The importance of archaeological research in the study of the Zbarazh Fortress

Abstract

This article presents a comprehensive analysis of the significance of archaeological excavations in the study of the Zbarazh Fortress as a valuable component of the fortification system of Western Podillia. Based on written sources, archaeological research materials, and historiographical studies, the main stages of the study of the chronicle-mentioned city of Zbarazh were traced, and the key problems of its precise dating and localization were identified. The study demonstrates that written records provide rather fragmentary and often contradictory information, and thus cannot serve as the sole source for studying the structural features of defensive structures. This, in turn, significantly limits their utility in the reconstruction of castles. The article also demonstrates that archaeological excavations play a key role in the study of the Zbarazh Fortress, as they make it possible to establish the actual time frame of the settlement’s development, determine the boundaries of its location, and identify the features of its fortification structures. The article analyzes the results of 19th–21st-century studies, including the works of A. Kirkor, I. Sivkovna, M. Yagodynska, and other scholars, thanks to which the location of the chronicle-mentioned city is now known, the stages of the formation of the moats and ramparts have been clearly traced, and the multi-layered nature of the fortifications has been documented. The article devotes special attention to the results of archaeological research from the 1990s, during which the contours of the fortress were delineated, defensive ramparts were documented, and a substantial cultural layer was uncovered, indicating continuous, systematic settlement of the territory. It was also established that the Zbarazh fortification system was formed gradually by utilizing the natural features of the promontory’s terrain and combining various construction traditions, in particular wooden-earth structures and stone fortification elements. The finds recorded at the excavation sites were analyzed, including elements of weaponry, jewelry, household items, and objects of religious significance. This allows for an investigation of the social structure of the population and the level of religious and material culture among the inhabitants of the chronicle-mentioned city. It has been determined that the data from archaeological research allow for a reevaluation of conventional views regarding the date of Zbarazh’s founding; in particular, they make it possible to assert that the urban center existed as early as the 9th–10th centuries, which significantly predates the first written mention. The need for comprehensive future research is explained, which will be aimed at expanding the excavation areas and clarifying the features of the fortifications’ structures—a prerequisite for a full-scale reconstruction of the development of the Zbarazh fortress and its place within the system of Old Rus fortifications in the region.