TO STUDY TECHNOLOGY OF PRODUCTION OF MIDDLE DON CERAMICS OF SCYTHIAN TIME
The article are published the results of a micromorphological study of a series of samples of molded ceramics of the 5<sup>th</sup>-3<sup>rd</sup> centuries. BC e., originating from Middle Don settlements. The use of petrographic and geochemical analysis data made it possible to quantitatively establish the mineral and chemical composition of the molding mass, to determine the composition and formulation of the dough, and some of the technological methods used in the manufacture of kitchen and tableware. The work analyzes ceramics originating from nine settlements located on the right bank of the Don and belonging to two chronological periods. The investigated ceramic specimens are divided into nine groups differing in the compositional composition of the ceramic dough, a set of weakening agents, and the firing mode. Ceramics were made from clays of hydromica or smectite composition; sand, crushedgruss, and chamotte were used as weakening agents. Also, the composition of the clay dough included organic matter, in particular, aquatic vegetation, moss and crushed bone. The firing was high-temperature, most often short-lived, carried out in an unstable environment and was oxidative.