The territory of the basins of the upper reaches of
the Dnister and the Western Bug is the extreme south-eastern border of the
Funnelbeaker culture (FBC) on the border with the Trypillian culture. Starting
from the end of the 19th century. More than 300 sites related to the
FBC were found here, which in general makes it possible to talk about the level
of settlement of this territory. Among the excavated settlements, Zymne,
Lezhnytsia, Tadani, Mali Hrybovychi, Vynnyky-Zhupan, Vynnyky-Lysivka, etc.
stand out. They in general reveal the character of the FBC in the interfluve of
the mentioned rivers. In terms of the history of research and historiography,
the time of the second half of the 20th century can be called the «period of M. Peleshchyshyn», who was, in fact, the only specialist in problematic
of FBC on the territory of Ukraine.
The resumption of systematic field studies of the FBC started in 2010
with the excavations of the Kotoryny settlement on the right bank of the
Dnister in the immediate border area with the Trypillian culture. Since 2013,
the study of the FBC settlement complex in Vynnyky near Lviv lasted without
interruption. Several ground dwelling structures were discovered here, in
particular constructions with clay walls. A significant number of storage pits
were recorded. Defensive structures in the form of a ditch and a palisade in
Vynnyky on Lysivka Mount became an important discovery, which has started a
discussion about the nature of relationships within the community and with the
nearest neighbors.
One of the greatest achievements during this time was
a series of absolute dates obtained from Zymne, Kotoryny, Vynnyky-Lysivka,
Vynnyky-Zhupan, the synchronous border Trypillian settlements of Bilshivtsi,
Kurgany-Dubova, Novomalyn-Podobanka, Myrogoshcha, further ones – Brînzeni, Gordinești, etc. This dating, in comparison
with the relative chronology, allows us to talk about the time of the
appearance of representatives of the FBC, the stages of functioning of this
culture, and the chronology of their relationships with other adjacent cultures in the Upper Dnister and
Western Bug regions.
A significant number of "imported" ceramics
of the Trypllian culture indicate the peculiarity of the contacts of the FBC on
its southeastern borderland, which is particularly reflected in ceramics of a
syncretic character.
