The microregion of the catacomb sites near the village of Ksizovo in the Upper Don region

The paper reviews one of the most widely excavated areas of compact location of residential constructions and burial sites attributed to the Middle Don catacomb culture of the Middle Bronze Age. The settlements are located in sharply contrasting landscape and topographic conditions which is explained by specific traits of the pastoral herding model of stock-breeding. The burials discovered were ground ones without any signs of kurgan burial rite. The reference sites included the single-layer Ksizovo 1 settlement and the cemetery at the multi-component Ksizovo 19 site. ceramic vessels from these sites appear to be contemporary and homogenous.