Late Middle and Early Upper Paleolithic Evidence from the East European Plain and Caucasus: A New Look at Variability, Interactions, and Transitions

Late Middle and Early Upper Paleolithic Evidence from the East European Plain and Caucasus: A New Look at Variability, Interactions, and Transitions

This paper presents analyses of Late Middle Paleolithic (LMP) and Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) material from the East European Plain and Caucasus. Late Middle Paleolithic industries show a highly variable pattern, although they are formally ascribed to a limited number of technocomplexes. Many of t...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of world prehistory Vol. 13; no. 3; pp. 265 - 319
Main Authors: Cohen, Vadim Yu, Stepanchuk, Vadim N.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Heidelberg Plenum Publishing 01-09-1999
Springer
Subjects:
Acculturation
Archaeological sites
Asia
Burins
Caves
Central Asia
Knowledge industries
Palaeolithic and mesolithic
Prehistory and protohistory
Radiocarbon dating
Scrapers
Seas
Steppes
Technology
Aurignacian
Early
Upper Palaeolithic
Late
Gravettian
Middle Palaeolithic
Asia
Europe
Ukraine
Lithic industry
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Description
Summary:This paper presents analyses of Late Middle Paleolithic (LMP) and Early Upper Paleolithic (EUP) material from the East European Plain and Caucasus. Late Middle Paleolithic industries show a highly variable pattern, although they are formally ascribed to a limited number of technocomplexes. Many of the LMP industries, especially in the Crimea, survived to the time of the transition to the Upper Paleolithic, but data suggesting a local origin of EUP are extremely rare. The transition is generally dated between 32/30,000 and 26/24,000 years, while the most crucial changes coincide with the Stillfried B interstadial. Aurignacian (two variants), Gravettian, and "Transitional" industries are recognized in the EUP. The presence of Middle Paleolithic traits in the Aurignacian may indicate acculturation, while the Transitional industries might reflect either acculturation or independent local development of new technologies, raising the possibility of local transformation of some Middle Paleolithic into non-Aurignacian EUP industries.
ISSN:0892-7537
1573-7802
DOI:10.1023/A:1022389613280