Grigory L. Zemtsov^1,*, Dmitry V. Sarychev^2,**, Vladimir O. Goncharov^3,***, Ekaterina V. Fabritsius^1,*

¹P.P. Semenov-Tian-Shansky Lipetsk State Pedagogical University, Russia
²Voronezh State University, Russia
³Public Organization “Poisk”, Lipetsk, Russia

*E-mail: grizem@rambler.ru, fev98@outlook.com
**E-mail: sarychev.geo@gmail.com
***E-mail: v9513021568@gmail.com

Keywords: the Late Roman period, the Upper Don, settlements, the Kiev culture, the Chernyakhov culture, sites of the Kashirka–Sedelki type.

The article considers the microregion of settlements dated by the middle 3rd–the early 4th century AD in the area north of the conf luence of the river Bystraya Sosna in the Don (Lipetsk Region). This territory was named “Plyushchan Microregion” after the geographic area. The paper describes the results of field studies on five sites characterizing their ceramic material and construction of dwellings. The settlements belong to the group of sites of the Kashirka–Sedelki type. The conclusion is made about the short duration of the Late Roman layer. The authors discuss the problem of the downfall of those settlements challenging the traditional version of the destruction of settlements during the Gothic campaigns to the east. A hypothesis is advanced about the absence of hostilities in the region. It is based on studying the cartography of the settlements, their area, and the absence of traces of a sudden attack. Mass evidence of fires recorded on all the sites of the Kashirka–Sedelki type, as well as in northeastern Chernyakhov culture settlements, are associated with the religious activities of ancient inhabitants.

DOI: 10.31857/S086960630005677-3