Merheleva Ridge ( uk, Мергелева гряда, also transliterated ''Mergeleva'', literally "Marlstone Ridge", "Marl Ridge") is the site of an

Eneolithic The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , ''asteriskos'', "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often voc ...

temple and burial complex consisting primarily of four large stone mounds or

kurgan A kurgan is a type of tumulus constructed over a grave, often characterized by containing a single human body along with grave vessels, weapons and horses. Originally in use on the Pontic–Caspian steppe, kurgans spread into much of Central Asi ...

s situated near

Perevalsk Perevalsk (; ) is a city in the southwestern part of the Luhansk Oblast (province) of Ukraine. It is the administrative center of Perevalsk Raion. Population: , . Perevalsk was founded in 1889 as Seleznyovsky Quarry, for the workers in coal minin ...

Luhansk Oblast Luhansk Oblast ( uk, Луга́нська о́бласть, translit=Luhanska oblast; russian: Луганская область, translit=Luganskaya oblast; also referred to as Luhanshchyna, uk, Луга́нщина) is the easternmost oblast ...

Ukraine Ukraine ( uk, Україна, Ukraïna, ) is a country in Eastern Europe. It is the second-largest European country after Russia, which it borders to the east and northeast. Ukraine covers approximately . Prior to the ongoing Russian inv ...

, about 30 km to the west-to-southwest of the city of

Luhansk Luhansk (, ; uk, Луганськ, ), also known as Lugansk (, ; russian: Луганск, ), is a city in what is internationally recognised as Ukraine, although it is administered by Russia as capital of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR). A ...

. "Merheleva" is the Ukrainian adjective from the word ''merhel'',

marlstone Marl is an earthy material rich in carbonate minerals, clays, and silt. When hardened into rock, this becomes marlstone. It is formed in marine or freshwater environments, often through the activities of algae. Marl makes up the lower part ...

, which is a type of

limestone Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...

common in the region. Supposedly the site was built in about 4000 BC, corresponding to the Dnieper-Donets or early

Yamna culture The Yamnaya culture or the Yamna culture (russian: Ямная культура, ua, Ямна культура lit. 'culture of pits'), also known as the Pit Grave culture or Ochre Grave culture, was a late Copper Age to early Bronze Age archa ...

, and remained in use throughout the

Bronze Age The Bronze Age is a historic period, lasting approximately from 3300 BC to 1200 BC, characterized by the use of bronze, the presence of writing in some areas, and other early features of urban civilization. The Bronze Age is the second pri ...

and well into the Iron Age, until 5th century BC

Sarmatia The Sarmatians (; grc, Σαρμαται, Sarmatai; Latin: ) were a large confederation of ancient Eastern Iranian equestrian nomadic peoples of classical antiquity who dominated the Pontic steppe from about the 3rd century BC to the 4th centur ...

. It was discovered in 2004, and the discovery officially announced on 7 September 2006.

Discovery and excavation

The site was discovered in 2004 by school children participating in an archaeology camp organised by

Alchevsk Alchevsk ( uk, Алчéвськ, translit. ''Alchevs'k''; russian: Алчéвск) is a city of significance in the Luhansk Oblast of Ukraine. It is located approximately from the oblast capital, Luhansk. Alchevsk is one of the largest indus ...

history teacher Vladimir Paramonov, who has been organising expeditions of schoolchildren to the hill range since 1995. It is believed that much of the site was constructed about 3000 BC, in the early

. The site is believed to be a complex of temples and sacrificial altars topping a hill with sides sculpted into steps. Viktor Klochko, the archaeologist in charge of the dig site and deputy Minister of Science of the Tourism and Protection of Cultural Heritage Department of the Lugansk regional administration, said that the discovery was of international significance as the first monument of its kind found in

Eastern Europe Eastern Europe is a subregion of the Europe, European continent. As a largely ambiguous term, it has a wide range of geopolitical, geographical, ethnic, cultural, and socio-economic connotations. The vast majority of the region is covered by Russ ...

: :"''It changes our whole conception of the social structure and the level of development of the cattle breeders and farmers who were the direct ancestors of most European peoples.''" Archaeologists have confirmed that evidence of graves has been found at the Luhansk site, which they believe to have been the result of

human sacrifice Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans as part of a ritual, which is usually intended to please or appease gods, a human ruler, an authoritative/priestly figure or spirits of dead ancestors or as a retainer sacrifice, wherein ...

, rather than due to its use as a burial ground. According to ''The Guardian'', remains of sacrifice victims, ashes and ceramics have been found at the site, but no jewellery or treasure. The complex has a base area of three-quarters of a square mile, is estimated to be 60 metres (192 ft) high, and was probably used for 2,000 years. In Kurgan No. 4, three graves of the Berezhnovsko-Maevskaya group of the Late Bronze Age

Srubna culture The Srubnaya culture (russian: Срубная культура, Srubnaya kul'tura, ua, Зрубна культура, Zrubna kul'tura), also known as Timber-grave culture, was a Late Bronze Age 1850–1450 BC cultureParpola, Asko, (2012)"Format ...

were found above three graves of the Early Bronze Age

Catacomb culture The Catacomb culture (russian: Катакомбная культура, Katakombnaya kul'tura, uk, Катакомбна культура, Katakombna kul'tura) was a Bronze Age culture which flourished on the Pontic steppe in 2500–1950 BC.Parp ...

, with 13 graves and sacrificial pits. One of the skulls found was dated to ca. 3000 BC. Four

stone statues A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size; a sculpture t ...

were found near the graves.

Misidentification as pyramid and clarification

Initial reports indicated that archaeologists had discovered a

pyramid A pyramid (from el, πυραμίς ') is a structure whose outer surfaces are triangular and converge to a single step at the top, making the shape roughly a pyramid in the geometric sense. The base of a pyramid can be trilateral, quadrilat ...

al structure.PRAVDA: Ancient pyramids found in UkraineBBC News: 'Pyramids' discovered in Ukraine

/ref> Klochko blamed the press: "I'm not sure where the pyramid idea came from - the media got it wrong," says Klochko. "We didn't find anything like an

Egyptian pyramid The Egyptian pyramids are ancient masonry structures located in Egypt. Sources cite at least 118 identified "Egyptian" pyramids. Approximately 80 pyramids were built within the Kingdom of Kush, now located in the modern country of Sudan. Of ...

. Though the site is on a hill. But it's interesting enough in its own right."Fact Check: Ukrainian "Pyramid"
''Archaeology'', Volume 60 Number 1, January/February 2007.

References

{{reflist

External links

* Kasianenko, M.
Pyramids in Crimea: Truth or mystification, scientists argue
'. Newspaper "Den". 30 August 2006. Archaeological sites in Ukraine Chalcolithic sites of Europe Bronze Age sites in Europe Kurgans Prehistoric sites in Ukraine History of Luhansk Oblast Buildings and structures in Luhansk Oblast 2004 archaeological discoveries

Discovery and excavation

Misidentification as pyramid and clarification

See also

References

External links