Archaeologists in Belarus discover unique amber pendants and stone maces dating from Neolithic period

An archaeological expedition from the Institute of History at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus has uncovered a number of ancient artefacts in the Lepel District of the Vitebsk Region in Belarus. Among the unique finds are amber pendants and two stone maces (one intact, massive oval mace and half of a round one). This was reported by BelTA, a partner of TV BRICS.

A significant number of fragments of pottery, flint and bone artefacts were also found. The excavations took place in the Berezhcha 1 archaeological micro-region, which dates back to the Neolithic and Bronze Ages.

This micro-region and the Dubovets site, where the archaeologists were working, are associated with the Usvyaty archaeological culture – the way of life of ancient people who lived near the urban-type settlement of Usvyaty in the Pskov Region (Russia). Later, artefacts of the Usvyaty culture were also found in other locations. In particular, its people lived in the Belarusian Lake District (a lake plateau in northern Belarus) from the late 4th to the mid-3rd millennium BC.

Together with staff from the Institute of History of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, school pupils from the local history summer camp organised by the N. M. Pshenko Secondary School in Slobodskoy explored the ancient archaeological site.