Stone in cult practice of ancient people of the Dnieper region

The main task was to identify the main feature of surrounding reality comprehension by people – bearers of the archeological cultures of the eneolithic and bronze ages of Dnieper region. Basing on extensive comparative material, including both archeological artefacts and written sources, the article proves unity of ideas of the man of archaic epoch about his position in the system of the universe determined by the recurrence of the main archetypes. Symbol, myth, ritual show the different sides of a complex system of cosmogonical views, and the place of man in it. Among involved evidences of aforesaid the author enters a new – anthropomorphic – type of stone altars of Ingul catacomb culture into scientific circulation for the first time.