Ananyino Materials from Recent Excavations on the Yelabuga Hillfort

Abstract

The Yelabuga hillfort has attracted the attention of researchers for more than 250 years. This is one of the most well-studied archaeological sites of the Republic of Tatarstan. Despite the severe destruction of the southwestern and central parts, the hillfort is still a special object for studying the Early Iron Age, the Middle Ages and the beginning of the modern era. The article deals with the results of studies in recent years on the territory of the site. Excavations in the northern part of the inner area revealed an interesting set of finds of the Early Iron Age. In two excavations with a total area of 232 m2, in addition to more than a dozen artifacts, 1820 fragments of the Ananyino ware, items made of bone, stone and bronze were found. At the same time, study in the eastern part of the territory between the first and second ramparts showed a weak presence of the Ananyino material, that contradicts the claims of other specialists. Interesting conclusions were made on the settling intensity of some zones of the hillfort during certain periods. According to the author, northern part of the headland began to be actively populated already in the Early Iron Age.