Nadja Gavriljuk Social and economic stratification of steppe Scythians (on materials of finds of antique ceramics in burials)” The Greek goods were spread very wide over the Northern Black Sea Area in the VIIth - IVth centuries BC (fig. 1). The frames of the regions where were met antique import extended from ancient Greek centres of North Shore of the Black Sea very far into the continent depths (400-600 km of an overland way at times through the waterless steppes, wide tracts of wild forest). Intensity of such finds in oikoumene makes possible estimating of scales and degree of influence of the Greek economy and culture on development of the civilization of the Early Iron Age. Therefore, studying of the Greek import in the Northern Black Sea Area is the permanently actual problem. The level of our knowledge of the ancient history in many respects determines by the quality of its decision. The researching of the antique import is traditionally important theme both for Ukrainian and Russian archaeology of the Northern Black Sea Area of the Early Iron Age. It is naturally, because the antique ceramics is submitted on numerous sites in a best way. So, the products that came in so-called “barbarous” lands from the mother country are described in this report. Production of the antique potter’s, bronze and jeweler workshops, commodity output of which was focused on the demand and tastes of the population of the forest-steppe and steppe zones the Northern Black Sea Area, appeared though already in the VIth-IVth centuries BC not only in the antique
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Nadja Gavriljuk
Social and economic stratification of steppe Scythians (on materials of finds of antique
ceramics in burials)”
The Greek goods were spread very wide over the Northern Black Sea Area in the VIIth -
IVth centuries BC (fig. 1). The frames of the regions where were met antique import extended
from ancient Greek centres of North Shore of the Black Sea very far into the continent depths
(400-600 km of an overland way at times through the waterless steppes, wide tracts of wild
forest). Intensity of such finds in oikoumene makes possible estimating of scales and degree of
influence of the Greek economy and culture on development of the civilization of the Early Iron
Age. Therefore, studying of the Greek import in the Northern Black Sea Area is the permanently
actual problem. The level of our knowledge of the ancient history in many respects determines
by the quality of its decision.
The researching of the antique import is traditionally important theme both for Ukrainian
and Russian archaeology of the Northern Black Sea Area of the Early Iron Age. It is naturally,
because the antique ceramics is submitted on numerous sites in a best way. So, the products that
came in so-called “barbarous” lands from the m o t h e r c o u n t r y are described in this
report. Production of the antique potter’s, bronze and jeweler workshops, commodity output of
which was focused on the demand and tastes of the population of the forest-steppe and steppe
zones the Northern Black Sea Area, appeared though already in the VIth-IVth centuries BC not
only in the antique centers of the Northern Black Sea Area, but in the Scythian sites too.
But, as a whole, questions of studying of assortment, volumes and dynamics of commodity
manufacture in Bosporus, Olbia and others antique centers of the Northern Black Sea Area are
covered not yet enough. They are included in a separate problem of studying of social and
economic bases of Scythia. This problem is complex and just waits for the decision.
The purpose of a suggested research is the analysis and generalization of the black -glazed
ceramics, made in the antique centers o f m e t r o p o l e i s and found in Scythia in the Early
Iron Age.
The material on thise research is in a lot not only central, but in the regional, departmental
(museum, high school, academic) and interdepartmental editions. The publications in
“Archaeological Researches in Ukraine”, seven issues of which from 1997 to 2004 contain a new
information facts concern to antique subjects give representation about scales of antique finds in
the Northern Black Sea Area. This pottery was the basic component of the Greek import. But,
generalizing works on antique import in Scythia are known only two. (Onaiko, 1970;
Bandurovskij, 2004). The territorial frames of the last book are limited only by forest-steppe
part on the Left Bank of the Dnieper River.
This research includes the import from m e t r o p o l e i s to steppian part of
Scythia by the second half of the VIth - IVth centuries BC, which correspond to
the chronology of Scythia: the second half of the VIth - first half of the Vth
centuries BC (the Scythian middle period); the second part of the Vth - IVth
centuries BC(the Scythian last period). We don`t talk about pottery from the
sites of Scythian archaic (the second part of the VIIth-first part of the Vith
centuries BC), because we are researching only black-glazed ceramics, which
ware spreading mainly in the stappian zone. But we remember, that first finds of
the East Greece ceramics had appeared in materials of the Scythian (more
accurate “Scythian-like”) settlements in the forest- steppian zone of Northern
Black Sea Area and its ware the milestones of trade ways and communications
which existed in the VIIth – IVth centuries BC. The Greek-Scythian trade ways
had complex character and passed through overland and rivers both in meridian
and latitude directions in accordance with topography of the Northern Black Sea
Area and mercantile centers. The most northern point of spreading of this
ceramics is Trakhtemirov hillfort situated on the right riverside of the Dnieper
and Belsk situated on the left riverside.
