Metal Artefacts of Zrubna/Timber-Grave Culture of the North Azov Area as Chronological Indicators

Abstract

The article deals with the problems of relative and absolute chronology of Zrubna/Timber-grave culture of the North Azov Area of the Paleo-metallic epoch. Successfully addressing these questions to understand the regional specificities of the cultural-historical process, but also to correctly describe the nature of inter-regional connections in terms of their dynamics and direction. To date the Zrubna/Timber-grave culture we used the results of comparative-typological analysis. With a significant distance of the Northern Azov Area from the centres of civilizations, such dating acquires the character of a multi-step procedure, the results of which directly depend on the accuracy of the construction of numerous typological comparisons. In determining the absolute dates of Zrubna/Timber-grave culture of the North Azov Area the author is mainly guided by the more adjusted chronological scales, constructed with the help of natural-scientific dating methods.