This is an overview of Trypilian culture, equivalent to about
three (3) printed pages. There are two (2) images (gifs) associated
with this file, and bibliographic references are listed at the end.
There are also a few links to WebPages of related interest.
UKRAINE'S
* TRYPILIAN CULTURE *
Copyright 1996 Tania Diakiw O'Neill
Introduction
Trypilian culture (Trypil'ska kultura) is the Ukrainian name given to a Neolithic population whose culture once flourished on the ethnically Ukrainian territories of present-day Ukraine, Moldova, and the northeast area of Romania. The parallel Romanian name is "Cucuteni" culture. Both these names derive from the villages where artifacts of this culture were first discovered in Ukraine and in Romania, respectively. The Trypilia site is near Kyiv (Kiev), the capitol of Ukraine, and the Cucuteni site is near Iasi in Romania, near the Moldovian border.
In her book (ref *1), Marija Gimbutas stated:
"Tripolya (sic) is one of the best explored and richest cultures of Old
Europe, a true civilization in the best meaning of the word."
The Trypilian population's primordial deity was female,
and their culture developed rich and complex artistic symbols
rooted in their religious beliefs based on the Great Goddess and
her various aspects as Giver-of-Life, Wielder of Death, and
Regeneratrix. This symbolic system reflects the natural, yet
"represents cyclical, non-linear, mythical time."
Location in Europe
The earliest evidences of Trypilian culture (view refs. *2a & *3) are found on both sides of the middle Dniester and Boh rivers as well as the upper and middle Prut and Siret rivers in western Ukraine, and in Moldova (formerly Romania). Ultimately, the Trypilia culture extended from the lands east of the Dnipro river (Dnieper) near present-day Kyiv thru the southwest steppe areas of Ukraine, and to an area just southwest the Siret river (in present-day Romania).The Trypilia site, 35 km south of Kyiv, was excavated ca.1898 by V. Khvoika (ref *2b). The Cucuteni site on the Prut River near Iasi was discovered in 1884 and excavated in 1901-10 by Hubert Schmidt, then again in 1961-65 by M. Petrescu-Dimbovita. There are many other sites in and near Ukraine that have been found and excavated.
Social Structure
Trypilian culture had a matriarchal clan order. Women did agricultural work, headed households, manufactured pottery, textiles and clothing and had a leading role in society. Men hunted, kept domestic animals, and prepared tools of flint, stone and bone.
Artifacts
Artifacts of this culture consist most notably of terra cotta pottery, bichrome & trichrome painted using predominately black, red, and white mineral-based paints. "The quality of the Trypilian ceramic production surpassed all contemporary creations of Old Europe."(ref *1)
Trypilian artifacts shown: various pottery, bone and flint knives.
The large, standing pot is appox. 26cm high)
(Photo by Tania Diakiw O'Neill)
(ref *4)
A terra cotta scale-model of a two-storied building was found at the Trypilia site in Ukraine. Excavation at Cucuteni showed this unique Trypilian model was a representation of actual two-story structures of this culture.(ref*1)
Female forms and figurines (many painted or incised, some with
fertile-field symbols), as well as various animals and
zoomorphous vessels, sleighs, all scale-modeled in terra cotta or clay,
have also been found.
The finer, more elaboate forms (figurines, pots, jars, bowls,
amphorae, and two-bowled joined vessels) were ornamented with
painted or incised lines, spirals and egg-shaped motifs, and other
shapes and/or line elements such as parallel or cross-hatched
lines in enclosed fields, and zig-zags with or without hooks.
There were also articles of everyday use such as spindle whorls
and loom weights, and everyday gray pottery made of undecorated
clay mixed with sand and small broken shells.
Interestingly, impressions of plain evenweave cloth (ref*3) and pattern-woven textiles (ref*5) have been found on the bottoms of some Trypilian pottery, showing they had been set to air-dry on that woven cloth before being fired. These lands are known to grow flax (linen) and hemp since time immemorial. This workaday use of evenweave fabric, the clay spindle whorls and loom weights all indicate that this population was agrarian, with well-developed textile crafts of spinning, weaving, and very likely needlework, which was used to join cloth and make clothing. No actual cloth has survived from that culture to our time. However, the symbols that are found on the artifacts of Trypilia and those associated with the Great Goddess have persisted into the present in most Ukrainian folk arts, especially those of pysanky (Ukrainian Easter eggs) and textile arts, including Ukrainian folk embroidery. (Future links being constructed; stay tuned.)
"Trypilia - Ukraine's Neolithic Culture"
First posted February 01,1996
Updated Sept 24,2000; May.28, 2007
Copyright 1996 - Tania Diakiw O'Neill.
email to tdo@netaxs.com
This ends this presentation on Ukraine's "Trypillya" Culture.
Additional info about Ukraine and Ukrainians can be found at many other sites, including the following few links:
A review of the book "Ukrainian Folk Costume"
, a currently available book (in English),
and
lots of excellent and interesting information about Ukraine
(very worthwhile).
And for other/additional perspectives on Trypil's'ka Kultura, try :
http://www.trypillia.com/info/index.shtml
Various info and topics concerning Ukraine and Ukrainians can be found at:
"Brama.com" - Ukrainian Gateway to Ukrainian Museum in NYC, and other links."
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Ref *1)
Ref *2)
Ref *3)
Ref *4) EXHIBIT of ORIGINAL ARTIFACTS, titled "Trypillian World"
Ref *5) Mykhailo Videjko, Ph.D. - Institute of Archeology, Ukraine
- * - End of "Trypilia" offering.
BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES
"The CIVILIZATION OF THE GODDESS -
the World of Old Europe" by Marija Gimbutas
Copyright 1991 HarperCollins Publishers,
ISBN 0-06-250368-5, LC# 90-55792
Ref *2a) Vol. 5: ISBN 0-8020-3995-2, C84-099336-6
Ref *2b) Vol. 2: ISBN 0-8020-3444-6, C84-099336-6
UKRAINE, A CONCISE ENCYCLOPEDIA
Copyright 1960, Pgs 532-536 (English text)
and the corresponding original Ukrainian-language edition
titled: "MALA ENSYKLOPEDIA UKRAIINY v DVOKH TOMAKH" (1949)
August 1994 at the International Monetary Fund Headquarters in Washington D.C.
Article in catalog of "Trypillian World" exhibit (see Ref *4, above).
- * - Ukraine's Trypilian Culture - * -
* Prepared by T.D.O'Neill *
tdo@netaxs.com *
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