Dereivka
Encyclopedia
Dereivka is an archaeological site
located in the village of the same name in Kirovohrad Oblast
, Ukraine
, on the right bank of the Dneiper. The site dates to ca. 4500—3500 BC and is associated with the Sredny Stog culture
.
This site is known primarily for its status as a site (and perhaps as the site) of early horse domestication. Radiocarbon dates of the most famous horse head, however, have been disappointing, due to contamination of the evidence (they range from the late third millennium BCE to the early first millennium BCE). Since the rest of the site is reliably dated, the earlier of these conflicting radiocarbon dates is compatible with a timeframe several hundred years older.
Of interest is some apparently equivocal evidence for fenced houses. Two cemeteries are associated, one from the earlier Dnieper-Donets culture
and one from the aforementioned Sredny Stog culture.
As a part of the Sredny Stog complex, it is considered to be very early Indo-European
, and probably, Proto-Indo-European
, within the traditional context of the Kurgan
hypothesis of Marija Gimbutas
, though Sredny Stog is itself pre-kurgan as to burial rite.
Archaeological site
An archaeological site is a place in which evidence of past activity is preserved , and which has been, or may be, investigated using the discipline of archaeology and represents a part of the archaeological record.Beyond this, the definition and geographical extent of a 'site' can vary widely,...
located in the village of the same name in Kirovohrad Oblast
Kirovohrad Oblast
Kirovohrad Oblast is an oblast of Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Kirovohrad.-Geography:The area of the province is , its population is 1.1 million....
, Ukraine
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
, on the right bank of the Dneiper. The site dates to ca. 4500—3500 BC and is associated with the Sredny Stog culture
Sredny Stog culture
The Sredny Stog culture dates from the 4500-3500 BC. It was situated just north of the Sea of Azov between the Dnieper and the Don...
.
This site is known primarily for its status as a site (and perhaps as the site) of early horse domestication. Radiocarbon dates of the most famous horse head, however, have been disappointing, due to contamination of the evidence (they range from the late third millennium BCE to the early first millennium BCE). Since the rest of the site is reliably dated, the earlier of these conflicting radiocarbon dates is compatible with a timeframe several hundred years older.
Of interest is some apparently equivocal evidence for fenced houses. Two cemeteries are associated, one from the earlier Dnieper-Donets culture
Dnieper-Donets culture
Dnieper-Donets culture, ca. 5th—4th millennium BC. A neolithic culture in the area north of the Black Sea/Sea of Azov between the Dnieper and Donets River.There are parallels with the contemporaneous Samara culture...
and one from the aforementioned Sredny Stog culture.
As a part of the Sredny Stog complex, it is considered to be very early Indo-European
Proto-Indo-Europeans
The Proto-Indo-Europeans were the speakers of the Proto-Indo-European language , a reconstructed prehistoric language of Eurasia.Knowledge of them comes chiefly from the linguistic reconstruction, along with material evidence from archaeology and archaeogenetics...
, and probably, Proto-Indo-European
Proto-Indo-Europeans
The Proto-Indo-Europeans were the speakers of the Proto-Indo-European language , a reconstructed prehistoric language of Eurasia.Knowledge of them comes chiefly from the linguistic reconstruction, along with material evidence from archaeology and archaeogenetics...
, within the traditional context of the Kurgan
Kurgan
Kurgan is the Turkic term for a tumulus; mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves, originating with its use in Soviet archaeology, now widely used for tumuli in the context of Eastern European and Central Asian archaeology....
hypothesis of Marija Gimbutas
Marija Gimbutas
Marija Gimbutas , was a Lithuanian-American archeologist known for her research into the Neolithic and Bronze Age cultures of "Old Europe", a term she introduced. Her works published between 1946 and 1971 introduced new views by combining traditional spadework with linguistics and mythological...
, though Sredny Stog is itself pre-kurgan as to burial rite.
Sources
- J. P. Mallory, "Dereivka", Encyclopedia of Indo-European CultureEncyclopedia of Indo-European CultureThe Encyclopedia of Indo-European Culture is an encyclopedia of Indo-European studies and the Proto-Indo-Europeans. The encyclopedia was edited by J. P. Mallory and Douglas Q. Adams and published in 1997 by Fitzroy Dearborn...
, Fitzroy Dearborn, 1997.