The eneolithique settlement and burial site Vasilyevskiy Kordon 27: evidence of hunting and fishing (excavations 2016-2018, preliminary publication)

The settlement and grave field Vasilyevskiy Kordon 27 was discovered by A.A. Klukoit in 2008 and it was investigated from 2016 to 2018. In the excavation within the area of 195 sq. m. six ancient buildings and four burials were identified. A large number of Eneolithique ceramics of the Srednestogovskaya and Volosovskaya culture as well as Ksizovski type vessels were discovered. A huge number of finds testify to the hunting and fishing on the monument. The accompanying flint inventory is represented by tools related to both economic activity and hunting weapons, with the latter predominating. In the outbuildings, burials and cultural layer 68 stone arrowheads and darts were found. 2245 residues of animal origin were also revealed. There are 1386 mammalian bones, 595 birds, 61 reptile bones and 138 fragments of mollusk shells among them. It is interesting to note that there were ceramic fishing weights carved from the broken vessels. On the monument animal husbandry was noted for the Upper Don for the first time, while poultry farming was absent. Bones of wild species of mammals, birds, fish and turtles confirm the importance of hunting and fishing as the main (but not the only) source of food in the settlement. At the same time, only four hunting tools were made of bone: two edges and two fragments of harpoons. The archaeological collection of the settlement Vasilyevskiy Kordon 27 refers mainly to the late Eneolithic period and dates the 3–2 quarter of the IV Millennium BC.