Libmonster ID: IN-1470

Author(s) of the publication: V. A. Ranov, K. A. Kolobova, A. I. Krivoshapkin →

Educational Institution \ Organization: Institute of History. Ahmadi Donisha Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan, Институт археологии и этнографии СО РАН →

Source: Archeology, Ethnography and Anthropology of Eurasia, June , 2012 Pages 2-24 →

UPPER PALEOLITHIC COMPLEXES OF THE SHUGNOU SITE (TAJIKISTAN)*

The article deals with the stone industries of the Kul'tu-bearing layers of the Upper Paleolithic site of Shugnou (Tajikistan), a well - known monument in Central Asia. The technical, typological and attributive analyses of the site materials allow us to attribute the industries of all its layers to the same Upper Paleolithic cultural tradition, within the framework of which there was a gradual development of small-plate production using carenoid technologies. Analogs of the manifestations of this cultural tradition were identified in the materials of the Kulbulak sites (layers 2.1 and 2.2), Kyzyl-Alma-2 and Dodekar-2 (Uzbekistan).

Key words: Upper Paleolithic, small plate production, karenoid technology, Central Asia.

Introduction

For a long time, Shugnou was one of the few multilayered stratified monuments of the Upper Paleolithic era in Central Asia (Ranov, 1988), which were used to construct regional cultural and chronological schemes for the development of human communities. Perhaps the only stratified multi-layered monument comparable to Shugnou in terms of preservation of cultural deposits and, consequently, its importance for studying the history of the Upper Paleolithic of the region, remained the Samarkand site for a long time (Korobkova and Dzhurakulov, 2000). Discovery of several Upper Paleolithic sites in Western Tien Shan and Southeastern Kazakhstan at the beginning of the XXI century (or resumption of research on previously known ones) [Kolobova, Krivoshapkin, Derevyanko et al., 2011; Kolobova, Pavlenok, Flas, and Krivoshapkin, 2010; Kolobova, Flas, and Islamov et al., 2009; Taimagambetov, and Kollezhev, 2009] required a revision of views on the origin and development of the Upper Paleolithic in western Central Asia. In the light of new data, a comprehensive analysis of materials from previously known sites, primarily the Shugnow stratigraphic site, is particularly relevant for identifying cultural dynamics in the region at the end of the Upper Neo-Pleistocene.

History of study, location and stratigraphy of the monument

The Shugnow parking lot was opened by V. A. Ranov and A. A. Shugnow. Nikonov in 1968 during an exploratory survey-

* The work was carried out within the framework of GC No. 02.740.11.0353 of the Federal Target Program "Scientific and scientific-pedagogical personnel of innovative Russia", Project No. 28.1.9 of the RAS program "Culture of the primitive population of North Asia at the turn of the Middle and Upper Paleolithic" and the RFBR project 11-06-1200 ofi-M.

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Figure 1. Map of the location of Upper Paleolithic monuments in the Pamir-Tien Shan.

1). The monument is located at an altitude of 2000 m above sea level, on a section of a 70-meter Pleistocene terrace traced at the confluence of the Safetdar River with the Yakhsu River (Panj River basin). The archaeological material is included in loess-like loams (total thickness 15 m) lying on the pebbles of the ancient riverbed (Ranov, 1973; Ranov and Nesmeyanov, 1973).

Permanent work on the monument was carried out in 1969 and 1970. Excavations and trenches have uncovered more than 500 m 2 of the territory (Ranov, 1973). The consolidated stratigraphy of the monument (according to two excavations) from bottom to top is as follows (Fig. 2). Above the sandy-clay deposits of constrative alluvium lies a member of alluvial-proluvial-deluvial deposits, which are yellowish-gray loams with inclusions of sandy loams and crushed-pebble proluvial interlayers with a total thickness of 3 m. Cultural layers 4 and 3 made of loam, which are enriched in carbonaceous material, are traced in the bundle. The above-lying member of deluvial cover sediments with a thickness of more than 10 m is composed of light yellowish-gray non-layered loam with inclusions of small pebbles. Lenses of gravelly proluvial material can be traced within this pack of sediments. The lower border of the pack is uneven, with traces of erosion. According to the researchers, the cover pack was formed in parallel with the accumulation of the accumulative cover of the Late Shanbin terrace during a significant part of the Amu Darya stage. Erosion at the base marks the epoch of maximum erosion and the beginning of accumulation in the first half of the Dushanbe sub-stage (Ranov and Nesmeyanov, 1973). The bundle includes culture layers 2,1,0 separated by practically sterile interlayers.

