedicated to the publication of ceramics from
the ashmound.
compactly in the units E3 and E7, likely belong-
ing to two separate vessels. Two more fragments
were found together in the unit C7. One of these
was heavily burned, making it difficult to judge
its composition, but it is possible that despite their
close proximity, these are fragments from different
vessels. However, it is hard to determine their ori-
gin more precisely than “Eastern Mediterranean.”
Other clay items include several main cate-
gories. First of all, it is fired clay fragments with
signs of levelling of one or more surfaces. Such
items are usually associated with altars or frag-
ments of hearth. In this case, some of them indeed
show signs of prolonged exposure to high temper-
atures, but not all.
Clay spindle whorls amount to a total of 40
complete items and fragments. They come in con-
ical, oval, and nearly flat shapes. Of particular in-
terest is one item with notches made in a circular
pattern at the point of the greatest diameter.
Clay blocks are represented by fragments of
items that share a common form and have traces
of finger imprints and holes. Unfortunately, it was
not possible to reconstruct the full shape of any of
them.
Clay miniature art can be divided into several
types. The first type consists of round-profile items
in the shape of a mushroom cap. In both cases, these
items have imprints from finger depressions on the
bottom. The next type is disk-shaped items with
clear fingerprints. The last type includes spherical
items that partly have irregular holes made with a
thin stick. Two clay beads were also found. One is
complete, in the shape of a sphere with a diameter
of 1 cm. The other is barrel-shaped, with a height
of 5 mm and a diameter of 4 mm.
Bronze artefacts are represented by four items.
A bronze pin with a mushroom-shaped head
(fig. 4: 1): This pin has five circular notches on the
shaft. According to the typology of V. H. Petrenko,
it can be classified as the second variant of the type
11 (Петренко 1978, с. 14). It’s interesting to note
that the morphology of this type suggests that this
pin might have been cut and sharpened in antiqui-
ty. The location of the ornamented part of the pin,
close to the tip, which is atypical for this type of
pins, could indicate this possibility. The identical
pin is known from ashmound 7 at the Bilsk hill-
fort. It also had a short and pointed stem. Here, it
is dated the same as the “proto-Thasian” amphorae
and was covered with a layer that was dated by the
fragment of kylix to the end of the 6th — 5th centu-
ries BC (Шрамко 2020, с. 255).
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Fig. 4. Main findings of the Scythian period: 1—4 — bronze artefacts; 5—9 — iron artefacts; 10—12 — bone artefacts; 13—
14 — pottery; 15 — a paste bead; 16 — beads made of minerals
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A bronze round plaque with a foot (fig. 4: 4).
Identifying this artefact is quite challenging. It
might be a pinhead with the shaft bent inward after
most of it broke off or a horse bridle part.
Two bronze arrowheads (fig. 4: 2, 3). Both of
them belong to the double-barbed arrow type with
a segmented tip. These types of arrowheads were
common from the late 7th century to the early 5th
century BC. They are most commonly found in
complexes from the first half of the 6th century BC,
for example, at the Repiakhuvata Mohyla (Гречко
2012, с. 20).
The are 15 iron artefacts.
An iron pin with a disk on the end and a sup-
port ring (fig. 4: 7). The handle (or the upper part
of the pin) is made in the form of twisted wire. It
belongs to the type 27 according to V. H. Petrenko.
Similar pins have been found at the site near Cher-
emushna village (Либеров 1962, с. 80). Currently,
only three pins of this type are known, and this is
one of them.
An iron pin with a conical head with multi-
ple faces (fig. 4: 9). The shaft was bent in Scythi-
an times. The fragments were found nearby in the
correct order, allowing them to determine the full
size. This suggests that the pin was deposited in
one piece and and broke into several pieces due
to corrosion in the ground. It belongs to the sec-
ond variant of the type 16. Most pins of this type
were found at sites in the Siverskyi Donets region
(Петренко 1978, с. 15). The closest analogies are
known from the Liubotyn (Либеров 1962, с. 78)
and Horodyshche hillfort (Шрамко 1998, с. 53).
An iron pin with a spiral head formed by twist-
ing the round cross-section shaft (fig. 4: 8). Ac-
cording to V. H. Petrenko, these pins belong to the
second variant of the type 21. This type of pins
has a wide distribution area, and most of them
were found at the sites of the Vorskla River ba-
sin and the Dnipro Right Bank Forest-Steppe zone
(Петренко 1978, с. 18).
