THE FORTIFIED SETTLEMENT OF DEMIDOVKA IN SMOLENSK REGION. STRATIGRAPHY, SOILS, STRUCTURES, POTTERY, ANIMAL BONES

The article presents new results of studying the reference fortified settlement of Demidovka in Smolensk Region, Russian Federation, the lower date of which is the 7th (8th) century BC, the upper one is 6th century AD. The authors analyze museum collections (Smolensk) of the 1960s excavations that have not been covered in the publications, drawing records from the archive of the Institute of Archaeology RAS, data from palaeosoil and geochemical studies. As part of the study, additional test excavations were conducted, which made it possible to clarify the stratigraphy of the site and refine the plan of the “big house” – the residence of a noble family member (nobile) of the 5th century AD. A significant series of radiocarbon dates has been obtained, and an archaeozoological collection has been assembled that characterizes the diet of the settlement dwellers.