Pages: 231-255

Finds of the Bug-Dniester painted ceramics are very rare. So far, only four fragments of dark painted vessels of the Bug-Dniester culture have been published. Two of them are from the sites of Sokiltsi VI and Bazkiv Ostriv in the Southern Bug area. Loss of one fragment and scanty information about the other led to contradictory interpretation of these finds, and even negation of existence of Neolithic painted pottery in the region. Shards of seven vessels with previously undetected traces of brown colouring have been discovered by the author in the materials of the Bazkiv Ostriv. Preservation of the painting is very bad. But difference in elemental composition of painted and unpainted surfaces, fixed by X-ray fluorescence analysis, has eliminated all doubt. Uncertain stratigraphy of the site and occurrence of large fragments of the painted vessels at different depths do not allow to relate them with 14C dated samples of bones. However, incised decoration on five vessels from Bazkiv Ostriv and the one from Sokiltsi VI points to the influence of the Middle Neolithic ceramic traditions from eastern part of the Carpathian Basin 5300—5000 cal BC, particularly of the Szakálhát culture. This agrees with age of two “music note” decorated bowls of the Linear Pottery culture from the Bazkiv Ostriv. Characteristic composition of the ceramic paste, imperfection of the painting, its combination with comb impressions on the one of the vessels testify to their production by local potters, that tried to reproduce some wares made in the Tisza Basin.

Keywords: North Black Sea region, Neolithic, Bug-Dniester culture, ceramic ware, dark painting, incised decoration

Information about author:

Dmytro Gaskevych (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]