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  • Poselennya na ostrovi Berezan` (dilyanka T)
  • Mykolayivs`ka oblast`, Ochakivs`kyy rayon
  • Borisphenida

    Credits

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    Periods

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    Chronology

    • 575 BC - 480 BC

    Season

      • In 2007, excavations were conducted on site T of the northern part of the temenos. The measures included: uncovering of the northern boundary of tje sacred site, identification of residential areas which existed simultaneously with the Aphrodite temple (late VI – early Vth century AD.), further studying of facilities of an iron-processing workshop. The premises of this workshop had been revealed for the first time in 2005-2006. In 2007 archaeologists discovered a hollow No.21, which was dug below the mud-brick wall. Its form is amorphous (1.5 × 1.2 m), and its depth up to 0.1 m. The soil filling the hollow is burnt, containing small particles of charcoal. There were two finds in it: an iron knife and two arrow-coins soldered together. A sunken-floored building No.22 discovered at the site has a rectangular shape. The walls are plain; on the bottom the archaeologists found 5 pits (intended for setting pole constructions) located in random order. This sunken-floored building functioned here prior to the construction of the iron-processing workshop (during which the area was cleaned and filled with soil). Wall No.7 was partially uncovered in 2004, in the framework of the Berezan’ expedition led by V.V.Nazarov. This is oriented northwest-southeast, its 1-4 layers are observable. The masonry contains rows of stones with two parallel sides, and is generally regular, with elements of irregularity, two-face, three-layer. The outer layer is formed by vertically set limestone slabs, the inner layer is filled with clay blend and limestone particles. The stones in the masonry were jointed with clay blend. The total length of the excavated masonry reaches 18.40 m. The street No.12 extends in parallel to the masonry No.7. It was made of dense horizontal layers of bright yellow clayey soil, whose structure is similar to adobe. The total street length revealed is 21.50-21.85 m. The material which forms layers of the street is dated to the second half of the VIth century BC. Wall No.11 bounds the street 12 in its northern part. It was built of stone courses with two parallel sides, and is generally regular, with elements of irregularity, two-face, three-layer. The outer layer is formed by limestone slabs. 1-4 layers of masonry have survived. The inner layer is filled with clay blend, limestone quarrystones, limestone slabs and their particles. The stones in the masonry were jointed with clay. In 2007 archaeologists extended the investigated area in the northern part of the site. Here, 6 houses and 2 pits submerged a bit deeper into the ground, were found as construction wreckage dated to the late V?II-th? – second half of the VIth century BC. The sunken-floored buildings are round. Their depth is 0.18 to 1 m. In the center of the floor in each of three sunken-floored buildings there was a circular pit, made for setting overlap poles. The bottom of two sunken-floored buildings was coated with gray-green marly clay. The bottom of other building of this kind was coated with gray-green firth clay. The functional pits are round, their depth is 1.20 and 1.25 m. The second period of constructing in the Berezan’ settlement (late VI - early Vth century BC.) is represented by previously revealed walls 7, 11 and the street No.12, as well as wall 24, 31 found in 2007. Wall 31 is perpendicular to wall.11. Its first and second layers have survived. It is likely that this masonry had protected some premises situated to the north from wall 11. There are lots of materials from the pit No.24, they date to the period of late VI- early Vth century BC. Finds included two Attic red-figure calixes: one produced by an unknown master in the end of the VIth century BC., depicting a hoplite, another made in 510-500 BC by the master named Pithos, depicting a boy. Among the coins found the most remarkable one is a large bronze dolphin. Goods made of bones are represented by knucklebone, accompanied with graffiti Δ; also there was a knife handle and a thing made of horse shoulderbone, which resembles Silenus. Researches held in 2007 on the site T provide evidences for two stages of existence of the ancient settlement on Berezan’ island. The early stage was represented by residential and functional sunken-floored buildings dated to the second-third quarter of the VIth century BC. The later stage is related to the late VI – early Vth century BC.; finds of this period included a temple complex, which had co-existed with a production complex. The latter combined ceramic workshops (a pit with ceramic rejects was revealed in 2002 by V.V. Nazarov), an iron-processing workshop with walls of mud-brick, and household complexes (pit 24).

    Bibliography

      • Крутилов В.В. Раскопки античного поселения на о-ве Березань (участок Т) // Археологічні дослідження в Україні 2008 — 2007 рр. — К., 2009. — С. 171 — 174.