Abstract

Layer 11 from the Southern Chamber of Denisova Cave yielded a collection of the early Upper Palaeolithic personal ornaments that comprises 18 objects. The collection includes a ring, flat and volumetric beads, blanks showing traces of perforation and cutting, ornamented tubular beads, pendants with annular cuts or drilled holes. The ornaments were made of mammoth ivory, animal teeth, tubular bones of mammals and birds, as well as gem stones. The artifacts showing the use of pigments constitute a separate category. The process of ornament manufacturing has been reconstructed; it involved progressive implementation of short and long chains of operations. Traceological analysis has shown use-wear signs on the ornaments.

Keywords

Altai Mountains, Denisova Cave, early Upper Palaeolithic, personal ornaments, experimental use-wear analysis, technological analysis

Shunkov M.V.

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1388-2308

Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS

Fedorchenko A.Yu.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7812-8037

Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS

Kozlikin M.B.

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5082-3345

Institute of Archaeology and Ethnography SB RAS

References

Derevianko A.P., Rybin E.P. Drevneysheye proyavleniye simvolicheskoy deyatelnosti drevnego cheloveka na Gornom Altaye. Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia, 2003, vol. 3, pp. 27-50 (in Russ.).

Список литературы

Деревянко А.П., Рыбин Е.П. Древнейшее проявление символической деятельности древнего человека на Горном Алтае // Археология, этнография и антропология Евразии. - 2003. - № 3. - С. 27-50.