Bilkent University The Department of Archaeology & History of Art Newsletter No. 3 - 2004 Berezan Island The Main Features for Archaeology

The State Hermitage Coastal abrasion and of the cultural layer’s Museum is one of the changes in sea level formation, the construc- world's biggest deposi- have reduced the island tion of the first permanent tories of antiquities, the to no more than 900 by dwellings, the appear- majority of which have 320 metres, but Berezan ance of various and been excavated during its is thought to have been а numerous ceramic own archaeological expe- peninsular in antiquity: а ditions in the different pioneer site Borysthenes regions of the former with harbours, sources of USSR. The antiquities of freshwater and access to Berezan, the island the hinterland. where the Greeks first settled when they sailed into the Northern Black Sea region, hold а key to the story of Ancient Greek colonisation of great significance to scholars the world over. Fig. 3 Import from E. Ionia Initially, the finds from materials of both Berezan, where imported and local excavations began in the manufacture, and the first late 19th century, reached burials in the Berezan the Hermitage through necropolis fall in the last the Imperial Archaeo- decade of the 7th century logical Commission. Over BC. Fig. 2 Berezan island the period from 1961 to During the first three- 1991, however, the According to Eusebius, quarters of the 6th museum’s archaeological the date for Borysthenes’ century BC, the only expeditions excavated foundation occurred in types of dwelling in the the island almost every 647/646 BC. A recent Berezan settlement were year, and gradually review of the constructions dug in the assembled а collection of archaeological evidence ground (so-called “dugout over 9,500 ancient has shown that the dwellings”). They were artefacts. foundation date must be built half in and half out of Berezan is an island in а in fact lowered by some the earth, and occupy an strategic position, 30 years. The attributable area from 5 to 16 square something over two materials may really meters. These buildings kilometres from the consist only of a very were architecturally Ukrainian mainland small group of narrowly crude, characterised by across the shallow waters specialised and simplicity of construction of the estuary shared by decorated table vessels. and interior layout. the Dnieper and Southern These vessels Bug rivers. were mainly from the workshops of Eastern Ionia (fig.3), as well as hand-made pottery of local manufacture from the forest-steppe of Scythia. Today there also remains little Fig. 4 ‘Dugout dwelling’ Fig. 1 The location of the site doubt that the beginning

17 Bilkent University The Department of Archaeology & History of Art Newsletter No. 3 - 2004 The basic distinction a among dugout constructions lies in the form of the building: the layout may be quadrangular, oval, or circular. Nearly 200 such dwellings have been found up to the present time. Fragments of trade amphorae (especially from Klasomenae, Chios, Lesbos, Miletus, and Attica) made up the largest part of the numerous finds from these buildings (up to 80% of all pottery fragments). Leaving amphorae out of account, the ratio of imported Greek to local hand- made pottery was approximately 80%:20%. Work tools and ornaments, found in large numbers in the settlement, are mostly linked to local cultures. From all of this we may suppose that the Berezan population of the first Fig. 5 Late 6th c. Berezan three-quarters of the 6th few living and household century BC was rooms that were grouped differently about an On the whole, predominantly non-Greek construction techniques in composition. interior courtyard. Depending on their were of a fairly high level. Cardinal changes in the The architectural appear- cultural face of the designated purpose, the rooms held stoves, ance of the Berezan Berezan settlement took houses indicates the place at the end of the hearths, portable braziers, a heating urban character of the third quarter of the 6th construction. All the century BC. During a very system of the fireplace type, paving, and drains. dwelling-places of the short time the whole Berezan settlement were territory of the settlement In the courtyards, partially paved with fragments of grouped in blocks of eight was built up with above or more houses. The ground homes of pottery and small stones, were located wells, root area of such a block generally Greek types approached 2000 square (fig. 5). As has been cellars, altars, and drains. The houses were most meters. The size and established, this was placement of the blocks preceded by preparatory likely single-floor, although the wall were regulated by a work to level the surface developed network of of areas designated for construction of Berezan buildings would not streets, which was above ground construc- evidently set up from the tion. prevent the construction of a second floor. The beginning to an The newly erected approximately regular houses possessed from quality of the construction work varied and it seems plan. Regulation of the 100 to 300 square meters area of the settlement of space and consisted of to depend on the well- being of the homeowner. occupied by above ground buildings

18 Bilkent University The Department of Archaeology & History of Art Newsletter No. 3 - 2004 evidently did not extend the highly artistic kind, of Aphrodite – was to the outskirts, where but also mass-produced). erected at this same time. dugout construction This type of product The excavated part of continued, although to a gradually supplanted Berezan necropolis significantly lesser extent Ionian pottery in the daily mainly belongs to this than before. lives of the inhabitants of period (fig. 6). Most of Evidently the former Borysthenes. Excluded graves for one type of inhabitants of the from this process were of funeral rites were Berezan settlement aban- course the amphorae inhumations in pits of doned the peninsula in a produced by Ionian various designs and peaceful way, not due to potters. It is well known dimensions. Bodies in any violence on the part that wine was in huge their majority were laid of the Greeks, possibly demand in the extended on their back upon the conclusion of an with head to the North or agreement between the the East. Only some of settlers and native them had flexed positions leaders. Such an and were oriented agreement may have otherwise. About 10% of included payment of the burials were redemption fees or some cremations. Child other obligation for the interments were usually land granted to the Greek made in big vessels such colonists, probably for an as amphorae or pithoi. unlimited period of time. There were also Perhaps, only a very uncovered the remnants small number of the of funeral feasts. former inhabitants of It is known that the Berezan remained living changes in life at on the peninsula. These Borysthenes occurred at people were possibly the end of the first third of involved in construction the 5th century BC. work at the new city or These changes led to the had some other decline of construction relationship with the new work, a sharp reduction in inhabitants. the area of above ground By the end of the first building and an Fig. 6 Berezan necropolis third of the 5th century increasing amount of BC Borysthenes had marketplaces of the dugout construction. reached its greatest northern Black Sea Certain sections of the dimensions, never region, sought after by urban, and possibly rural, attained before or since. both Greeks and natives. Berezan population may The construction work on The amount of hand- have overflowed into Borysthenes reached its made pottery in the Olbia – another Ancient peak, which undoubtedly ceramic complex of Greek centre of the gave it the characteristic Berezan declined region. The entire later features of a classical substantially in existence of ancient city. Cardinal changes comparison with earlier Berezan is the history of developed in practically times. an ordinary agricultural the entire cultural sphere One further very and fishing settlement, of the Berezan important change of this not very visible against settlement. Most time consisted in the fact the background of other significant was the growth that the spiritual life of rural populated points of of the specific gravity of Borysthenes inhabitants the Olbia polis. wheeled pottery – now took on typically cooking ware and Greek characteristics. Curator of Berezan Collection Department of Greek and tableware. From this time Primary among these Roman Antiquities forward, most of this characteristics is traces The State Hermitage Museum pottery consisted of of Greek cults. The single 34, Dvortsovaya nab. products from Athenian known cult construction St. Petersburg 190000 Russia workshops (not only of on Berezan – the temple Dr. Sergey L. Solovyov

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