The Medieval Batyrskaya Settlement Borovikovo

This article reviews the results of the excavations of the medieval settlement Borovikovo and presents their interpretation. The aim of this article is to analyze the morphology, structure, and content of the monument characterized by its ceramic complex. The excavations of the settlement Borovikovo in 2017 set a single-layer character of the monument. The excavation area of 41 sq. m. was laid in the south-eastern part of the settlement, where it covered a dwelling and part of a rampart. The dwelling was a pit-house with an area of about 18 sq. m., its pit went 25-30 cm deep. The dwelling had a utility zone, a production zone, and a bench. The roof of the dwelling was covered with clay. The rampart was made of gray and yellow sandy loam, with streaks of clay, and was smeared with clay. This cultural layer and the clearly expressed elements of the archaeological monument belong to the era of the Middle Ages, the Batyrskaya archeological culture of the 6th-9th centuries. The statistical information on the ceramic complex of the Bo-rovikovo settlement is given by key parameters: the shape of vessels and their upper edges, their ornamentation, the pitted pearl zone, ornament. The ornament is considered in detail. The author makes a table which shows the distribution of the ceramic vessels within the boundaries of the excavation: their location and depth. The results revealed that the ceramic complex of Borovikovo splits into two groups. The first is ceramic vessels decorated with cord and comb impressions. It has subgroups, vessels with lines and crosses, which sometimes form a grid, of a comb (14); lines of zigzag of a comb (8); lines of a straight and/or inclined comb (14); with impressions of a comb at the upper edge and a triple cord (3); a herringbone line of a comb (1); with impressions of a cord only (5). The second group is ceramic vessels ornamented only with impressions of a comb. There are subgroups, vessels with a horizontal herringbone pattern: 1 strip (3 times); 1.5 strips (1 time); with rows of combs one above another: 1 row (6 times), 2 rows (2 times), 3 rows (1 time); with lines of dense horizontal impressions of a comb: 1 line (1 time), 2 lines (1 time), 3 lines (2 times), 4 lines (1 time), 5 lines (2 times) 6 lines (1 time); with a zigzag of a comb (1 time). One vessel has impressions of inclined bars of a comb at the neck, another has a comb-like meander. Ceramic vessels ornamented with shaped stamps are considered separately; their historical and cultural attribution is given. Based on the analysis of the ceramic complex of Borovikovo, the conclusion is made of the two-component population of the settlement. The first group of pottery (with cord and comb impressions) is related to the Batyrskaya culture. The second group of pottery (comb impressions) is related to the Molchanovka culture.

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