extended abstracts - Geomorphic Processes and Geoarchaeology

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Geomorphic processes and geoarchaeology Epigravettian technological and typological tradition of the previous Late Palaeolithic Age. Criteria for choice of the place for sites in the Final Palaeolithic changed a bit from traditions of the Late Upper Palaeolithic, however we are able to distinguish sites, location of which appears to be typical for the epoch. This paper deals with the sites in thawed permafrost fissures. The Magdalenian site of Wilczyce in southern Poland [1] was dated on the basis of osteological finds to the 11,890–11,400 BP. Stratigraphically, the cultural remains lied at the depth of 90 cm down from the modern surface, at the depth of 62 cm below the ploughed soil. Almost all of the finds were located in the permafrost fissure filled with maize-yellow loess. Excavations put in evidence a system of three generations of fissures. Archaeological material in two of them was arranged vertically and obliquely near the walls. The most recent Mesolithic wedge contained bones, chipped flints, ochre, sandstone blades. Stratigraphic analysis of the finds suggests that they came into the ice wedge due to seasonable cycles of thawing when the wedge was still partly filled by the «ice core». It is supposed that the bottom of loess was formed during the occupation of site by ancient peoples and later defrosting subsequently. Most probably, the ice wedge at the site Wilczyce is dated by the maximum of the last glaciation. Series of Magdalenian sites near Krakow lie in similar stratigraphic positions. Cultural remains of them also come from the fillings of the polygonal grid of the ice wedges, with the depth up to 5 m. Archaeological materials from the multilayer Final-Palaeolithic site Vyshegora I (Smolensk Oblast, Novoduginsky District, near the village of Khvoshchevatoye) also connected with the ancient polygonal micro-relief [2]. This site is located within the Upper-Dnieper glacial depression which is slightly inclined towards the Dnieper River. The bed of Dnieper is carved into depression; the flood-plain is at the level of 5-6 m. According to Yu.A. Lavrushin there is no any other terraces in the valley besides that flood-plain. Polygons were filled by pale yellow sandy loam; brown loam with flint concretions, limestones and occasionally granite boulders were identified between the polygons. Sequences of six lithological layers have been distinguished at the site. Grey slightly humic sandy loam of 15-45 cm in thickness (stratum 5), redeposited during flooding, lied under the modern soil (stratum 6). Buried soil of 10-14 cm in thickness with the Göthenburg excurse (stratum 4) lied beneath. This layer consists of dark-grey humic sandy loam; its upper surface is slightly bulged; the soil manifests draining of the polygon. Cultural remains from strata 6-4 comprise numerous artefacts localised mostly along the polygonal fissure, but no features or objects of everyday human activity have been revealed here. Depression of wedge-shaped section, 2 metres wide, was revealed under the buried soil. It was filled by thin pale-yellow sandy loam, below at the bottom by dense brownish loamy soil with manganese compounds. Archaeological remains in pale-yellow sandy loam were concentrated on three accumulations inside the polygonal fissure and on its side. Like in Wilczyce, the archaeological materials were positioned vertically or obliquely, mostly close to the walls of the wedge-like hollow. Material culture of the final Palaeolithic sites of the Upper Dnieper is rather peculiar. Local carboniferous flint of diverse hues was used for tools manufacture. At the modern times their nodules are abundant on the Dnieper banks. The abundance of raw materials allowed to use them wastefully, therefore debitage dominate among the finds 261
Geomorphic processes and geoarchaeology (up to 97 %): pre-cores, debris, primary flakes and massive spalls. Typological analysis of all stratified assemblages put in evidence the evolution of one technological tradition of material culture during the period of the site occupation. Natural depressions and shelters were often used by ancient peoples. In addition to the Magdalenian site of Wilczyce, habitation of man in similar conditions has been recorded on the site Verkholenskaya gora near Irkutsk [3] where three fires ordered in line were identified in the filling of the frost fissure. Analyses of animal bones from Wilczyce suggest for the seasonable character of the use of natural depression. Evidences for other model of landscape using by final Palaeolithic peoples are presented by reindeer hunters sites of the Danish Bromme culture. According to modern reflections it existed both during the relatively soft climatic conditions of the Allerød and during the cooling younger Dryas – the time of the wide spread of periglacial forest landscapes. According to zooarhaeological analyses, economics of this culture were based on reindeer hunting together with hunting on animals of forest zone: elk, megaceros, beaver, glutton, roe. Sites of the Bromme culture were ranged mostly along the corridors of reindeer migration, near the boundary of the forest zone. It is believed that the migration routes of reindeer hunters were relatively stable and repeated. It is supposed that migration of the population was seasonable following the deer: peoples moved northwards in spring and southwards in autumn. The intensity of migrations was connected with the period of calving of the animals in the open tundra. Settlements of the Bromme culture are divided into 4 groups on the base of functional features and of the character of natural resources using: 1) places of butchering of the hunted bag located on high dry moraine hills without any connection with water-places. Sites of this type are characterized by the predominance of arrowheads (up to 100 %) in lithic assemblage; 2) hunting camp-sites; 3) workshops for flint knapping; 4) basic settlements. Hunting camps and basic sites were located near the water, often near fords where animals were the easiest prey and where sources of raw material were available [4]. Basic settlement of the Podolsk culture (local variety of Bromme technocomplex) was discovered at the source of Volga (northern bank of Lake Volgo, Valdai Plateau, Tver disrict), where the river flows out from the lake and where probably was a crossing route of the reindeer migration. The sites of Podol III / 1 and Podol III / 2 were located on the two banks of an ancient ravine, in a narrow sloping area between Lake Volgo and the adjoining bedrock slope composed of Carboniferous limestones. According to Yu.A. Lavrushin, this surface were made by small proluvial cone ejected from ravine, along to which mud torrents descended periodically and destroyed the main area of the site. Fragments of the cultural layer were preserved at the banks of the ravine. Microstratigraphy of the section showed the repeated occupation of this site. Excavations put in evidence a dwelling construction, oval in plan (6 x 2.5 m), with the base a bit sunken deep in the ground and a corridor-like entrance. The dwelling cut the brown iron-rich (Allerød) soil and was sunk into the underlying layer of yellow sand. Round fire-place of 40 x 50 cm in diameter was identified in the centre of dwelling. Radiocarbon date of 9,180 – 75 (LE-5029) BP (10,079 BP cal on CalPal-07) was obtain on charcoal from the fire. Storage pits, flint knapping area, concentration of calcined bones were identified at the site together with dwelling that indicates full cycle of domestic activities. The site 262
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Ghahroudi Tali M. 13, 102 Giligny F
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Volokitin A.V. 281 Voronin K.V. 76
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