Local Variants of the Dyakovo Culture on the Moskva and Oka Rivers: Spatial Analysis Results

The authors analyzed the distribution of the Dyakovo hillforts in the Moskva and Oka river valleys using GIS. The analysis revealed two clusters of the Early Iron Age sites. The first cluster concentrated in the area of modern Moscow has been known for a long time. The second cluster has been identified on the left bank of the Oka in the Oka and Osetr interfluve. The authors come to the conclusion that judging from the mapping, there are two consistent groups of fortified settlements that show differences in material culture and historical fate of their populations. According to the authors, the presence of an area with thinly scattered settlements dating to the Early Iron Age between the two zones of hillforts is another important result of the study. The authors think that the area identified emphasizes objectivity in singling out local variants of the Dyakovo culture.