During the whole July detachment of archaeological expedition of Zaporizhzhya National University studied the village Mechet-Mohyla which emerged during the Golden Horde. Work was conducted in the village Yurkivtsi of Orikhivskiy district of Zaporizhzhya region within the field archaeological practice of students freshmen of the Faculty of History.
The settlement Mechet-Mohyla located in the local botanical reserve Yurkivska mountain on the high cape formed by the ridges of the Moscow beams. In written and cartographic data, Yurkivka appeared on the spot of the ancient city, and the settlement to the beginning of XX century was called Aul.
Generally work of student archaeological expedition gave good results.
During the study of the source base and archaeological research revealed that the monument is a left-bank part of the city, which is situated on both sides of the river Konka (Konka Water). Therefore, in scientific literature, this unique object was named settlement of Konka Water. The town was founded in the second quarter of the XIV century within state formation of the Golden Horde. Located at the intersection of important trade communications, played an important landmark transit role in the functioning of the northern section of the Great Silk Road. This way to Europe fell not only the from China, Korea, India, Persia, but also the latest technology and knowledge - religious and philosophical treatises.
Investigation of the settlement Mechet-Mohyla demonstrated that its construction features are of moderate and Minor-Asian (Seljuk) origins. The brick buildings - mosques and mausoleums - were embellishing outside and inside by multi-colored mosaic tiles. These ornamental traditions of decoration, which specific to public buildings of the capital of the Golden Horde - Saray-Batu city in the Nuzhnya Volga. This field season was able to explore a portal part of religious buildings and find the three columns that were in the bases of stone and were decorated with turquoise tiles.
The existence of settlements Mechet-Mohyla as a part of the settlement of the Konka Water is a testament of one of the earliest urban processes in Zaporizhzhya region and confirms the urbanization of the territory of the Eurasian steppe area during the Golden Horde. Only the western trek of Central Asian ruler Timur Lenga (Tamerlane) to the left bank of the Dnieper river in 1395-1396 years putting an end to functioning of the northern branch of the Silk Road. Cities in the steppe zone declined, and it slowly turned into a wild field. It took about 400 years to restore the proper functioning of cities in the region.
All expedition members were satisfied with the work, because they not only filled up baggage of knowledge, but also on their own experience could be convinced of the importance of practical expeditions.
Mykhailo Yelnykov,
Head of field archeological practice of first year students
