Ceramics of the Cherkaskul style of the settlement of Kalinovka II

The article presents the results of studying ceramics of the Cherkaskul style originating from the settlement of Kalinovka II. The study was based on the analysis of vessel shapes, ornamentation techniques, decoration motifs, raw materials and pottery paste. Most of the vessels have been defined as pots; pot-jars and jars are less common. The neck and shoulders of the vessels were predominantly decorated. Pottery fragments revealfive techniques for making ornaments: cutting/drawing, stamping, spatula impressions, notching and applique. 32 varieties of ornamental motifs were noted. The most common are flutes; horizontal drawn lines, belts, triangles, chains of impressions of the corner of the spatula are less common. Among the ornamental compositions, patterns consisting of two different motifs predominate. Analysis of the raw materials showed that the vessels were made from medium-ferruginous clay containing natural mineral inclusions. Two recipes for composing paste have been defined: clay + fireclay + organics and clay + fireclay + organic solution, one tradition of adding mineral impurities in the form offi reclay has been identified. A comparison of Cherkaskul ceramics with the previously studied Andronovo and Sargarinsko-Alekseevskaya groups and a group of vessels of a transitional type from Kalinovka II developed to the late Bronze Age, have shown both similar and distinguishing features. It has been established that the analyzed series of vessels is an independent group. It shows the greatest similarity with the dishes of the Cherkaskul culture. The identified features of the raw clay and ceramic paste supported by the data from the dwelling excavated at the site indicate that a group of bearers of Cherkaskul traditions lived at the site.