TECHNOLOGICAL AND TYPOLOGICAL FEATURES OF THE UNIT 1 LITHIC ASSEMBLAGE FROM MEZHYRICH SETTLEMENT

Abstract

Mezhyrich is an Epigravettian open air base camp dated to 14.9—14.3 ka ¹⁴C BP (i. e. between 18.2 and 17.4 ka ¹⁴C cal BP), inserted in a loessic sedimentary context, situated on a cape formed by the valleys of the Ros and Rosava Rivers about 12 km west from the Dnieper River (Kaniv District, Cherkassy Region). The settlement consists of four household Units, each of which represents a concentration of functionally different objects with mammoth bone dwelling in the center. In the studies of the objects of Unit 1 several stages are distinguished. The first is the excavation of dwelling 1 under the scientific supervision of I. H. Podoplichko in 1966. The second is a typological and statistical studies of the lithic assemblage conducted by M. I. Gladkikh in the 1970s—2000s. The third is new excavations of the Unit 1 objects, typological and technological analysis of flint artifacts in 2006—2010. The fourth, from 2010 to the present day, is the continuation of excavations within the boundaries of the Unit 1, technological, typological, and statistical analysis of the materials of the assemblage.

The article considers the conditions of research of Unit 1, the spatial and stratigraphic context of the assemblage objects’ location, typological, statistical and technological features of flint products obtained as a result of excavations in the last 12 years. The analysis of the distribution of finds together with stratigraphic observations allows us to assert the presence of at least two anthropogenic layers and, accordingly, residential surfaces on the territory of this Unit. Planigraphic features demonstrate the functional specialization of various parts of the interior and exterior space of the dwelling 1.

The provided analysis makes it possible to determine the degree of technological affinity of the Upper Palaeolithic sites. The studied flint assemblage comes from a relatively closed archaeological site and can serve as a benchmark for the comparative studies of different lithic industries. The article analyzes the features of flint sets separately from the excavations of dwelling 1 and the area of the cultural layer to the south of it. The difference in the typological and statistical characteristics of both complexes demonstrates peculiarities in the economic behavior of the residents. The data on the spatial distribution of flint products from other Mezhyrichian household units are characterized by common features in the organization of living space. Such behavioral patterns of prehistoric inhabitants require the search for more distant analogies of the industry both within the frames of the Mezhyrichian, and in general among the East European Upper Palaeolithic.