Pecera Verteba

WARTEBA CALL - a gypsum cave, located in the Ternopilian region of Ukraine, near the village of Bilcze Złote, on a flat loess plateau.

The cave was accidentally discovered in 1822. The lands around Bilcz Złoty and the cave itself belonged to Prince Adam Sapieha, and later to his son - Leon.

The later famous archaeological position was discovered in it. The first archaeologist who, on the orders of the Archaeological Commission of the Academy of Skills, conducted in the years 1876–1878 research in the cave was Adam Honory Kirkor.

In the narrow, low and richly branched corridors of the cave, which was entered from above through the hole, over 1000 richly decorated ceramic vessels or their fragments, several dozen flint tools and over 70 clay human figures were discovered. These items were in the most difficult cave's nooks, whose important feature was difficulties with adequate ventilation of a complex corridor network. Monuments carefully selected and deposited in a cave for over 1000 years - come from the period between 3870 and 2710 BC. - Due to their votive character and excellent condition, they indicate the cult nature of this place. This confirms the presence of numerous vessels originating, among others from the middle cup, middle and lower Transnistria, and even from the Lublin region.

The functioning of this place froze around 2500 B.C.E. And it was associated with the fall of local agricultural populations, which gave way to busy groups of shepherds.