Kyiv-Mohyla Archaeological Journal

Permanent URI for this community

https://ekmair.ukma.edu.ua/handle/123456789/37341

Browse

Browsing Kyiv-Mohyla Archaeological Journal by Subject "article"

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    From Ukraine to the island of Sardinia (once again on the "Sea peoples")
    (2025) Klochko, Viktor
    The article is dedicated to the mysterious resemblance between bronze warrior figurines (the bronzetti) from the island of Sardinia and Ukrainian finds from the Late Bronze Age. The explanation of this phenomenon is provided within the context of the participation of inhabitants of southern Ukraine in the "Sea Peoples" activity in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as trade contacts between the regions. I began using the bronzetti from the island of Sardinia in my initial works on the relations between the inhabitants of the North Pontic region and the "Sea Peoples" of the Eastern Mediterranean. The analogy was viewed skeptically for a large duration of time, along with the very concept of people of Noua-Sabatynivka participating in the incursions to the Eastern Mediterranean. The situation changed drastically after the discovery of bronze warrior figurines near the Luzhany village in the Chernivtsi region and the city of Odesa. Said figurines are similar to the bronzetti, which come from the island of Sardinia. As I have written before, the peculiar connection between Sardinia and North-Western Pontic region is most likely the result of the small group of "Sea Peoples" migrating to this island after being dismissed from a paid service in the Egyptian army during the Libyan war of Ramesses III. They are the ones who brought to the island the tradition of the bronzetti, bearing details of weaponry common among the southern Ukrainian cultures of Late Bronze Age. The Levantine tradition of bronze miniatures could have come to southern Ukraine as early as second millennia BC due to trade connections. Within the Noua-Sabatynivka culture, this tradition was adapted, and brought to the Mediterranean during the "Sea Peoples" incursion. In my opinion, such an anabasis of this group of people from southern Ukraine is worthy of further study.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    The "Karasuk" knives in Ukraine
    (2025) Klochko, Danylo
    The article presents the Ukrainian finds of knives that originate in the Karasuk culture area. They are divided into two distinct types in respect to their form: the straight ones and the curved ones. Each knife is unique, having either one or two sharp blade sides, a pointed or rounded edge, and a distinct separation between the handle and the blade — or none at all. The closest analogies of these items are provided as well, coming from the Don and Volga river regions, Central Asia (mainly various regions of Kazakhstan) and China. The name "Karasuk knives" is considered artificial and is used in a generalizing manner, as such items are found across a vast territory, far beyond the traditional Karasuk area. One of the Ukrainian finds is completely unique for the Karasuk material complex, as it is not made solely of bronze, but once had an iron blade. The discussion regarding the use of the "Karasuk" knives (mainly whether they could have been used as weapons) is also addressed, as well as the obvious differences between knives and daggers in the Karasuk culture. Since this culture’s material complex includes a rich collection of daggers and swords, it is unlikely that the usage of knives as weapons was widespread among those people. Further evidence for this may be the complete absence of knife depictions on stone stelae, contrasting with other kinds of nomadic weaponry. According to the available dating, several types and variants of the knives continued to coexist for a long period of time. The differences in forms may be an indication that the knives had different purposes for those using them. The presence of such items in Ukraine is further evidence of contact between Eurasian nomads and the North Pontic region at the end of the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Early Iron Age.