According to the data of spore-pollen analysis, the alluvium (lower part of the terrace) is dominated by pollen of herbaceous plants (approx. 70%), mainly haze, grasses, and various grasses. The pollen composition corresponds to the arid climate. However, the presence in the pollen samples of woody plants (up to 20-30%) indicates the growth of tree species, primarily archaea, in more humid areas, in cool conditions (apparently, upstream of the river). The presence of sycamore, ash, walnut and loch pollen is also noted. According to carpological analysis, the range of tree species also included poplar. Higher in the section, at a depth of 11.0-4.5 m, when alluvial loams are replaced by cover loess-like deposits (containing the main archaeological layers), the share of pollen of woody plants increases to 50% (as determined by G. N. Lisitsyna), which indicates the expansion of thickets of woody plants. The appearance of birch trees and alder thickets in the river valley, along with poplars and willows, indicates an undoubted cooling and humidification. This cooling is associated with the Late Pleistocene glaciation (Ranov, Nikonov, and Pakhomov, 1976).

The lowest cultural layer 4 lies at the base of the loess-like stratum. According to V. A. Ranov, the archaeological materials may indicate the completion of the alluvial cycle of formation of the highest of the middle Pleistocene terraces in the Shugnou area. This layer, uncovered over an area of 90 m2, contained few finds. At the same time, it recorded the largest number of hearths on the monument that preserved coal dust. Stone products are rare. Taking into account the discrepancy between the number of artefacts and foci, V. A. Ranov suggested that the studied horizon was the base of the cultural layer, the upper part of which was cut off by mudflows. Cultural layer 3, which can be traced directly above cultural layer 4, has also been excavated over an area of 90 m2. The cultural layer is adjacent to the pebble-gravelly layer. Individual stone artifacts were located directly on the body of the layer. Cultural layer 2, uncovered over an area of 130 m2, is most saturated with artifacts. Practically on the entire area, they were confined to a layer of dark color. There are focal spots in the layer in the form of small depressions filled with coal dust, or puncture spots. Cultural layer 1 was uncovered in two excavations on an area of 200 m2. A brownish-yellow loam was traced over the entire area from a separate point of view.-

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2. Consolidated stratigraphic column of the Shugnow site.

with inclusions of pieces of coal. Cultural layer 0 was investigated only in 1970 and uncovered on an area of 50 m2. Planigraphically, it is represented as a cluster of split stone between two bonfires.

The study of the stone industry of the Shugnow site took place in two stages. V. A. Ranov (Ranov, 1973; Ranov, Nikonov, and Pakhomov, 1976) performed the first stage of work - pre - processing of most of the collection and introducing the results into scientific circulation. The second stage of research, which included a detailed technical and typological analysis with elements of the attributive approach of the entire collection, was carried out by the other authors of this work in 2010-2011.

Stone tools of the parking lot

The description of stone tools is given in five culture-containing layers, starting from the lowest one. In the analysis of primary splitting, the category of industrial waste included

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debris, fragments, flakes, and small flakes (less than 2 cm in the largest dimension); when determining the specific weight of artifacts within layers, production waste was not taken into account. In the metric analysis of small plate blanks, the smallest plates and microplates are combined into a single category-plates; these are chips whose length exceeds the width by 2 times or more, while the width is no more than 12 mm. The name "microplate" is used by us when describing the blanks of a number of tools in order to emphasize the miniaturization of some products.

