Maydanets
Encyclopedia
Maydanets Ukraine
, also referred to as Maydanets'ke or Maydanetske or Maydanetskoya , is located within the Talne
Raion
(district) of the Cherkasy
Oblast
(province), about 235 kilometres (146 mi) driving distance south of Kiev
. It is a small farming community located primarily on a hill overlooking the Tal'ianki River. Maydanets is home to one of the three district hospitals in the Talne Raion. A local museum was built in the 1990s that highlights the rich and ancient history of this community, including a panoramic reconstructed model of the large Cucuteni-Trypillian settlement, as well as some of the artifacts uncovered from around the village.
Maydanets was the location of two separate settlements of the Neolithic
Cucuteni-Trypillian culture. The first settlement, encompassing about 2 hectares (5 acres), was inhabited near 5000 BC, and is located close to the outskirts of Maydanets along the road to Talne
at a location called Grebenyukov Yar . This site was partially excavated by M. Shmaglij and N. Burdo between 1981–1989, during which time three dwellings and two bordei (earth-sheltered dwellings) were discovered and examined.
The second, much larger Cucuteni-Trypillian settlement is located on the left bank of the Tal'ianki River, west of Maydanets, which was inhabited near 3700-3600 BC. The settlement encompassed about 250 hectares (600 acres), measuring 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) in length and 1.1 kilometre (0.683510010314787 mi) wide, and was laid out in an oval pattern. This site was explored by an archaeologcal team led by M. Shmalij from 1971 to 1991, who employed magnetometric
analysis to map out the settlement (made by V. Dudkin), revealing a total of 1575 buildings, including dwellings, fortifications, sanctuaries, and some two-storied houses (on 180 ha explored area). The excavation of the site produced almost 50 artifacts, including a unique collection of painted pottery and figurines. This settlement was one of the largest of the Cucuteni-Trypillian, making it also one of the largest settlements in the world during the time that it flourished.
In addition to the two Cucuteni-Trypillian cultural sites, Maydanets is also the location two other ancient archaeological sites. Two Yamna culture
tumuli
(burial mounds) are located near the village, containing eight graves dating back to the middle of the 3rd Millennium BC. Also, in the nearby Geliv Stav location, are the remains of a small settlement dating to the 4th century AD of the Chernyakhov culture
.
In addition to the local museum in Maydanets, archaeological artifacts taken from local sites may be found in the Cherkasy Regional Museum, the Museum of Agriculture in Talne, the National Museum of History in Kiev, and the Institute of Archaeology, also in Kiev. There are also other nearby towns that are host to Neolithic settlements, including the village of Talianki
, where the largest of all the Cucuteni-Trypillian settlements is located.
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...
, also referred to as Maydanets'ke or Maydanetske or Maydanetskoya , is located within the Talne
Talne Raion
Talne Raion is a raion of Cherkasy Oblast, central Ukraine. Its administrative centre is located at Talne....
Raion
Raion
A raion is a type of administrative unit of several post-Soviet countries. The term, which is from French rayon 'honeycomb, department,' describes both a type of a subnational entity and a division of a city, and is commonly translated in English as "district"...
(district) of the Cherkasy
Cherkasy Oblast
Cherkasy Oblast is an oblast of central Ukraine located along the Dnieper River. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Cherkasy).-Geography:...
Oblast
Oblast
Oblast is a type of administrative division in Slavic countries, including some countries of the former Soviet Union. The word "oblast" is a loanword in English, but it is nevertheless often translated as "area", "zone", "province", or "region"...
(province), about 235 kilometres (146 mi) driving distance south of Kiev
Kiev
Kiev or Kyiv is the capital and the largest city of Ukraine, located in the north central part of the country on the Dnieper River. The population as of the 2001 census was 2,611,300. However, higher numbers have been cited in the press....
. It is a small farming community located primarily on a hill overlooking the Tal'ianki River. Maydanets is home to one of the three district hospitals in the Talne Raion. A local museum was built in the 1990s that highlights the rich and ancient history of this community, including a panoramic reconstructed model of the large Cucuteni-Trypillian settlement, as well as some of the artifacts uncovered from around the village.
Maydanets was the location of two separate settlements of the Neolithic
Neolithic
The Neolithic Age, Era, or Period, or New Stone Age, was a period in the development of human technology, beginning about 9500 BC in some parts of the Middle East, and later in other parts of the world. It is traditionally considered as the last part of the Stone Age...
Cucuteni-Trypillian culture. The first settlement, encompassing about 2 hectares (5 acres), was inhabited near 5000 BC, and is located close to the outskirts of Maydanets along the road to Talne
Talne
Talne is a city in Cherkasy Oblast of Ukraine. Population is 16,388 ....
at a location called Grebenyukov Yar . This site was partially excavated by M. Shmaglij and N. Burdo between 1981–1989, during which time three dwellings and two bordei (earth-sheltered dwellings) were discovered and examined.
