Spatial distribution of finds on the eastern outskirts of Poltse I, the Amur region

The study addresses the spatial arrangement offeatures at Poltse I-a Poltse culture settlement near Kukelevo village. The analysis ofpast scholarship reveals the sources of the modern understanding of the geographic and topographic location of the site and of its present condition. Although Poltse I and the nearby Poltse II were damaged by plowing in 1968, excavations can be continued and new information can be gained. On the basis ofpublished materials, field plans in the archives, and artifacts at the SB RAS Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography, the first complete plan of excavations at Poltse I was prepared, showing the arrangement of dwellings. Certain features of their design are described. Ceramic vessels found in each of the ten dwellings are listed. Vessels had been placed along the perimeter of the interior, leaving free space around the central hearth and a passage to the exit. Most concentrated in six dwellings. Only a few of them had been used in everyday life, while most could have been destined for trade and barter. The abundance of ceramics (965 specimens and numerous separate fragments) makes the Poltse I a key source of information on pottery manufacture, subsistence, and cultural ties. Thus far, it is impossible to say if the vessels had been manufactured in situ or imported.