ON THE LOCAL CENTERS OF YAMNAYA CULTURE IN THE NORTH-WESTERN BLACK SEA REGION
Aim. Consideration, analysis and verification of the conclusion about the existence of local territorial centers of Yamnaya culture in the North-Western Black Sea region. Methodology. The article presents a cultural and chronological analysis of the Budzhak (Yamnaya) culture in the Northwestern Black Sea region. Comparative typological and chronological-stratigraphic methods were used, quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the funeral rite and the inventory of burials of the Early Bronze Age were given. Results. Based on a comparison of quantitative and qualitative characteristics, it is proved that when identifying local variants of pit culture in the region, preference was given to qualitative methods, which led to erroneous conclusions. Verification of the evidence and their analysis showed the monolithic nature of the complexes of the pit culture of the Dniester-Prut interfluve and the objective absence of smaller territorial centers. Research implications. The paper shows that attempts to identify “local” centers within various variants of the Yamnaya cultural and historical region eventually lead to the emergence of new virtual cultures. According to the proposed scheme, they can be created by dozens and finally confuse the historical process in the era of paleometallic.