1. Greek import in the Scythian middle period
(the second half of the VIth - first half of the Vth centuries BC)
The earliest samples of simple «banded Ionic ceramics» are vessels by the second half of
the VIth century BC from the sites of the Right Bank Forest-Steppe. There are: jugs, lekythosoi,
cups (kylikes), askosoi, saucers. The group of open vessels with bands is not numerous. Small
bowls and plates of this group concern to products of Ionic workshops of the VI century BC. The
fragments of such vessels were found in the sites of the Right Bank, for example, in Sharpovskoe
hillfort. A painted Ionic small bowl with two holes for suspension was found in the barrow 447
of Zhurovka groups (Fig. 7, 7). Such vessels were applied in the cult purposes and are known on
sanctuaries of Istria and Panticapaion. Small lid with traces of painting with red glazer was found
in the barrow 400 in urochische Krivorukovo at Zhurovka. It dated by beginning of the Vth
century BC (Onaiko 1966, p.5). Small bowl as «the fish tail» concerns to the number of the rare
forms (Bessonova, Skoryi, 2001, p. 82, 83). The numerous samples of the banded Ionic ceramics
occur from Bel'sk hillfort (the Left Bank, forest-steppe zone) (Shramko, 1973, p. 86).
Similar vessels have been widely distributed in the cities and in the settlements of the
Northern Black Sea Area. Such vessels frequently meet in the sites of Black Sea coast and on
island Berezan’. It dated by the middle and second half of the VI century BC. Some researchers
carried them to products of the island Samos (Onaiko, 1966, p. 25; Skudnova, 1988, p. 12, 13).
Recently was stated the opinion, that this banded utensils, which are the most widespread and
least precisely located, were made in all significant centers of East Greece (Sidorova, 1992, p.
162-166). But as Miletus was mother country of the almost of all Northern Pontos poleis a
mentioned-above banded Ionic ceramics came from here in the greatest amounts .
Thus, the bulk "banded" Ionic ceramics was found in the sites of the Right Bank Forest-
Steppe. On the Left Bank such finds were met mainly in the Bel'sk hillfort. In recent times
researchers began to distinguish a Samian manufacture utensils (more often lekythosoi) in the
group of East Greece ceramics. This utensils met mainly in the archaelogical monuments of the
Right Bank of the Dnieper (forest-steppe zone). N.A. Onaiko allocates lekythoi of two types.
The first type is the small lekythoi with rounded body, funnel-shaped mouth and the taped
handle (Fig. 6, 12,13). One such lekythos with a zigzag on shoulders executed by a red paint,
was found in barrow 423 near village Zhurovka, another one – with horizontal bands occurs
from the barrow Г at the same village. Similar lekythoi are dated by analogies by the second half
of the VIth century BC (Onaiko, 1966, p. 25). Lekythoi of the second type, decorated with
horizontal bands, are submitted by a vessel from barrow 491 near village Makeevka
(Belotserkovskij district, Kiev region). A characteristic detail of this vessel is the baggy form of
body (Galanina, 1977, pl. 12, 8). (Fig. 6, 14).
The askos with horizontal bandsn sometimes meet in the barbarous sites of The Right
Bank. Such vessels are found in the barrow Г near village Zhurovka, in the tumuli near village
Lasurtsy and Grischenitsy of Kanev district, Cherkasy region (Onaiko, 1966, p. 25) (Fig. 7, 2,3).
The fragment of askos (?) is noted in the materials of Motronino hillfort (Bessonova, Skoryi,
2001, p. 82). Some of them appeared in the steppian zone.
The ceramics described above meets also in the steppe sites of the Crimea. The lekythos of
Samian manufacture was found in the burial 7, barrow 13 near village Krylovka in the steppe
zone of the Crimea (Kolotukhin, 2000, p. 96, fig. 16, 4) and Matrosovka near Olbio. Similar
products occur from archaic Olbian necropolis where it was dated by last quarter of the VI
century BC (Skydnova, 1988, p.36, 158б N1, 245). It is considered, that these vessels had also
Samian manufacture and can be dated by the second half of the VI century BC
Since the middle of the VI century BC the early greek ceramics begins to come in the
Northern Black Sea Area from Attic. It was submitted by fragments of amphorae, cups (kylikes)
and lekythoi. The antique black-figured pottery are met in materials of barrows and settlements
on the forest-zone.
