Merheleva Ridge, Ancient archaeological site in Kadiivka, Ukraine.

Merheleva Ridge is an archaeological site near Kadiivka that features large stone mounds called kurgans arranged on elevated terrain. These earthen structures sit on a hilltop and mark the remains of ancient settlement and burial practices.

The site began around 4000 BC during the Dnieper-Donets and Yamna cultural periods. It remained in use through the Bronze Age, continuing into the fifth century BC.

The site's name comes from merhel, the local word for marlstone, the limestone that forms the ridge. Excavations found sacrificial altars, ash, ceramics and human remains interpreted as sacrifice victims, with no jewellery or treasure. Viktor Klochko called it the first solar-cult sanctuary found in Eastern Europe.

The site has limited visitor information and ongoing research activity, making access unpredictable. Check local conditions before planning a visit, as this remains an active excavation area.

The site was found in 1976 by schoolchildren from Alchevsk school No. 23 led by Vladimir Paramonov, not in 2004; full excavations began in 2005 under Viktor Klochko. In 2006 the press reported a pyramid, which Klochko blamed on media error. In 2007 Luhansk geologists argued the 'walls' and 'roads' are natural fractures.