The second, much larger Cucuteni-Trypillian settlement is located on the left bank of the Tal'ianki River, west of Maydanets, which was inhabited near 3700-3600 BC. The settlement encompassed about 250 hectares (600 acres), measuring 1.5 kilometre (0.93205910497471 mi) in length and 1.1 kilometre (0.683510010314787 mi) wide, and was laid out in an oval pattern. This site was explored by an archaeologcal team led by M. Shmalij from 1971 to 1991, who employed magnetometric
Magnetometer
A magnetometer is a measuring instrument used to measure the strength or direction of a magnetic field either produced in the laboratory or existing in nature...
analysis to map out the settlement (made by V. Dudkin), revealing a total of 1575 buildings, including dwellings, fortifications, sanctuaries, and some two-storied houses (on 180 ha explored area). The excavation of the site produced almost 50 artifacts, including a unique collection of painted pottery and figurines. This settlement was one of the largest of the Cucuteni-Trypillian, making it also one of the largest settlements in the world during the time that it flourished.
In addition to the two Cucuteni-Trypillian cultural sites, Maydanets is also the location two other ancient archaeological sites. Two Yamna culture
Yamna culture
The Yamna culture is a late copper age/early Bronze Age culture of the Southern Bug/Dniester/Ural region , dating to the 36th–23rd centuries BC...
tumuli
Tumulus
A tumulus is a mound of earth and stones raised over a grave or graves. Tumuli are also known as barrows, burial mounds, Hügelgrab or kurgans, and can be found throughout much of the world. A tumulus composed largely or entirely of stones is usually referred to as a cairn...
(burial mounds) are located near the village, containing eight graves dating back to the middle of the 3rd Millennium BC. Also, in the nearby Geliv Stav location, are the remains of a small settlement dating to the 4th century AD of the Chernyakhov culture
Chernyakhov culture
The Sântana de Mureș–Chernyakhiv culture is the name given to an archaeological culture which flourished between the 2nd and 5th centuries in a wide area of Eastern Europe, specifically in what today constitutes Ukraine, Romania, Moldova, and parts of Belarus...
.
In addition to the local museum in Maydanets, archaeological artifacts taken from local sites may be found in the Cherkasy Regional Museum, the Museum of Agriculture in Talne, the National Museum of History in Kiev, and the Institute of Archaeology, also in Kiev. There are also other nearby towns that are host to Neolithic settlements, including the village of Talianki
Talianki
Talianki is a village in Cherkasy Oblast, Ukraine, close to the city of Talne and about south of Kiev. It is a small farming community located among large open fields that cover the plateau above the nearby Tal'ianki River that winds its way through this area in a narrow riverine valley...
, where the largest of all the Cucuteni-Trypillian settlements is located.
See also
- Yamna cultureYamna cultureThe Yamna culture is a late copper age/early Bronze Age culture of the Southern Bug/Dniester/Ural region , dating to the 36th–23rd centuries BC...
- Neolithic EuropeNeolithic EuropeNeolithic Europe refers to a prehistoric period in which Neolithic technology was present in Europe. This corresponds roughly to a time between 7000 BC and c. 1700 BC...
- Chalcolithic EuropeChalcolithic EuropeChalcolithic Europe, the Chalcolithic period of Prehistoric Europe lasts roughly 3500 to 1700 BC.It is the period of Megalithic culture, the appearance of the first significant economic stratification, and probably the earliest presence of Indo-European speakers.The economy of the Chalcolithic,...
- Prehistory of Southeastern EuropePrehistory of Southeastern EuropeThe prehistory of Southeastern Europe , defined roughly as the territory of the wider Balkans peninsula covers the period from the Upper Paleolithic, beginning with the presence of Homo sapiens in the area some 44,000 years ago, until the...
- History of UkraineHistory of UkraineThe territory of Ukraine was a key center of East Slavic culture in the Middle Ages, before being divided between a variety of powers. However, the history of Ukraine dates back many thousands of years. The territory has been settled continuously since at least 5000 BC, and is also a candidate site...
External links
- The Trypillia-USA-Project The Trypillian Civilization Society homepage (in English).
- The Institute of Archaeomythology The homepage for The Institute of Archaeomythology, an international organization of scholars dedicated to fostering an interdisciplinary approach to cultural research with particular emphasis on the beliefs, rituals, social structure and symbolism of ancient societies. Much of their focus covers topics that relate to the Cucuteni-Trypillian Culture (in English).
- Trypillian Culture from Ukraine A page from the UK-based group "Arattagar" about Trypillian Culture, which has many great photographs of the group's trip to the Trypillian Museum in Trypillia, Ukraine (in English).
- Трипільська культура в Україні з колекції «Платар» Ukrainian language page about the Ukrainian Platar Collection of Trypillian Culture.