Black Pottery appears in barbarous sites the Northern Black Sea Area in the end of the VIth -
Vth centuries BC. The earliest form of such ceramics are cups (kylikes). The simple black-
glazed cup (kylix) on a high foot was found in the barrow near village Berestniagi. The base of
similar cup (kylix) occurs from the barrow near village Bobritsa of Kanev district of Cherkasy
region. Both finds are dated by the end of the VIth - beginning of Vth century BC (Onaiko, 1966,
p. 61).
In black-glazed ceramics of the first half of the Vth century BC is distinguashed the group
of cups (kylikes) which can be divided in to two types. The vessels continuing a line of
development cups (kylikes) on a high base of earlier period concern to the first type. This form is
characteristic both for black-glazed and for red-figured ceramics (Fig. 10, 13). Such cups
(kylikes) are found: in the barrow 401 in urochische Krivorukovo near village Zhurovka (Shpola
district of Cherkasy region); in the barrow 4 near village Berestniagi (Kanev district Cherkasy
region) (Fig. 10, 1,2). The fragment of a base similar cup (kylix) was found near village
Zarubintsy. Cups (kylikes) are submitted basically by fine fragments in the materials of
Motronino hillfort. The fragments of thin-walled cups (kylikes) with profiled edge, on a base
with a wide pallet support (Fig. 10, 6-9) prevailed. Nearest analogies of cups (kylikes) this type
are known in materials of Nymphaion necropolis where it are dated by the second quarter of the
Vth century BC (Silantieva, 1959, p. 172, fig. 30, 1,2).
For the second type of cups (kylikes) are characteristic non-deep capacity with outturned or
direct edge, the low pallet on a ring base and massive П-shaped handles. They meet in the sites
both of the Right Bank and of the Left Bank. The black-glazed cup (kylix) on the low pallet was
found in the barrow 2 near village Aksiuitintsy (Romny district, Sumy region) (Fig. 10,5), and
the bottom of such cup (kylix) was found on Bel'sk hillfort. On the Right Bank of the Dnieper
such cup (kylix) was found in the barrow near village Grischenitsy of Kanev district of Cherkasy
region (Fig. 10, 3). Cups (kylikes) this type is possible to date by middle of the Vth century BC.
The group of black-glazed small cups on a high base dates by the first half of the Vth century
BC. Such vessels appear in sites of the Right Bank. Black-glazed small cup on a high base was
found in the barrow 491 near village Makeevka Belotserkovskij district of Kiev region (Fig. 11,
2). The other cup occurs from barrow 403 of urochische Krivorukovo near village Zhurovka
Shpola district Cherkasy region (Fig. 11, 3).
The small cup with white horizontal bands and graffito on the pallet was found in one of the
earliest steppe complexes near town the Dnieperorudnyi Zhaporozhskaia region (Murzin, 1977,
p. 60, fig. 4, 1).
To the middle of the Vth century BC concerns a small black-glazed toilet vessels. They are
submitted by lekanis and pyxis from the barrow at villages of Bobritsa and Zhurovka (the Right
Bank). Most interesting of them is lekanis as it has rather rare form for this time. It was found in
the barrow 66 near village Bobritsa of Kanev district of Cherkasy region. It has low and rounded
unlarge capacity and non-profiled base. It was covered thick black glazer with an olive shade
(Fig. 10,4). Similar lekanis are found in Athenian Agora. Black-glazed pyxis occurs from barrow
404 in urochische of Krivorukovo near village Zhurovka of Shpola district of Cherkasy region
(Fig. 10, 2). The find is dated by middle of the Vth century BC. It is necessary to relate with
toilet vessels of this time and black-glazed aryballitic lekythos from the barrow 4 at village
Berestniagi (Fig. 10,1). It also dated by middle of the Vth century BC. To later time should be
attributed the black-glazed aryballitic lekythos from the barrow near village Emchikha of
Mironovskij district of Kiev region (Onaiko, 1966, p. 62).