Cultural layer industry 4 (Table 1). Primary cleavage strategies in the layer industry were mainly aimed at obtaining plate blanks from the cores of planar and volumetric cleavage systems. Among the typologically expressed nuclei (tab. 2) nuclei of the planar cleavage principle predominate (Figs. 3, 2, 3).The prismatic cleavage principle is demonstrated by subprismatic monoplan-site nuclei for plates and plates (Figs. 3, 5).

Among the technical chips of this layer, edge steeply lateral lamellar chips dominate. The layer contains one of the largest "tablets" in the industry (Figs. 3, 4; Table 3).

In the chipping industry, lamellar forms predominate, flakes and spikelets occupy a subordinate position (see Table 1).

The weapon set of the complex includes a knife with an edge-edge edge (Fig. 3, 1) and retouched plates (2 copies).

Industry of cultural layers 3-2. The current state of the collection does not allow for a separate analysis of the stone industries of layers 3 and 2. The statistical observations published in this paper relate mainly to the complex of layer 2: in terms of population, it significantly exceeds the complex of layer 3 ( 1,839 and 292 specimens). respectively [Ranov, 1973; Ranov and Karimova, 2005]).

The consolidated collection of layers 3-2 currently amounts to 3152 copies, of which 1107 copies (35.1%) are identified as industrial waste. 67 items, including 10 copies, are classified as nucleoid items. they are nucleated fragments (see Tables 1 and 2).

The industry's nuclei exhibit prismatic, end-face, and planar cleavage principles (see Table 2). The most numerous group among prismatic nuclei consists of subprismatic monoplanetside nuclei for lamellar cleavage (Figs. 3, 6), among them a subgroup of pyramidal nuclei can be distinguished (Figs. 3, 8). Biplanetside subpranetside nuclei are represented by nuclei for lamellar cleavage (Figs. 3, 7) and a core for making pointed chips (Fig. 3, 14). Among the prismatic nuclei, a preform for a prismatic nucleus is also distinguished. The most interesting component of prismatic cleavage is carenoid cleavage to produce plates and microplates. This category of nuclei includes karenoid monoplatform nuclei on cleavages of the transverse cleavage system (Figs. 3, 11, 12) and karenoid monoplatform nuclei on individual raw materials (Figs. 3, 9, 10). Another carenoid nucleus has traces of disposal from two opposite sites (Fig. 3, 13).

The end splitting principle is represented by single-site nuclei for plates and plates (Figs. 3, 15) and wedge-shaped end nuclei for removing plate chips.

Planar splitting was used to produce both lamellar chips and flakes. Two-site monofrontal nuclei, orthogonal nuclei, and a monoplatchline were used to make plates and plate chips.

Table 1. Composition of the Shugnow stone walls

Artifacts

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

The wreckage

7,2

126

4,0

3,5

6,9

Scales

1,5

165

5,2

131

5,0

4,6

Nucleated products

5,2

1,8

2,6

6,9

Technical chips

10,8

157

5,0

2,7

6,0

Flakes

27,3

1674

53,1

1458

55,6

136

62,7

Spiky points

6,2

2,0

0,8

0,0

Plates

38,7

637

20,2

391

14,9

10,1

Records

3,1

264

8,4

379

14,5

2,3

Total

194

100,0

3152

100,0

2622

100,0

217

100,0

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Table 2. Typological composition of nuclei in the Shugnow parking lot industries

