The last Neanderthals of Eastern Europe: Micoquian layers IIIa and III of the site of Zaskalnaya VI (Kolosovskaya), anthropological records and context

Степанчук, Вадим; Vasilyev, Sergei V.; Khaldeeva, N.I.; Kharlamova, N. V.; Borutskaya, S.B.

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2015.11.042

Cited by 18 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 17 publications

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“…It indicates that the accumulation of these layers covered a time span ranging from approximately 25 ka to 46 ka. The ages obtained for the layers IIIa, III, II, and I are consistent with those obtained for several other Middle Paleolithic sites from Crimea [14,121,127] and support the hypothesis that this region was a Neanderthal refugium [14,58]. …”

Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 86%

“…A fragmented mandible Zsk VI-72 (left half and a fragment of the right half) with three teeth, along with fourteen isolated teeth, and isolated hand phalanges were recovered in an area of approximately 40 cm of diameter at the limit between squares 32D and 32E. A bifacial tool [58,121] was found in close proximity to the mandible fragment Zsk VI-72. The analysis of the anthropological material showed that the remains belong to two adolescents, a mandible fragment to an individual with the estimated age of 10–12 years, and hand phalanges to an individual aged 14–15 years [58,131–134].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A bifacial tool [58,121] was found in close proximity to the mandible fragment Zsk VI-72. The analysis of the anthropological material showed that the remains belong to two adolescents, a mandible fragment to an individual with the estimated age of 10–12 years, and hand phalanges to an individual aged 14–15 years [58,131–134]. A fragmented right half of mandible Zsk VI-78 and four isolated teeth associated with it were recovered in square 35G, along with fragmented radius, left humerus, and right tibia.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A growing body of archaeological discoveries and reappraisal of old finds is also strengthening the position of those who advocate comparable cognition. Complex and changing lithic technologies, hafting techniques, varied hunting strategies enabling Neanderthals to kill dangerous game and exploit a variety of marine [49,50] and plants resources [51–55], established ability to ignite and control fire [56], and organisation of living space, are among the innovations that are now recognized as inherent to Neanderthal cultures in various regions of Europe, before any contact with Modern Humans [4,8,9,14,57,58]. …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several Mousterian sites (Canalettes, Combe Grenal, Grotte de l’Hyène at Arcy, Tabatérie, Chez Pourré-Chez-Comte, Cioarei-Borosteni,) yielded evidence for the collection of rare objects in the form of crystal and fossils [64]. Pigment use among Neanderthals dates back as far as 200–250 ka [65], and becomes a more widespread practice after c. 60 ka, as testified not only by the finds of modified ochre, manganese and graphite pieces [14,58,64,66,67] but also processing tools and possible pigment containers [68–72]. An ochered fossil marine shell has been discovered in a Mousterian level dated to at least 47.6–45.0 cal kyr BP at Fumane cave in Italy [73], and ochered marine shells come from Cueva de Los Aviones and Cueva Antón archaeological layers dated to c. 50 ka, in the Iberian Peninsula [74].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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A decorated raven bone from the Zaskalnaya VI (Kolosovskaya) Neanderthal site, Crimea

et al. 2017

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We analyze a radius bone fragment of a raven (Corvus corax) from Zaskalnaya VI rock shelter, Crimea. The object bears seven notches and comes from an archaeological level attributed to a Micoquian industry dated to between 38 and 43 cal kyr BP. Our study aims to examine the degree of regularity and intentionality of this set of notches through their technological and morphometric analysis, complemented by comparative experimental work. Microscopic analysis of the notches indicate that they were produced by the to-and-fro movement of a lithic cutting edge and that two notches were added to fill in the gap left between previously cut notches, probably to increase the visual consistency of the pattern. Multivariate analysis of morphometric data recorded on the archaeological notches and sets of notches cut by nine modern experimenters on radii of domestic turkeys shows that the variations recorded on the Zaskalnaya set are comparable to experimental sets made with the aim of producing similar, parallel, equidistant notches. Identification of the Weber Fraction, the constant that accounts for error in human perception, for equidistant notches cut on bone rods and its application to the Zaskalnaya set of notches and thirty-six sets of notches incised on seventeen Upper Palaeolithic bone objects from seven sites indicate that the Zaskalnaya set falls within the range of variation of regularly spaced experimental and Upper Palaeolithic sets of notches. This suggests that even if the production of the notches may have had a utilitarian reason the notches were made with the goal of producing a visually consistent pattern. This object represents the first instance of a bird bone from a Neanderthal site bearing modifications that cannot be explained as the result of butchery activities and for which a symbolic argument can be built on direct rather than circumstantial evidence.

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Section: Methodssupporting

confidence: 86%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%