The article characterizes the ethnocultural situation in the basins of the Western Buh and the Upper Dnister Rivers of the last quarter of the II century AD. It is based on cultural situation associated with the consistent residence in these areas of the population of Przeworsk and Wielbark cultures, as well as the appearance of new polyethnic group such as Kariv in the last quarter of the second century AD. The “Kariv group” is currently represented by a cremation burial ground on the site Kariv-I in the Chervonohrad district of Lviv Oblast, and by single burials sites in Rechychany and Slovita near Lviv in Western Ukraine and by a number of accidental single finds. The community of the “Kariv group” can be characterized as a mix of Przeworsk, Suebian, Western Baltic and possibly Venedian cultural elements. It can be clearly seen both in the nature of how the graves were constructed and in the ritual actions connected with the burial itsel. The existing dating material (fibulae, spurs, drinking horn tips, amphorae, glass and bronze vessels, etc.), most of which comes from the closed complexes of the Kariv site, allows us to determine the chronology of the Kariv group to the second half of the second century CE, or phase B2/C1. Its appearance can be related to the events of the Marcomannic Wars in the Middle Danube region. The wars were attended by various ethnic groups from the territory of the European Barbaricum, including the northern tribes of the Lombards, Chauci and others. As a result of the difficult political and economic conditions, after they were defeated in the war, some members of the barbaric coalition could have left the area near the Danube limes and move to the north to the territory of more peaceful regions of the European Barbaricum. The disappearance or assimilation of the “Kariv group” population chronologically matches the arrival of the Wielbark culture in the Western Buh and Podollian areas.
The paper highlights the results of research conducted in 2019—2020 at the archaeological site cremation burial ground Kariv I of the Roman period in the basin of the Western Bug River. During the excavations 3 cremation burials were found which perhaps included the remains of one male and two females. Noteworthy is the partially destroyed female burial 12. Rich items of funeral inventory were found there, including the household items, metal costume details, jewelry, including jewelry made of yellow metal. The tilth soil layer contained fragments of glass and ceramic imported utensils, brooches, weapons and horse harness, armour ect. In total 12 cremation burials (including one pair burial) with a variety of equipment were found on the area of 1456 m2 during the entire period of research on the burial ground Kariv I. The remains of thirteen people were found in the burial assemblages: seven men, five women and one adolescent child (infantilis II group). We can suppose that the site may have been a burial place for barbarian elite and members of its inner circle. On the basis of numerous finds (brooches, spurs, tips of drinking horns, amphorae, glass and bronze vessels, etc.), most of which come from closed assemblages, the chronology of the burial ground is ascertained by the second half of the 2nd century CE (phase B2/C1). The people who left the site had mixed cultural traits. The mix of funeral traditions of the Przeworsk culture with notable South Germanic (Suebian), Baltic and Venetian elements can be found on the site. The events of the Marcomannic Wars, during or after which some members of the barbarian coalition tried to leave the troubled areas of the Middle Danube, moving away from Roman political influence in the European Barbaricum, perhaps may be the reason of appearance in the region of the population whom the burial ground belong.
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