The Beginning of the Palaeoeconomics Study in Ukrainian Archaeology (to the 100th Anniversary of B. A. Shramko’s Birth)

Almost all models of the palaeoeconomical researches used by representatives of the world economic science are suitable for studying the economic systems of antiquity. Interdisciplinary research, which combines the techniques and methods of research in economics and archaeology, seems to be very productive. This trend in the English language literature has been recorded only since 1990-ies. In Ukrainian archaeology it originated much earlier. On the example of the scientific biography of Borys Andriiovych Shramko, Doctor of Historical Sciences, the founder of the Kharkiv Archaeological school, who would have turned 100 in January 2021, the formation of the palaeoeconomic direction can be traced. The main problems that were posed and solved by the researcher are shown. It is noted that all the activities of the scientist were «targeted» in nature, i.e. before the start of excavations of the complex of the archaeological monuments in the vicinity of the Bilsk hill-fort, the largest settlement structure in Eastern Europe, B. A. Shramko set himself the task of studying the economic system of the region. The achievements of the scientist in the study of agriculture, cattle breeding, crafts, domestic crafts, construction are shown. To study these branches of the economy, the methods of natural sciences were widely used, i.e. research by B. A. Shramko, since 1960-ies have had an interdisciplinary character. It is concluded that B. A. Shramko was the first in Ukraine who conducted a study of the palaeoeconomics using the method of economic research. Moreover, it can be noted that B. A. Shramko proved the participation of the region he studied in the world-system structures that developed in the early Iron Age.