Pages: 453-468

The Plachidol barrow necropolis was excavated in 1979—1980 by a team led by I. Panayotov (Sofia) and V. Dergachev (Chişinău). The results of the investigations were fully published in 1984 and 1989, thus, making it one of the most distinguished sites related to Yamnaya populations in Northeast Balkans. New information on the necropolis was obtained in recent years such as AMS dates and paleo-zoological data. The new data acquired confirm the observations made during the excavations allowing some new ones to be made:
The stratigraphic sequence of Early Yamnaya graves (supine body position with flexed legs) and Late Yamnaya graves (semi-supine body position with flexed legs) established during the excavations of the barrows I and II was secured by AMS dates: Early Yamnaya in 3 100—2 900 calBC period, Late Yamnaya in 2 900—2 500 calBC period. In grave I/2, horse remains were also found. Three AMS samples placed the secondary graves with bodies in contracted (hocker) position in the Middle Bronze Age, with dates calibrated to the period 1 800—1 600 BC.
Two of the three smaller barrows with only one grave discovered in each one were also dated. Grave IV/1 date (supine position with flexed legs) is earlier than 3 000 calBC allowing an even earlier appearance of Yamnaya graves in the region to be argued. An older date, possibly earlier than 3 100 calBC provided grave V/1 (semi-supine inhumation of the body) that could be related to pre-Yamnaya populations in the region.

Keywords: Lower Danube, Plachidol barrow necropolis, Early-Middle Bronze Age, Yamnaya population, barrow graves

Information about author:

Stefan Alexandrov (Sofia, Bulgaria). Doctor of History. National Archaeological Institute with Museum - Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Saborna St., 2, Sofia, BG-1000, Bulgaria
E-mail: [email protected]
ORCID: 0000-0003-2868-3125