Pages: 49-98

The beginning period of the Bronze Age is featured by both active cultural and historical processes, and cultural transformations. Usatovo Culture that is included into Western Pontic cultural horizon, turns out to be related to Southern-Eastern Europe and Anatolia with their technical achievements. Meanwhile, the population develops metallurgic traditions of its own. Partnership is mainly based on salt trade. Salt is produced in the estuaries of the Black Sea region that has been proved by the relics of cultic and industrial centers (Usatovo, Mayaki). The other trade way was the Dniester, which connected the population with the Tripolye as well as steppe with forest-steppe. The Usatovo tribes can be seen as the first salters in the Southern-Western Black Sea Region, whose activity was reflected in archaeological artifacts. The Region as it is should be considered as a unique natural object and a vast salt production area; its development has contributed into cultural process in different historical epochs.

Keywords: Northwest Pontic Region, Usatovo culture, trade routes, salt springs, cultural and historical processes

Information about authors:

Svetlana Ivanova (Odessa, Ukraine). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Archaeology Institute of Ukraine National Academy of Sciences.
E-mail: [email protected]