Scientific substantiation of Mezhyrich settlement transfer to T. Shevchenko National Reserve

Abstract

The Mezhyrich settlement is a unique vestige of prehistoric archaeology, dating back from 18 to 13 ka BP. This site is of worldwide importance due to its archaeological, anthropological, cultural value and which is an important source for revealing the issues of nature and society relationships in prehistoric times. A striking feature of the Mezhyrich settlement is the discovery of the remains of mammoth bone dwelling structures and a good state of preservation of cultural layers with faunal remains, bone, tusk and lithic artifacts. Since the discovery of the site in 1965, archaeological excavations have uncovered the remains of four Palaeolithic dwellings and a number of pits, workshops and plots of cultural layers around them. In the settlement are the remains of a fourth mammoth bone dwelling, which was discovered and partially explored by Prof. Mykhailo I. Gladkikh from the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv. In order to preserve the settlement and avoid its further destruction, it is necessary to carry out a number of site protection measures. Namely: 1) to take legal and organizational measures to address the issue of establishing a museum on the site as a subdivision of the T. Shevchenko National Reserve; 2) museification of the remains of the fourth mammoth bone dwelling, as a central element of the ‘Archaeopark of prehistoric culture’; 3) continuation of archaeological and restoration works on the remains of dwelling. The final solution to the problem of preserving the remains of Palaeolithic housing should be the construction of a stationary museum building over the dwelling and surrounding cultural layers, which would have the necessary temperature and humidity and would meet the standards of museum building. It will be problematic to preserve the Mezhyrich assemblage without further efforts in the direction of museification. After all, the exposure of a mammoth bone dwelling in the open state requires a whole set of actions, which involves the restoration of bone remains on site with a parallel archaeological study of the interior and the surrounding area. The T. Shevchenko National Reserve can realize the application of the whole complex of site protection measures and the museification of the Mezhyrich assemblage through the including of this outstanding archeological monument to its territory. Keywords: archeological monument of national value, Upper Palaeolithic, museification, reserve, site protection studies