Ceramics from the Arkhara river, Western Priamurye

In 2014 and 2020, a small collection of fragments of ceramics collected in the Arkharinsky District of the Amur Region by a local resident at a site unknown to archaeologists was set up. This area of Priamurye, after excavations on the Urilskiy island in the early 1960s, was mothballed for many years in terms of archaeological stationary research. New survey and excavation work started only after 2000. Despite the discovery of more than 100 archaeological sites in the Arkharinsky District, it still remains sketchy studied; therefore, any finds of material are an important source for mapping the places of residence of ancient and medieval populations. After analyzing the ceramic collection of random finds on the left bank of the Arkhara River by-stream, it was concluded that there was a settlement in this place, which was mainly associated with the carriers of the Urilskaya culture. Most fragments of vessels belong to this culture. However, the presence of a number offragments of pottery belonging to the Talakanskaya culture of the Early Iron Age suggests a second stage of settlement at this site on the left bank of the Arkhara River. The presence offragments of vessels with a waffle ornament on the body in the collection can also be associated with the bearers of the Mikhailovskaya culture of the Early Middle Ages. This archaeological site has not been yet included to the list of the archaeological cultural heritage of the Amur Region and does not have a corresponding provenience, so we propose to call it “Arkadyevka”, after the name of the village located nearby.