5,000-year-old leather production site — possibly using human skin — found in Ukraine

Thousands of years ago, the inhabitants of Europe dug numerous ditches across the continent for unknown reasons.

Modern archaeologists have interpreted them as defensive structures, ritual sites, cattle enclosures and even astronomical observatories.

But now, a new analysis of one such ditch in Ukraine reveals it served yet another purpose: as a place for producing leather, according to a study published on March 16 in the journal Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences.

The ditch system, discovered in 1926, is located near a medieval castle in Kamianets-Podilskyi, a city in western Ukraine. It’s been linked to a settlement that was occupied sometime between 3950 and 3900 B.C., making it nearly 6,000 years old.

Excavations were carried out in 2020 and 2021 at a section of the ditch in order to demystify its purpose.

Inside the ditch, which measured up to 5 feet deep, archaeologists discovered numerous artifacts, including animal bones and pottery fragments.

Also discovered were pollen from water lilies and shells from freshwater molluscs, suggesting the ditch was once filled with running water, researchers said.

Importantly, two flint tools were also recovered from the structure with traces of plant polish and scraping hide.

These findings, taken together, led archaeologists to conclude the site was likely used as an ancient tannery.

The water in the ditch was likely used to soak animals and remove their hair and flesh — a process which would have involved flint scraping tools. And the water lily plants would likely have been used in the curing process, researchers said.

During ancient times, leather tanning was an all-important craft since it produced all kinds of materials used in everyday life, including clothing, hunting equipment, home interiors and musical instruments.

In addition to animal pelts, human skin was also used in the production of leather, according to recent evidence, researchers said.

The discovery of the tannery “adds a tangible connection between ditches and specific production processes, emphasizing the practical functions of these features beyond defense and ritual,” researchers said.

This story was originally published March 19, 2024 at 9:49 AM with the headline "5,000-year-old leather production site — possibly using human skin — found in Ukraine."