Nuclei

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Planar ones:

monoplatchable convergent plates for gills and plates

monofrontal biploschadochnye convergent for records

monoplatform monofrontal parallel cleavage systems for plate cleavage

monoplatform monofrontal parallel cleavage systems for flakes

monoplatform monofrontal parallel cleavage systems for flakes on chips

bi-site monofrontal parallel splitting systems for plates

bi-site bifrontal parallel splitting systems for plate blanks

radial for flakes

orthogonal nuclei for plate blanks

blank for planar nucleusedit

Total

80,0

28,1

26,1

46,7

Prismatic:

monoplotochnye for plate chips

monoplotchadnye for flakes

karenoid

single-site monofrontal systems

bi-site bifrontal systems

on chipped cross sections

on chipped longitudinal

bi-site machines for plate blanks

biploschadochnye for sharp slopes

preform for prismatic nucleus

Total

20,0

54,4

59,5

40,0

End faces:

monoplotochnye for plate chips

monoplotochnye for plate chips on chips

wedge-shaped end plates for small plate blanks on chips

wedge-shaped end plates for small plate workpieces

Total

15,8

14,4

13,3

Combined services

1,7

Total

100,0

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3. Stone artifacts of cultural layers 4 (1 - 5) and 3-2 (6 - 15) of the Shugnow site

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Table 3. Typological composition of technical chips in the Shugnou parking lot industries

Chips

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Chipped adjustment of prismatic nuclei impact pads - "tablets"

4,8

2,5

6,9

23,1

Rib chips:

9,5

8,3

1,4

plates

primary services

secondary services

shortened ones

Semi-rib plates:

4,8

29,3

26,4

primary services

secondary services

Tweaking the cleavage arc

9,5

21,7

15,3

7,7

Edge chips:

71,4

37,6

47,2

69,2

lamellar

shortened ones

"High chair"

0,6

Lateral cleavage of carenoid nuclei correction

2,8

Total

100,0

157

100,0

the monofrontal nucleus. To obtain flakes, radial nuclei and monoplatchable monofrontal nuclei were used for parallel removal of blanks. The complex also presents variants of multi-frontal planar nuclei of the parallel cleavage principle for flakes - bi-site bifrontal nuclei. In this category, nuclei with traces of perpendicular cleavage on fronts located in different planes and nuclei with signs of parallel cleavage of workpieces from fronts located in different planes are distinguished.

Among technical chips (see Table 3), the most numerous are marginal ones, as well as primary and secondary rib plates (Fig. 4, 1).

The chipping industry includes: flakes exceeding 2 cm in the largest dimension-858 copies (27.2%), plates-637 copies (20.2%), plates-264 copies. (8.4%) and sharp chips - 62 copies. (2%).

The tool kit of the complex (89 copies) consists of scrapers (28 copies), retouched plates (15 copies), sharp points (12 copies), flakes (6 copies), plates (4 copies) and microplates (2 copies; Fig. 4, 4), chisel tools (4 copies), toothed tools (2 copies), chisel-shaped (Fig. 4, 4) and dredged tools, as well as tools with undercarriage.

Among the scrapers, the most widely used end scrapers (22 copies) can be divided into groups: 1) with a convex wide blade, the width of which is approximately equal to the width of the workpiece (19 copies; fig.. 4, 7 - 10); 2) with a straight wide blade (2 copies); 3) with a convex narrow blade, the width of which is significantly inferior to the width of the workpiece. Among the scrapers of group 1, there are two end scrapers with a wide blade of high shape, one of them is similar in shape and processing nature to the carenoid nuclei on chips of transverse orientation (Fig. 4, 11). Other scraper options include a scraper with retouching marks on 3/4 of the perimeter (Figs. 4, 12) and corner scrapers (5 copies). Among the latter, ventral (2 specimens; Figs. 4, 13, 14) and dorsal (3 specimens) are distinguished.

Retouched cusps usually have traces of touch-up in the medial-distal zone of one of the longitudinal edges or in the distal part of the blank (Fig. 4, 15, 16), are represented by both symmetrical and asymmetric shapes (6 copies; Fig. 4, 17, 18). Two retouched pinnacles made on the plates are noteworthy: in the distal zone and along one of the longitudinal edges, they are treated with a steep and steep permanent dorsal medium-modifying scaly retouch (Fig. 4, 19, 20). The shape of these tools is similar to that of the font yves (or argeni) points, which are marking forms for the Levantine and East European Aurignacian (Leroi-Gourhan, 1997). The differences are that the products from the complex of layer 3-2 of the Shugnow parking lot are larger and asymmetrical.