Amorphous iron objects resembling knife
blades are severely corroded (fig. 4: 5, 6).
The remaining iron objects consist of amor-
phous iron rods and plaques, which are impossi-
ble to identify with certainty as belonging to the
Scythian period.
Bone artefacts consist of five items, which are
as follows:
A boar tusk with notches on both sides (fig. 4:
10). This item resembles an unfinished bit shank,
which are known in Scythia (Шрамко 1973,
рис. 8).
A boar tusk with a drilled hole (fig. 4: 11). The
artefact is broken in half, but its shape can still be
reconstructed, suggesting that it might have served
as a bone clasp.
A bone needle made of the radioulnar bone of
a small ruminant or pig, or the metapodial bone of
a small ruminant (fig. 4: 12). The artefact features
a hole in the upper part and traces of surface abra-
sion. The lower part of the needle is broken.
The rest of the items consist of calcified bone
fragments that are unidentifiable.
Stone artefacts from the Scythian period are
represented by beads of yellowish, greyish, and al-
most black colours (fig. 4: 16). These beads have
a diameter of 3 mm and a height of 1 mm. A total
of 30 such beads were discovered. While similar
items are typically categorised as bone products,
elemental analysis revealed that they are miner-
al-based, with minimal calcium content (Андрєєв
2023). Identifying the exact mineral source, of
which these beads were carved, remains inconclu-
sive at present.
Artefacts from other materials include
black paste beads with a yellow wave in the
centre (fig. 4: 15). Chemical analysis has deter-
mined that these are silicates with metal impu-
rities. In the case of the yellow wave analysis,
a higher lead content is noted, indicating a pig-
ment source (Андрєєв 2023). Furthermore, am-
ber beads were also identified as a category of
artefacts. The FTIR analysis has determined the
source of the amber to be of Romanian and Bal-
tic types (Пихова 2023, с. 188). An interesting
discovery is a cowrie shell with a worn upper
edge, suggesting its use in jewellery. Addition-
ally, attention is drawn to the identification of
seven belemnites during the excavation process.
Some of these may reveal traces of processing,
such as drilling and shaping. Such discoveries
are often found in areas near chalk deposits,
which are located nearby. The terrestrial soil in
the research area is of alluvial origin, so the ac-
cidental presence of belemnites in the cultural
layer is highly doubtful. Therefore, for the time
being, they are attributed as objects brought to
the burial mound. The depth at which the ma-
jority of these objects were found indicates that
this occurred no later than the formation period
of the ashmound.
Based on the information provided above, the
dating of the ashmound can be broadly constrained
to the second half of the 6th century — the begin-
ning of the 5th century BC. The presence of dou-
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Fig. 5. Main findings of other epochs: 1—9 — artefacts of the Neolithic-Early Bronze Age; 10—17 — artefacts of the Bronze
Age; 18—19 — artefacts of the Early Iron Age (flint drawings made by D. Stupak)
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ble-edged arrowheads and relatively archaic pins
possibly allows placing it within the 6th century.
Characteristics of Finds from Other Periods
The Flint Inventory comprises 54 artefacts,
including those dating back to the Neolithic
era, which include post-Swiderian points, bu-
rins, and scrapers (fig. 5: 5—9). From the Early
Bronze Age, there is a fragment of an unidenti-
fied tool on a blade, along with probable frag-
ments of tools made by using the bifacial tech-
nique (fig. 5: 12—17). These fragments likely
correspond to arrowheads, spearheads, and a
fragment of an implement, the surface of which,
despite exposure to fire, still shows traces of
work or tool usage. Artefacts from the Iron Age
probably include flint for the strikers (fig. 5: 17,
18) (Ступак 2023).
A total of around 70 ceramic items from other
eras were found.
From the Chalcolithic to the Early Bronze
Age, 22 fragments of vessels were discovered.
