Правобережное Цимлянское городище в свете раскопок 1987-1988, 1990 гг.

Abstract

Волею судьбы мне выпало стать очередным после многочисленных предшественников исследователем Правобережного Цимлянского городища. Начальная история изучения этого уникального памятника достаточно полно изложена М. И. Артамоновым, а затем с повторами И. И. Ляпушкиным и С. А. Плетневой. Нет смысла воспроизводить ее вновь. Позволю ограничиться лишь некоторыми моментами, почти без ссылок на известную всем литературу

Right-bank Tsimlianskoe Gorodishche - a fortified settlement of Khazar Caganate - has been under investigation since the end of the 19th century. Soviet- Bulgarian (1987-88) and Tsimlianskaya (1990) expeditions under V.S.Fleorov worked in the southern part of the site, which had not been studied. They made substantial clarifications concerning its stratigraphy, fortification and chronology. The gorodishche is a one-layer settlement with a short period of existence. It appeared on the territory of a settlement of Late Bronze Age. A sterile layer separates Saltovo layer and fortification constructions from it. The investigation of fortification buildings (the bases of two towers, curtain and a room for guards) and the conclusions of the preceding researchers (I.Satsiperov, M.I.Artamonov, S.A.Pletneova) enable us to reconstruct fortification structures of Right-bank Tsimlianskoe Gorodishche. This site is referred to “Stone fortified settlements” of Khazar Caganate, i. e. to the fortresses with closed walls- with quadra faced with plates laying. In fortification of Right-bank Tsimlianskoe Gorodishche new techniques are traced: special system of towers located in the most important places of the defense; the division of the fortress into three parts.