Mezhyrich

Mezhyrich (Ukrainian: Межиріч) is an archaeological site in central Ukraine, near the village of Mezhyrich in the Cherkasy region, along the Dnieper River. It is best known for late Upper Paleolithic remains and is one of Europe’s most famous examples of mammoth-bone architecture. The site is dated to roughly 15,000 to 12,000 years ago, during a cold phase of the late Paleolithic when mammoths inhabited the region.

Excavations, begun in the mid-20th century, uncovered several circular and oval structures constructed from large mammoth bones and skulls. The bones formed walls and, in some cases, the roof framework, with interior spaces that likely served as shelters for hunter-gatherer groups. The dwellings are accompanied by a variety of stone tools, including flint blades and scrapers, as well as animal remains that illustrate the subsistence practices of the occupants.

Significance of the site lies in its demonstration of complex shelter construction using megafaunal remains and its contribution to understanding Ice Age settlement patterns in Eastern Europe. Mezhyrich has influenced thinking about early architectural ingenuity and group organization among late Paleolithic communities.

Today, Mezhyrich is preserved as an archaeological and educational site. A small on-site museum and accompanying reconstructions help illustrate the mammoth-bone huts and the life of Paleolithic people for visitors. The name Mezhyrich itself stems from Ukrainian for “between rivers.”