Most of them can be attributed to the Comb Ce-
ramic culture. These fragments feature typical
chaotic punctations and punctations made with
triangular stamp, forming a fir tree pattern (fig. 5:
1, 3, 4). Identical materials are known from the
neighbouring area of the Seim River (Белинская,
Телиженко 2001). In terms of geographical prox-
imity, the closest known sites are the settlements
of Piskivka and Kurhan on the Psel River on
V. I. Neprina’s map (Неприна 1976, p. 11). Two
vessels’ fragments are ornamented with parallel
wavy incised lines (fig. 5: 2). However, identify-
ing their cultural affiliation has not been achieved
yet.
Zrubna culture is represented by fragments
with vertical rims, some of which are conical with
a maximum diameter defined by the rim cross-sec-
tion (fig. 5: 11). Several of these fragments seem
to form two vessels, although they were found
in different units. Identical pottery is document-
ed in literature from the Myropillia-7 settlement
(Гордієнко 2015).
Mali Budky type and Bondarykha cultures are in-
troduced by 23 vessels’ fragments with comb-stamp-
ing (fig. 5: 10). Sites belonging to this culture are also
known in the vicinity (Гордієнко 2007).
Early Modern era consists of about two dozen
fragments from smoke-blackened pots. These are
likely connected to the village of Mohrytsia, locat-
ed nearby, which was first mentioned around 1672
(Филарет 1857, p. 391).
Finds from Other Epochs in the Cultural Layer
One of the striking aspects, as observed from the
description of the finds, is the presence of materi-
als from different epochs within the filling of the
ashmound and sometimes within the features features them-
selves. In archaeology, it is well-documented that
many sites show multiple layers, indicating habita-
tion during various periods. However, in this par-
ticular case, we lack a representative sample for any
of the period except Scythian. The minimal quanti-
ty of recovered material, primarily through sieving,
is hardly sufficient to substantiate the presence of a
permanent settlement. Therefore, questions arise re-
garding either short-term encampments or alterna-
tive means by which these finds entered the cultural
layer. The first approach could be applied to a single
culture, but here we observe the presence of mate-
rials from nearly all cultures known in the region.
Considering the aforementioned points, two
explanatory models can be proposed. The first sug-
gests that the abundance of materials points to the
occasional loss of items on this territory, as full-
fledged settlements of these cultures are known
within a few kilometres’ radius (Білинський,
Потоцький, Ходукіна 2023, p. 23-26). The sec-
ond model suggests the incorporation of around 80
items from different time periods into the Scythi-
an-age complex due to their reuse during this pe-
riod. This could explain the discovery of belem-
nites, which were often used for medicinal purpos-
es (Пивоваров, Калініченко 2022, с. 409; Duffin
2008, p. 21-27; Kurasiński 2021). This is further
supported by the discovery of bifacially processed
flint tools directly within the remnants of Scyth-
ian-age vessels. These observations were made
possible through systematic soil sieving.
What Is an Ashmound?
The primary question that we posed before com-
mencing our research was to understand what an
ashmound actually is. It was with this purpose in
mind that we documented the mass finds and col-
lected as much stratigraphic data as possible. Many
researchers have proposed various models to ex-
plain what this type of site is (see: Русанова 1997,
Пеляшенко 2017, с. 340). One of the most recent
works that describes previous approaches and sug-
gests a mixed approach (combining cultic and every-
day objects) is the research made by O. D. Mohylov
(Могилов 2021, с. 31-34). Without claiming to re-
solve this complex issue, we can provide our obser-
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vations within the context of the site under our in-
vestigation.
Using the contradictio in contrarium approach,
based on our research findings, we can outline what
the ashmound near the village of Mohrytsia is not.
The lack of the influence of fire on metal objects and
most of the ceramics refutes the idea of a constant-
ly burning hearth at this site. The minimal number
of valuable items from Scythian times (~30), such
as pins, arrowheads, beads, etc., with respect to the
total number of finds (over 61000) unequivocally
suggests that the mound was not constructed for the
purpose of offering cult items in sacrifices.
As a result of our research, we recorded a signif-
icant number of mass finds. 76.1% of these consist
of clay pottery fragments, while 13.8% are items of
fired clay, 3% are bones, and 4.3% are fragments
of quartz and other stones. This leads us to the con-
clusion that over 97% of the finds consist of do-
mestic waste and trash. The bones, especially those
with evidence of fire (32.2%), are particularly in-
triguing. This suggests that the majority of the ash-
mound content originated from household hearths
where waste was discarded and then thrown away
together with the ashes. There was no reason to burn
broken vessels and some other wastes, so they were
thrown away with ash and do not have traces of fire.
