Abstract

As a result of archaeological investigations carried out in June 2015 near the village of Mana, there were found three fortified settlements: Mana III, Mana IV, and Mana V. The hill fort of Mana III, an area of about 0,18 ha, is located on the promontory at a distance of 1 km south of the village. From the east and west sides the fort was protected by steep slopes of the promontory, and from the north and south sides – by “ramparts” and ditches. On the surface of the settlement there were found fragments of the Thraco-Getic hand-made pottery and fragments of Greek amphorae, due to which the settlement can be attributed to the Thraco-Getic period. Also, at the site there was investigated a cremation burial typical for the PoieneștiLukashevka culture. The hill fort of Mana IV is located 0.8 km south-east of the village, on the terrace, which has a steep slope to the west. From the north, east and south it was protected by an earthen “rampart”. The area of the monument is about 7 hectares. The fortress of Mana V, an area of about 0.5 hectares, is located on a hill 0.5 km east of the village. It has a circular shape and was protected by a circular “rampart”. All these sites are located in the basin of the Vatici River, right tributary of the Răut. Besides the hill forts near the village of Mana, in the region there were previously found four fortified settlements (Tabăra, Morozeni, Dâșcova, Isacova) and two open settlements (Isacova, Seliște) relating to the Thraco-Getic period. Also, in the Vatici Basin several sites of the Poienești-Lukashevka culture were investigated – the settlements of Lukashevka I, Lukashevka II, Mana I, and the burial ground of Lukashevka III.

List of illustrations: Fig. 1. Spread of archaeological sites of the second half of the 1st millennium BC in the Vatici Basin. Fig. 2. Location of fortifications near the village of Mana. Fig. 3. Mana III. 1 - layout of the settlement; 2 - the promontory on which the fort is located (view from the northeast); 3 - canyon on the eastern outskirts of the hill fort (view from the south); 4 - “rampart” and ditch on the north side of the hill fort (view from the west). Fig. 4. Mana III. The archaeological materials found on the surface of the settlement: 1-5 - hand-made pottery; 6, 7 - fragments of Greek amphorae; 8, 9 - fragments of clay plastering. Fig. 5. Mana III. Objects made of iron found on the surface of the settlement. Fig. 6. Mana IV. 1 - layout of the settlement; 2 - “rampart” of the hill fort (view from the east); 3 - “citadel” (view from the west). Fig. 7. Mana V. Orthophotomap of the settlement (by Google Earth).