THE STONE FUNERAL MONUMENTS OF THE TILIHUL WALLEY VILLAGE CEMETERIES

The tombstone cross as a part of the funeral rite in Ukraine has been known since the eleventh century on white stone princely sarcophags. Over time, the tombstone cross changed its form, but never the main sacred meaning and purpose of its installation at the burial site of the deceased, which was not only to mark the final resting place of a loved one, but also to serve as a talisman for his or her soul, hope for eternal life and faith in the resurrection. During the research on the territory of the east part of Odesa region, crosses were found that are similar in their production technology, repeating the established form, but differing in the level of craftsmanship. Thus, there were many production centres/workshops, and not all of them were tied to shell rock extraction centres. A simple logical comparison allows us to assume that the workshops existed far from the quarries and catacombs, and that the artistry and quality of the work depended on the experience and skill of a particular craftsman. Archaic stone crosses have been preserved in the cemeteries of the Tilihul Valley. Geometric shapes of crosses are found in isolated cases. The largest number of crosses was found in the cemetery of Zavadivka village. The monuments date mainly from the third quarter of the nineteenth century. The material used for the production of crosses is coarse yellow shell rock. It is logical to conclude that the tombstones were made from local material and by local craftsmen. There are no imported crosses that we have observed in other areas of the study along the Tiligul River.