Vinogradova E.A., Leonova N.B. Ancient Cultural Layer of the site Kamennaya Balka II

Abstract: The Upper Palaeolithic site Kamennaya Balka in the Rostov oblast has been studied for more than 50 years by the archaeologists of the Scientific-Research Institute and Museum of Anthropology of Lomonosov Moscow State University and the Section of Archaeology of the History Department of Lomonosov Moscow State University. During the past few years scholars have surveyed the northern part of the site Kamennaya Balka II, where the main territory of the oldest inhabitation of the site was located – that is, the lowest cultural layer, which was identified by M. D. Gvozdonover already in 1960. Upon excavation, various redeposited objects from the lowest layer had been discovered which allowed not only to reveal the manufacturing and household structure of the site, but also to find original sources for the precise dating of the oldest cultural stratum of the site. The examination of the lowest cultural layer was conducted on the basis of a complex approach that includes a morphological analysis of the flint artefacts found on the site, microstatigraphical and intrasite spatial analyses, and evidence obtained from natural science methods. The lowest cultural layer in the northern part of the site Kamennaya Balka II is represented by numerous finds of flint artefacts and of various objects from within the cultural layer. The flint artefacts of the lowest cultural layer, a collection that consists of 3000 objects, have features common with the Caucasian Upper Palaeolithic. The intrasite spatial analyses of the distribution of the finds and objects has allowed to identify on the northern part of the site two large manufacturing centres accompanied by smaller clusters of finds (in individual working places) that attest to a complicated layout of the site and of a diversity in domestic activities taking place on the territory of the ancient site of Kamennaya Balka.

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