Fragments of fired clay in this context appear to be
remnants of hearth plaster or walls that continually
crumbled and were discarded along with household
waste. This is further supported by the chaotic for-
mation of the mound, varying layer thicknesses at
different locations etc. So, the mound was not con-
structed for a specific purpose; rather, it accumulat-
ed on the site of a refuse dump.
Therefore, our overarching idea is that the ash-
mound was primarily filled with household waste
collected from around domestic hearths. At the out-
set of mound formation, it was primarily ashes,
with significantly fewer artefacts. In the subsequent
stage, ash remained prevalent, but a large amount of
domestic waste was added. In the final stage, trash
played the leading role in building up the layers.
A few words can also be said about the overlay
of features by ashmounds and ashmounds by fea-
tures. In the literature, there are assumptions that
ashmounds were intentionally built over dwellings
or household pits, which also applies to burials. In
our case, all the examined objects were overlaid from
the upper layer of the ashmound, or they cut through
it, indicating the presence of pits formed after the
mound’s initial construction. Hence, it is conceiva-
ble that these pits resulted from the expanding settle-
ment’s activities, gradually reaching the area previ-
ously occupied by the ashmound. This approach can
also be applied to overlaid dwellings or burials. As
the settlement expanded, it covered the mound, or it
receded, allowing new ashmounds to appear in the
places of the old pits or dwellings. An analogous situ-
ation can be seen in the ashmound near Cheremushna
village, where a regular Scythian 4th century BC bur-
ial was made in the mound of the 6th century BC ash-
mound (Либеров, 1962). It is not excluded that in
this case, the later population entirely perceived the
ashmound as a burial mound.
Ashmounds as a Mass Phenomenon and a Soci-
ety Marker
Another conclusion stems from observations of
other surveyed locations with ashmounds. While
individual ashmounds are widespread through-
out Scythia and beyond its borders, the tradition of
constructing a large number of mounds closely as-
sociated with almost every settlement is distinctly
linked to specific territories and time periods. A sig-
nificant number of sites in the Vorskla River basin
(Ковпаненко 1967, p. 51) and Siverskyi Donets Riv-
er basins (Гречко 2010, p. 33) consist of settlements
with ashmounds, where the latter are an integral part
of the site complex. At the Siverskyi Donets, settle-
ments with ashmounds comprise 39 % of the total
number (Гречко 2010, с. 33-34). They are not isolat-
ed phenomena, as seen in three mounds at the Basiv-
ka hillfort (Болтрик, Фиалко 1995, с. 43) contrast-
ing with their absence in the Sula basin or a single
mound at the Motronyn hillfort (Бессонова, Скорый
2001, с. 16-29). Therefore, the presence of numer-
ous ashmounds adjacent to settlements can be con-
sidered a consequence of a specific practice among
certain population groups during particular periods
within the heartland of Forest-Steppe Scythia. Cur-
rently, we are exploring similar clusters in the Psel
River basin. All the locations with ashmounds are
compactly situated to north-east of Sumy, each con-
sisting of at least ten mounds. At the same time, such
sites are not known in the rest of the Psel basin. This
allows us to revisit the idea of distinguishing specif-
ic regions within the context of local variations of the
Dnipro Left Bank Forest-Steppe (Білинський 2021).
The compact clusters of settlements with dozens of
ashmounds to the north-east of Sumy suggest the ex-
istence, in the late 6th century BC, of a distinct social
group that had a common practice of building ash-
mounds, setting them apart from neighbouring soci-
eties.
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Acknowledgements
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to
the undergraduate students of the Department of His-
tory at “Kyiv-Mohyla Academy” who worked with
us in the field and laboratory. Special thanks to Lil-
iia Maksymivna Ivanchenko, who spent hundreds
of hours on the laboratory processing the finds, and
Mariia Andriivna Shypunova, who mastered archae-
ological drawing and applied her skills in practice.
ISSN 0235-3490 (Print), ISSN 2616-499X (Online). Археологія, 2023, № 418
П. Я. Гавриша). В: Корост, І. І. (ред.). Археологічні
дослідження Більського городища — 2019, с. 231-265.
