Industries of the end of Upper Palaeolithic in the Northern Caucasus and the south of Russian plain

Liubov Golovanova∗1, Vladimir Doronichev1, Ekaterina Doronicheva1, and Andrey Nedomolkin2

1ANO Laboratory of Prehistory – St.Petersburg, Russie 2National Museum of Adygeya Republic – Maikop, Russie

R´esum´e

In the south-eastern Russian plain, the complex of Upper sites in Kamennaya Balka is studied since the mid-20th century (Gvozdover, 1967; Leonova, 1994; Leonova et al., 2015). The first investigator of these industries, M. Gvozdover noted their similarity with the Imeretian culture in western Caucasus. The similarity was noted in the presence of backed micro-blades, micro-points, end-scrapers, burins, and pieces esquilees. For many years, scholars working in Kamennaya Balka (Leonova, 1994; Leonova et al., 2015) made comparisons between assemblages of the Imeretian culture in western Caucasus and Kamennobalkovskaya culture in the northern cost of the Sea of Azov. Modern research of the industries dated to the final of Upper Palaeolithic in the northwestern Caucasus (Golovanova, Doronichev, 2012; Golovanova et al, 2014) allow us to conclude that the is characterized by a highly developed bladelet technology. A detailed analysis of micro-blade knapping technology in Mezmaiskaya, layer 1-3 allows us to draw a preliminary conclusion that metric characteristics of bladelets from the upper horizons of layer 1-3 are most similar to experimental bladelets, which were struck using the hand pressure technique (Nedomolkin, 2017). This study suggests the early appearance of the hand pressure technique in the region at about 16-15 kyr. The composition of tool set in the industry is characterized by a combination of straight-backed bladelet points typical for the European and Epi-Gravettian, geometric microliths similar to those that are widespread in the Epipalaeolithic industries of the Near East, a specific for the industry Imeretian shouldered points, as well as the industry produces a rich assortment of bone tools and personal ornaments. We propose the old term ”Imeretian culture” may be applied to this Epipalaeolithic industry type. Materials of sites dated to the final of Upper Palaeolithic in the northwestern Caucasus are currently published in sufficient detail (Golovanova et al., 2014). Preliminary publications of some categories of tool inventory in the sites of Kamennobalkovskaya culture are also avilable (Vinogradova 2011, 2017; Vinogradova, Leonova, 2011). These data not only allow us to make conclusions about numerous analogies between the Epipalaeolithic industry of northwestern Caucasus and Kamennobalkovskaya sites of the southern Russian plain, but also note some important differences between these roughly contemporaneous industries.

Mots-Cl´es: final Upper Palaeolithic, Epipalaeolithic, Epigravettian, Northern Caucasus, the south of Russian plain

∗Intervenant

sciencesconf.org:uispp2018:180875