Raw material procurement as a crucial factor determining knapping technology in the Katta Sai complex of Middle Palaeolithic sites in the western Tian Shan piedmonts of Uzbekistan

Kot, Małgorzata; Pavlenok, Konstantin; Krajcarz, Maciej T.; Павленок, Г. Д.; Шнайдер, Светлана; Khudjanazarov, Mukhiddin; Leloch, Michał; Szymczak, Karol

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2020.03.052

Cited by 10 publications

(9 citation statements)

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“…In recent years, the study of lithic raw materials used by prehistoric hunter-gatherers for the production of stone tools has received much attention. People selected different types of rocks to influence the technology and type of tools manufactured [1][2][3][4][5][6]. Such studies can help to understand the way in which people took advantage of the mechanical attributes of rocks that affect reduction sequences and edge-wear properties of tools [2,4,7].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical properties of lithic raw materials from Kazakhstan: Comparing chert, shale, and porphyry

et al. 2022

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The study of lithic raw material quality has become one of the major interpretive tools to investigate the raw material selection behaviour and its influence to the knapping technology. In order to make objective assessments of raw material quality, we need to measure their mechanical properties (e.g., fracture resistance, hardness, modulus of elasticity). However, such comprehensive investigations are lacking for the Palaeolithic of Kazakhstan. In this work, we investigate geological and archaeological lithic raw material samples of chert, porphyry, and shale collected from the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor (henceforth IAMC). Selected samples of aforementioned rocks were tested by means of Vickers and Knoop indentation methods to determine the main aspect of their mechanical properties: their indentation fracture resistance (a value closely related to fracture toughness). These tests were complemented by traditional petrographic studies to characterise the mineralogical composition and evaluate the level of impurities that could have potentially affected the mechanical properties. The results show that materials, such as porphyry possess fracture toughness values that can be compared to those of chert. Previously, porphyry was thought to be of lower quality due to the anisotropic composition and coarse feldspar and quartz phenocrysts embedded in a silica rich matrix. However, our analysis suggests that different raw materials are not different in terms of indentation fracture resistance. This work also offers first insight into the quality of archaeological porphyry that was utilised as a primary raw material at various Upper Palaeolithic sites in the Inner Asian Mountain Corridor from 47–21 ka cal BP.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mechanical properties of lithic raw materials from Kazakhstan: Comparing chert, shale, and porphyry

et al. 2022

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“…4). Four of these sites have been identified archaeologically to date, with the presence of artefacts in stratified context confirmed for two of them – Katta Sai 1 and Katta Sai 2 (Kot et al ., 2014; Krajcarz et al ., 2016; Pavlenok et al ., 2017; Kot et al ., 2020). Near Chetsu village, two settlement points defined as Chetsu 1 and Chetsu 2 were found during surface investigations, and in the Ertash Valley two settlement points (Ertash Sai 1, 3) and three archaeological sites (Ertash Sai 2, 4, 5) were found during surface surveys in 2018 (Pavlenok et al ., 2019).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Accurate mapping of the geology of individual research areas would require targeted actions (cf. Kot et al ., 2020).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Data on local outcrops and other sources of flint and stone raw materials were not used in this model. This is related to the fact that despite the presence of known and exploited flint outcrops in the region (Kyzyl Alma 2 – Kasymov, 1967; Kasymov and Rostovtsev, 1969; Kolobova et al ., 2010), most of the sites are characterized by very local raw material management based on the use of pebbles from the bottom of river valleys (Kot et al ., 2020). Therefore, until better recognition of the raw material strategies of individual Palaeolithic population groups in the studied area, the availability of stone raw material cannot be taken into account as a factor in disqualifying the location of a site.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The first parameter taken into account is the range of Quaternary loess layers. Mountains and hills in the region comprise felsic intrusive and volcanic rocks (Nalivkin, 1957), partially covered by aeolian and colluvial loess-like sediments as well as proluvial and deluvial deposits (Gorodeckaya, 1960;Krajcarz et al, 2016;Kot et al, 2020). Loess deposits up to 200 m thick are of Pleistocene and mainly of Late Pleistocene origin (Dodonov and Baiguzina, 1995;Dodonov and Zhou, 2008).…”

Section: Geologyloessmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Tracing the Palaeolithic settlement patterns in the Western Tian Shan piedmont: an example of predictive GIS modelling use

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The Western Tian Shan piedmont, due to its high mountainous nature, is an exceptionally difficult area in which to conduct systematic surface research. In response to the specificities of the landscape, we decided to attempt to use predictive modelling to select sites with the greatest potential for the occurrence and preservation of Pleistocene layers and Palaeolithic sites. The aim of the project was to determine to what extent the high‐mountain areas of the Tian Shan piedmont were penetrated and inhabited by Palaeolithic humans. On the basis of the devised model, areas were selected for further prospecting in the field, which allowed the search area to be narrowed by a factor of five. In the course of surveying carried out on the selected areas, it was possible to locate nine new Palaeolithic sites and 18 settlement spots within one season, significantly increasing the number of known open‐air sites in the region. The results presented show the usefulness of this method, revealing the potential for its application in other similar areas, but also indicate the intensity of, in particular, Middle Palaeolithic or Middle/Upper Palaeolithic transitional settlement in the high‐mountain regions of Central Asia.

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Central Asia

Nishiaki

2023

Replacement of Neanderthals by Modern Humans Series

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Raw material procurement as a crucial factor determining knapping technology in the Katta Sai complex of Middle Palaeolithic sites in the western Tian Shan piedmonts of Uzbekistan

Cited by 10 publications

References 30 publications

Mechanical properties of lithic raw materials from Kazakhstan: Comparing chert, shale, and porphyry

Mechanical properties of lithic raw materials from Kazakhstan: Comparing chert, shale, and porphyry

Tracing the Palaeolithic settlement patterns in the Western Tian Shan piedmont: an example of predictive GIS modelling use

Central Asia

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