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4. Stone artefacts of cultural layers 3-2 (1-20) and 1 (21 - 23) of the Shugnow site

Among the scrapers, transverse straight scrapers (2 copies), a longitudinal single straight scraper and a scraper with a rim are distinguished.

Among the retouched plates, three products are defined as informal, with areas of recycling retouching on the longitudinal edges (Fig. 4, 5), and one of the characteristics is close to plates with a blunted edge (Fig. 4, 6).

Layer Industry 1. The layer complex consists of 2,622 stone artefacts, of which 1,082 specimens (41.2%) are from-

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production processes (see Table 1). There are 78 nucleoid products, among which both typologically pronounced nuclei (69 specimens) and nucleoid fragments (9 specimens; see Table 2) are distinguished.

Nuclei with signs of prismatic splitting dominate the collection of this layer. The brightest samples belong to karenoid nuclei. It can be said that the artifacts of this group found in cultural layer 1 of the Shugnow site reflect the highest level of development of the Karenoid technique. The karenoid nuclei of layer 1, the proportion of which reaches 40.5% of all typologically determined nuclei of the complex, represent all varieties of karenoid nuclei found in the Paleolithic industries of Central Asia: on raw material fragments, on chips of longitudinal and transverse orientation. Carenoid nuclei on the chips of the transverse removal system (8 copies) were made on massive flakes in cross-section. The impact pads of the nuclei were the ventral surface of the chips, from which plates and microplates were removed without additional correction in the direction of the dorsal plane of the chip-blank. Thus, the volume of the nucleus between the planes was reduced in the transverse direction. Three samples show signs of splitting not in the distal chipping zone, but in the area closer to the right or left longitudinal edge, which was probably due to the initial shape and massiveness of the workpiece. To maintain the shape of the cores, lateral chips from the impact pads were usually used (correction of both laterals or only the left one), in one case the correction was made by chipping from the keel of the core. In six products, the front width exceeds the length (Figs. 5, 2). The carenoid nuclei on the chips of the longitudinal removal system (3 copies) are represented by nuclei on massive chips in cross - section, with plates with an indirect profile removed from the transverse fracture planes (see Figs.4, 21-23). Carenoid nuclei on individual raw materials (15 copies) are mainly formed on a long cross-sectional blank; only three nuclei are short - possibly worked (see Figs. 5, 3). Another product is rounded in plan and resembles a nucleus close to carenoid nuclei on chips of transverse orientation; it is made on a fragment of pebbles that has split according to the internal crack, as a result, the billet has a resemblance to a massive flake in cross-section (see Figs. 5, 1). The impact sites of most cores in this category are located on untreated planes of natural splits (or surfaces created by single splits), at an acute angle to the splitting front. These nuclei were used to produce blanks with the parameters of plates and microplates with a curved and twisted profile. The width of the front was usually regulated by lateral chips (73.3% of products), which were applied from the planes of the impact pads, and a significant part of the nuclei from this group (30%) were corrected along both laterals (see Fig. 5, 4 - 9). One product shows signs of additional retouching of the keel (see Figs. 5, 12). The categories listed above (monofrontal nuclei on flakes and raw material parts) include bi-site bifrontal nuclei. Two impact pads of the core are located perpendicular to each other. Plate blanks were removed from them (see Figs. 5, 11). The collection also includes a product defined as a blank for the carenoid nucleus. The prismatic cleavage principle is also demonstrated by subprismatic monoplatform nuclei for plates (6 specimens), subprismatic nuclei for plates (2 specimens; see Fig. 5, 15), and prismatic nuclei for plates (5 specimens) having a pyramidal (3 specimens; Fig. 5, 16) and subpyramidal (see Fig. 5, 13, 14) form.

The end cleavage principle is represented by wedge-shaped nuclei for plates and plates and monoplatform nuclei for plates.

