Svystun H. Fortification of the Saltov forest-steppe settlements.

The thesis is dedicated to the historical and archaeological research of the fortification of the Saltov forest-steppe settlements. Important factors that influenced the construction of fortifications were natural geographic ones. They affected the choice of building material. The latter, in its turn, influenced the profiling of defenses and the organization of defense. The fortifications were located in places that allowed to control river crossings, which basically determined their military strategic importance. The successful combination of defense elements, their adaptation to the terrain conditions, the provision of anti-erosion measures and drainage, and the use of interconnected multi-stage defense point to the mastery of the Saltov builders. Against the background of the generally reasonable use of varieties of building materials, the rather low quality of local bricks stands out, which indicates its forced use and the unsettled production tradition. The remains of the fortifications point to the synthesis of the construction methods of the Saltov population, which it was forced to adapt to the local raw material base and the natural geological conditions in general.