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transport amphoren. (Histria. XV). Bucurešti: Editura Enci-
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FAH34.2021.001
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la, L. R., Matthews, W. 2008. The Use of FT-IR as a Screen-
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org/10.1016/j.saa.2008.08.016
О. O. Білинський1, Ю. М. Ходукіна2, О. C. Потоцький3
1Кандидат історичних наук, доцент, Hаціональний університет «Києво-Могилянська академія», кафедра археології,
ORCID: 0000-0002-5821-5114, o.bilynskyi@ukma.edu.ua
2Аспірантка, Hаціональний університет «Києво-Могилянська академія», кафедра археології, ORCID: 0000-0003-3925-
7420, yu.khodukina@ukma.edu.ua
3Аспірант, Інститут археології НАН України, відділ археології раннього залізного віку, ORCID: 0000-0003-4618-838X,
potocki.alexey@gmail.com
ЗОЛЬНИК СКІФСЬКОГО ЧАСУ БІЛЯ МОГРИЦІ: МЕТОДИ ТА РЕЗУЛЬТАТИ ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ
Виявлені нещодавно зольники скіфського часу на Пслі не лише фактом своєї наявності, але й через надзвичайну
насиченість знахідками мають чималий потенціал для дослідження, що дозволяє отримати велику кількість масового
матеріалу з невеликої дослідженої площі. Задля досягнення максимальної ефективності дослідження зольника був роз-
роблений комплексний підхід до його вивчення. Основною метою стала якомога точніша фіксація та орієнтація на масові
знахідки. Для цього весь ґрунт просіювався, а деяка частина промивалася, максимально часто фіксувалася стратиграфія.
У процесі розкопок відбиралися проби для вивчення за допомогою FTIR-спектроскопії. Для виробів із бронзи та части-
ни репрезентативних вінець встановлювався хімічний склад за допомогою РФА. Крем’яний та остеологічний матеріал
опрацьовували фахівці з відповідних епох та тем.
У процесі дослідження було виявлено понад 61 тис. знахідок, більшість яких представлена масовим матеріалом.
Серед інформативних знахідок до скіфського часу належала колекція шпильок, стріл, виробів із кістки та каменю. Про-
те просіювання допомогло зафіксувати низку матеріалів інших епох — фрагменти посуду від доби енеоліту-ранньої
бронзи до модерного часу та вироби з кременю.
Проведені зазначеними методами дослідження дозволили порушити кілька дискусійних тем. Передусім це
цікавість населення скіфського часу до белемнітів, слідів життєдіяльності в попередні епохи та можливе повторне ви-
користання кременю. Іншою важливою темою є призначення зольників як типу пам’яток. Проведені дослідження до-
зволяють описати вивчений зольник як місце скидання попелу з вогнища та території навколо нього, уламків обмазки
жител та вогнища, які постійно осипалися, та деяких побутових відходів. Остання тема стосується того, що поселення
із зольниками можна розглядати як наслідок окремої суспільної практики, яка була притаманна не всьому населенню
Скіфії, а окремим його групам в конкретні проміжки часу, що відкриває можливість для вивчення системи заселення.
К л ю ч о в і с л о в а: Лісостеп, доба енеоліту-бронзи, Скіфський час, крем’яні знаряддя, зольники, суспільні практики,
соціальні процеси, система заселення, регіональний поділ скіфського Лісостепу.
го городища. В: Тереножкин, А. И. (отв. ред). Скифские
древности. Киев: Наукова думка, с. 82-112.
Шрамко, Б. А. 1998. Люботинское городище. В: Буй-
нов, Ю. В. (ред.) Люботинськое городище. c. 9-131.
Шрамко, Б. А., Шрамко, І. Б., Задніков, С. А. 2018.
Західне укріплення: зольник № 11 (1958 р.). Археологічний
комплекс «Більське городище, 1.
Шрамко, І. Б. 2006. Ранній період в історії геродо-
товського Гелону (за матеріалами розкопок зольника №
5). В: Черненко, Є. В. (ред). Більське городище та його
округа (до 100- річчя початку польових досліджень),
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Шрамко, И. Б. 2017. Результаты работ на Западном
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дослідження Більського городища — 2016, с. 66-79.
Шрамко, И. Б. 2019. Археологічні дослідження
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