Talianki (archaeological site)
Encyclopedia
Talianki is an archaeological site
near the village of the same name
in Cherkasy Oblast
, Ukraine
. It was the location of a large (450 ha) Cucuteni-Trypillian settlement dating to around 3,700 BC – currently the largest known settlement in Neolithic
Europe. The settlement was built on a bluff between the Tal'ianki River and a smaller stream and laid out in an oval design of concentric rows of interconnected buildings. At its height it could have been occupied by over 15,000 inhabitants. Built on top of the older Cucuteni-Trypillian settlement are the remains of some Yamna culture
tumuli
(burial mounds) dating to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC
, as well as some graves from the late Bronze Age
.
Talianki was discovered in an infrared
aerial photography
survey carried out in the 1970s by a Ukrainian pilot in his spare time. Excavations at the site began in 1981, directed by V. Kruts. The results eventually led to the determination that the Talianki settlement contained the remains of 2,700 structures, some of which were truly immense, measuring 300 to up to 600 meters in length (980 to 1,970 feet) and containing several rooms. Many of the buildings that were excavated had two storeys. The walls and ceilings of the structures were decorated with red and black designs, reminiscent of designs painted on Cucuteni-Trypillian pottery – which, along with ceramic figurines, were also found at the site. Further excavations were carried out by Kruts up to 2001.
Collections from the excavations in Talianki are exhibited in the Cherkasy Regional Museum, the Museum of Agriculture in Talne
, and the Institute of Archaeology in Kiev
.
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,...
near the village of the same name
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...
in Cherkasy Oblast
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:...
, 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...
. It was the location of a large (450 ha) Cucuteni-Trypillian settlement dating to around 3,700 BC – currently the largest known settlement in 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...
Europe. The settlement was built on a bluff between the Tal'ianki River and a smaller stream and laid out in an oval design of concentric rows of interconnected buildings. At its height it could have been occupied by over 15,000 inhabitants. Built on top of the older Cucuteni-Trypillian settlement are the remains of some 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) dating to the middle of the 3rd millennium BC
3rd millennium BC
The 3rd millennium BC spans the Early to Middle Bronze Age.It represents a period of time in which imperialism, or the desire to conquer, grew to prominence, in the city states of the Middle East, but also throughout Eurasia, with Indo-European expansion to Anatolia, Europe and Central Asia. The...
, as well as some graves from the late Bronze Age
Bronze Age
The Bronze Age is a period characterized by the use of copper and its alloy bronze as the chief hard materials in the manufacture of some implements and weapons. Chronologically, it stands between the Stone Age and Iron Age...
.
Talianki was discovered in an infrared
Infrared photography
In infrared photography, the film or image sensor used is sensitive to infrared light. The part of the spectrum used is referred to as near-infrared to distinguish it from far-infrared, which is the domain of thermal imaging. Wavelengths used for photography range from about 700 nm to about...
aerial photography
Aerial photography
Aerial photography is the taking of photographs of the ground from an elevated position. The term usually refers to images in which the camera is not supported by a ground-based structure. Cameras may be hand held or mounted, and photographs may be taken by a photographer, triggered remotely or...
survey carried out in the 1970s by a Ukrainian pilot in his spare time. Excavations at the site began in 1981, directed by V. Kruts. The results eventually led to the determination that the Talianki settlement contained the remains of 2,700 structures, some of which were truly immense, measuring 300 to up to 600 meters in length (980 to 1,970 feet) and containing several rooms. Many of the buildings that were excavated had two storeys. The walls and ceilings of the structures were decorated with red and black designs, reminiscent of designs painted on Cucuteni-Trypillian pottery – which, along with ceramic figurines, were also found at the site. Further excavations were carried out by Kruts up to 2001.
Collections from the excavations in Talianki are exhibited in the Cherkasy Regional Museum, the Museum of Agriculture in Talne
Talne
Talne is a city in Cherkasy Oblast of Ukraine. Population is 16,388 ....
, and the Institute of Archaeology in 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....
.