Pages: 347-357

The article considers the particularities of farming and animal husbandry of the inhabitants of Zhyvotinnoe hillfort — a site of the old Slavic Borshevskaya Culture. The analysis of the climatic conditions shows that the inhabitants chose the most optimal place for settling. Paleobotanical data and finds of working tools indicate a high level of agricultural technique, including two-, three-field systems and changing of sowings. Among the cultivated plants, a large proportion of fastidious, but more productive cereals should be mentioned. Archaeozoological data indicate the predominance of adult and sub-adult animals (cattle and horses), showing that the husbandry was concentrated near the settlement. Both branches of the rural economy organically supplemented each other.

Keywords: Eastern Europe, Old Russia, the Middle Ages, Borshevskaya Culture, Zhyvotinnoe hillfort, agriculture, farming, cattlebreeding

Information about authors:

Anatoly Vinnikov (Voronezh, Russia). Doctor of Historical Sciences. Voronezh State University, Moskovskii Pr., 88, korpus 8, Voronezh, 394068, Russia
E-mail: [email protected]
Sergey Gorbanenko (Kiev, Ukraine). Candidate of Historical Sciences. Institute of Archaeology, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Geroev Stalingrada Pr., 12, Kiev, 04210, Ukraine
E-mail: [email protected]