Age and the palaeoenvironment of the West Ukrainian palaeolithic: the case of Velykyi Glybochok multi-cultural site

The Velykyi Glybochok Palaeolithic site near Ternopil town (Podolia Upland) contains a set of cultural layers in a sequence of loess and fossil soils. Beside the archaeological study of stone assemblages, the profile was investigated using lithological, palaeopedological and geochemical methods, including stable carbon and oxygen isotopes composition of pedogenic carbonates, soils micromorphology and TL dating. Remnants of vertebrates' bones and mollusc shells were also distinguished. The oldest cultural layer III documented the presence of Palaeolithic people during the Penultimate Interglacial represented by fossil soil – cambisol in type, developed under dense vegetation cover. The cultural layer III B is connected with initial cambisol originated in a short period of open landscape vegetation with shrubs development, dated to the climatic amelioration during the time of Penultimate Glaciation. The Last Interglacial is represented by luvisol formation with two stages of illuviation, which shows forest type of vegetation. Materials of the cultural layer III A were dispersed in the soil irregularly and mixed with artifacts of cultural layer II. Artifacts of III, III A and III B cultural layers represent the Middle Palaeolithic “Dniesterian Mousterian culture with Levalloisian technique”. These of assemblage II represent the Upper Palaeolithic. Inside the recent soil at the top of the sequence, the Mesolithic cultural layer I is present. Velykyi Glybochok is the only multilayer site in Podolia with detailed information about geological position of particular cultural layers.     

Identification of the Residue in the Bolgar Medieval Sphero‐Conical Vessel by Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry

The Golden Horde sphero‐conical vessel retrieved from the ruins of the medieval city of Bolgar (Russia, Republic of Tatarstan) during archaeological excavations, which contained residue in the form of encrustation on the bottom and the wall, was analysed in the NRC ‘Kurchatov Institute’ by X‐ray phase analysis and high‐performance liquid and gas chromatography with MS detectors (HPLC–MS, GC–MS). The GC–MS method established that the residue from the sphero‐conical vessel was comprised primarily of abietic acid derivatives (around 46%) and retene, which is polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (around 27%); this means that turpentine exuded from the stems of certain species of coniferous trees, called resin and subsequently heat‐treated, was poured into the vessel. Researchers have been trying to decipher the function of these mysterious vessels for 200 years, and this is the first time that resin stored in a sphero‐conical vessel has been documented. Potentially, this vessel was probably used as a personal ‘medical kit’.     

The results of thermoluminescence dating in the Halych IIC (Ukraine) profile as the expression of the conditions of mineral material deposition

Many studies conducted in the last few years in Poland indicate that the results of thermoluminescence dating of loess are reliable and correspond well to their geological ages. They can form the basis for determination of the chronology of changes of palaeoenvironmental conditions. In this paper we report dating results from the Halych IIC profile (Halych Prydnistrov’ja region, Ukraine). Thermoluminescence dating of this profile gives new information about the influence of local conditions on the results of TL analysis. As much as 75% of the obtained results are distinctly overestimated, even by several hundred per cent, that is untypical of regional loess profiles. However, in the Halych Prydnistrov’ja region it is the second loess site in which such incompatibility of the expected age and thermoluminescence age is found. This fact indicates how this region is unique among the loess areas of SE Poland and NW Ukraine in respect of the conditions of mineral material transport and deposition. Further investigations are necessary to identify the reasons for regular overestimating of the TL results obtained for loess deposits of the Halych Prydnistrov’ja region.     

Birds in the medieval culture and economy of the East Slavs in the 10–13th centuries AD

The paper is devoted to a re-examination of the bird remains from the numerous East Slavic settlements (10–13th centuries AD). Species diversity suggests that medieval people in the Eastern Europe used birds for food, falconry, in ritual and, possibly, for aviary specimens and pets. Furthermore, bird feathers were used for preparing arrows. The most popular bird of prey was goshawk. Primary game birds were ducks, geese, swans, common crane and corvids along with black grouse and capercaillie in forest zones. The archaeological data present evidence for the use of wild birds (e.g., hooded crow) in funeral ceremonies for the first time. The majority of the identified birds have not changed their distribution, but in recent times some of these taxa have become rarer. Red-breasted goose is now extant in the area but its remains were found in the medieval layers, although this species could have been an occasional visitor in the Ukraine. Archaeological data and historical sources prove that white stork has lived in the territory of Ukraine since the Middle Ages or even earlier. The most common domestic poultry for the East Slavs was chicken. Domestic ducks and geese were much rarer. Historical documents were also consulted in this study and these also contribute to our understanding of the role of birds in the life of the East Slavs.     

Fish and Birds in the Trypillya Economy and Culture (5.4–2.7 kya BC): Evidence from Ukraine

The paper deals with the role of fish and birds in the Trypillya culture, which was one of the greatest Eneolithic cultures within Europe. Analysis of the osteological material (authors' own determination and literature data), as well as auxiliary material – fish and bird images in the Trypillya art – were used for this purpose. As in the case of mammals, the role of different fish and bird species varied greatly among the regions and cultures. Bones of sturgeon, roach, carp, catfish, pike, perch and other freshwater fish species were observed with different frequencies. Analysis of the skeletal remains and data on fishing gear from the archaeological literature indicates that the Trypillya fishing focused on large‐sized fish. The main birds hunted by the Trypillya people were waterfowl (ducks, geese and coot), large Galliformes (capercaillie and black grouse), grey crane and bustard. A characteristic feature of the Trypillya settlements was a large proportion of birds of prey and owls. Remains of domestic chicken from the Gorods'k settlement (late Trypillya or Gorods'k‐Usatove culture), dated as 3212 ± 100 CalBC , were the most ancient remains of domestic chicken found in Ukraine, and probably in Europe. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.