The planar principle of cleavage removal is represented by a series of nuclei of the parallel cleavage principle, including monofrontal monoplatchable cores for flakes, designed both on individual rocks and on chips. Monofrontal monoplasmic nuclei and monofrontal biplasmic nuclei were used to produce lamellar blanks by parallel splitting; small lamellar blanks were removed from the bifrontal biplasmic nuclei. The convergent method of chip removal has been implemented in monofrontal bi-site nuclei for plates. A single orthogonal nucleus was used for removing plates and flakes. A biplot monofrontal nucleus blank is highlighted in the collection.

There are 72 technical chips. (2.7% of the total number of artifacts in the complex) (see Tables 1, 3). Edge chips are the most numerous category. They are followed by semi-finned plates. Two cleavages of the lateral carenoid nucleus patch were also identified (see Figs. 5, 10).

The chipping industry of cultural layer 1 of the Shugnou site totals 1,390 specimens; it consists of large and medium-sized flakes - 599 specimens. (22.8%), plates -391 copies (14.9%), plates - 379 copies (14.5%) and pointed chips - 21 copies (0.8%).

The tool kit of the complex (47 copies) consists of scrapers (19 copies), tools classified as micro-equipment (14 copies), retouched ed.-

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5. Stone artefacts of cultural layer 1 of the Shugnow site

6, 9), flakes (5 copies), as well as a chisel-shaped tool (Fig. 6, 10), a tronked plate, a transversely convex single scraper, a knife with a face edge and a toothed tool.

The most numerous category of the tool collection of the cultural division under consideration is scrapers of various modifications (19 copies). End scrapers of this cultural layer, as below-

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6. Stone artefacts of cultural layers 1 (1-19) and 0 (20-23) of the Shugnow site

lying down, make up one of the most numerous groups of tools (10 copies). It, as in layers 3 - 2, includes scrapers with convex wide blades (7 copies; Fig. 6, 13-16), scrapers with straight wide blades (2 copies; Fig. 6, 18) and a scraper with a narrow blade. Corner scrapers (4 specimens; Fig. 6, 19), high-shaped scrapers (2 specimens) morphologically close to carenoid nuclei on the chips of the transverse system of removal (Fig. 6, 17), side scrapers (2 specimens; Fig. 6, 11) and a scraper with traces of retouching along the perimeter were also identified 6, 12).

A striking component in the tool collection of this layer is objects classified as micro-equipment (14 specimens): retouched plates, curved or twisted in profile, treated with dorsal semicircular and steep permanent fine scaly retouching along one or both longitudinal edges (7 specimens; Fig. 6, 1, 2), pointed plates/micro-points with traces of retouching (3 copies; Fig. 6, 3, 4), plates with a blunted edge (2 copies; Fig. 6, 5, 6), a point with elements of retouching on the plate (Fig. 6, 7) and

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6, 8). The latter is made on a plate with a blunted right longitudinal edge. In cross-section, the product is truncated at an obtuse angle to the blunted edge. On the left longitudinal edge there are facets of unmodifying retouching of the image. This product is almost completely analogous to the triangular microliths found in the Upper Paleolithic layers of the Dodecanese-2 and Kulbulak sites in Uzbekistan (Kolobova, Krivoshapkin, Derevyanko et al., 2011).

Layer 0 industry. The collection consists of 217 stone artefacts, of which 56 specimens (25.8%) are classified as industrial waste (see Table 1). The nuclear set includes 16 items, one of which is defined as a nucleoid fragment (see Table 2).

The nuclei of layer 0, as well as the nuclei of the underlying cultural divisions, are made in prismatic, end and plane splitting systems. The prismatic principle is represented by subprismatic single-site nuclei for flakes and subprismatic nuclei for plates. The end cleavage system corresponds to two nuclei for plates.

The planar principle of the parallel cleavage method was implemented in the production of monofrontal monoplatform nuclei for flakes and monofrontal monoplatform nuclei for plates. Pointed blanks are the result of a convergent cleavage method for the monofrontal monoplan site nucleus.