A ceremonial red-figured ceramics appear in the beginning of the Vth century BC in materials of
barbarous sites of the Northern Black Sea Area. The red-figured cup (kylix) with dedicated
inscription to the Healer and Delphinios from barrow 400 urochische Krivorukovskoe near
village Zhurovka (Shpola district, Cherkasy region, the Right Bank) concerns to the beginning of
Vth century BC. This cup (kylix) has rather non-deep capacity and with outturned edge and high
base. On the bottom of cup (kylix) painted the figure of sitting by a back to the spectator of the
naked young man with a rhyton, entered in a circle. The picture is painted rather fluently, but
skilfully (Fig.10,13).
Cup (kylix) with a similar painting was published among finds on Athenian Agora and
belongs to painter "Pithos". Similar cups (kylikes), decorated with the image in a circle dates 500
BC, and the earliest samples the dated by end of the VIth century BC (Onaiko, 1966, p. 27). It is
the earliest find of red-figured ceramics in the Dnieper Area.
The amount of finds of antique ceramics of the end of the Vth - beginning IVth centuries
BC is insignificant. For example, it is a red-figured krater from I. Fundukleja's excavation (Fig.
11, 6). N.A. Onaiko insists on its dating by the end of the Vth century BC. The painting was
executed in a late magnificent style. The basic plot of the ornament is the picture of military
dance pyrikhe - which is peformed by the girl. In addition to the dancer also other personage are
represented here: the judge, young men, flautist-male. A opposite side of this vessel was
decorated with Bacchic scene (Sileniuses and Baccante) (Onaiko, 1966, p. 29, pl. 10,11). Red-
figured kraters occur also from the barrow 1 near village Grischentsy (Fig.11,4) and the barrow
401 near village Zhurovka (Fig.11,5).
Such vessels appear in steppe Scythian sites. Fragmented red-figured krater is dated by
last quarter of the Vth century BC. It was found in 1870 A.E.Ljutsenko on a place of burning of
died woman in a southern part of barrow Temir-Gora (the Crimea). On a kept part of the vase is
pictured the scene of fighting between menada and two satyrs: in the center is represented the
menada in a untwisted long chiton and two attacking her satyrs. The manner of execution of
painting allows to relate it to the circle of "painter Penelopy" (Jakovenko, 1977, p. 143, fig. 4).
The skythos of "painter Penelopy" dated by 40s of Vth century BC is kept in the Hermitage
(Gorbunova, Peredolskaia, 1961, p. 90).
2.3. Conclusion
1. Finds of the vessels of antique manufacture in the materials of the barbarous sites of the
Northern Black Sea Area reflect cultural and social specificity of the population of a forest-
steppe zone. It consists in influence of the ancient Greek culture on a life of the barbarous tribes
remote from coast. Already in anybody does not cause doubt the fact of penetration of the Greek
dealers deep into the territory occupied by local tribes since the middle of the VIIth century BC.
Probably, the Greek handicraftsmen or dealers visited and also some time lived in the territory,
for example, of Bel'sk hillfort (the Left Bank Forest-steppe) or Pastyrskoe, Sharpovskoe or
Motronino (the Right Bank Forest-steppe).
2. The most northern points of spreading of antique goods in the VIth – the first half of the
Vth centuries BC on the Left Bank of the Dnieper was Kolomak hillfortin Vorskla Area. On the
Right Bank of the Dnieper the basic finds of an archaic period have been concentrated on the
territory of modern Cherkasy region. However, the most northern find of the Right Bank of the
Dnieper considers a Chian bulk-amphora dated by beginning of the Vth century BC in the
territory of modern Rovno region.
3. At the earliest stage of becoming and development of trade and economic relations
between antique centers of the Northern Black Sea Area and the population of the Left-Bank and
the Right Bank Forest-steppe the greatest activity was shown by Ionia. By B.A. Shramko's
calculations, an Ionic ceramics on Bel'sk hillfort has 16% of all definable materials of East
Fortification. The second place occupies Chios amphorae, and then go "proto-Thasian"
amphorae and storage vessels from Thasos, Attic and Lesbos. On the Western Fortification the
first place belongs to Ionic ceramics then follow Chios, Thasos, Attic, Lesbos and other centers
(Shramko, 1987, p. 125-126). Approximantly same ratio was fixed on Kolomak hillfort in
Vorskla Area (Radzievskaia, 1992, p. 178).
4. A same picture rises after studying of burial materials of the sites a forest-steppe zone.
On data A.V. Bandurovskij, storage amphorae is distributed as follows: Ionic centers – 55,5 %;
Lesbos (together with amphorae on a truncated-conic base) – 16,8 %; "proto-Thasian" – 11,3 %;