There are 13 technical chips in each layer. (6% of the total number of artifacts of the complex) (see Table 3).Among them, marginal lamellar chips predominate (9 specimens). Chipped adjustments of the impact pads of the nuclei (4 copies) were also detected.

The chipping industry is represented by 132 finds, including 105 flakes, whose dimensions in the largest dimension exceed 2 cm (48.3%), 22 plates (10.1%) and 5 plates (2.3%).

The tool kit (12 copies) includes scrapers (9 copies), a point on the plate with a blunted distal edge (Figs. 6, 20), a knife with an edge-edge edge, and a plate with signs of retouching recycling. Scrapers are represented exclusively by end forms, among which tools with a convex wide blade dominate (8 copies; Fig. 6, 21-23). One tool is defined as an end scraper with a narrowed blade.

Raw material base of the industry

Petrographic analysis of the collection was carried out in 2010 by a leading researcher of the IAET SB RAS, Candidate of Geological Sciences. - Miner. nauk N. A. Kulik. According to her conclusion, a significant part of the raw material base consists of paleotypic and acidic effusions, and there are also fluid aphyric effusions. Sedimentary rocks are represented by oligomictic sandstones. The proportion of light, yellowish, and similar flints is also high. As noted by V. A. Ranov and A. A. Nikonova, the source of raw materials for the ancient inhabitants of the site was conglomerates and pebbles surrounding the site, and no indigenous outcrops of these rocks were found in the vicinity of the monument (Ranov, Nikonov, and Pakhomov, 1976).

To analyze the raw material base of each cultural division, all artifacts were divided into two large groups. The first group includes effusive and sedimentary rocks, while the second group includes flint. According to the composition of raw materials, all lamellar, pointed chips, as well as the entire tool kit of the monument were studied. The analysis carried out confirmed the opinion of V. A. Ranov that during the period corresponding to the upper layers of the site, mainly flints were used as raw materials [1973]. In the lower layer of the monument, products made of flint rocks make up 5.3%, in the overlying cultural divisions, their share increases and amounts to 10% in layers 3-2, 35.4% in layer 1, and 33.3% in layer 0.

Comparative analysis of collections of cultural layers of the parking lot

The industry of all cultural strata of the Shugnow site is characterized by the use of prismatic, face and plane splitting principles, and prismatic, as a rule, dominates. The primary cleavage process was mainly aimed at obtaining large and small plate blanks; in the lower cultural horizons, a significant proportion was made up of sharp chips, in the upper layers they are practically absent. Layer 4 was dominated by planar nuclei for obtaining pointed and lamellar chips, along with developed prismatic forms. The collection of layers 3-2 demonstrates the leading role of the prismatic splitting principle and the appearance of a small but bright group of carenoid nuclei. A group of end nuclei was identified for the production of plates and plates. Among the few planar nuclei, the nuclei of the parallel method of obtaining blanks predominate. The layer 1 industry is characterized by the maximum development of carenoid technologies for producing small plate blanks with an indirect profile. Among the prismatic nuclei, nuclei with a splitting front extending along the entire perimeter of the workpiece (cylindrical and pyramidal in shape) are distinguished. Among the end ones, nuclei dominate, the cleavage of which was aimed at obtaining

page 13
small plate blanks. In layer 0, planar nuclei of the parallel cleavage method and prismatic nuclei occupy an equal position; moreover, flakes were mainly removed from them. However, it should be taken into account that almost all nuclei are represented in the depleted state.

The share of technical cleavages in the cultural layers of the industry is quite large-from 2.7% in layer 1 to 10.8% in layer 4, which indicates intensive primary cleavage activities in the parking area (see Tables 1, 3). Technical cleavages in parking complexes practically do not differ from each other. It should be noted that such technical chips as edge, semi-finned or ribbed could be used in the disposal of prismatic and planar cores of the parallel splitting method. Chips of these modifications are mostly elongated in shape. In the set of layers 3-2, there is a large number of chips in the adjustment of planar nuclei (34 copies), it significantly exceeds the number of planar nuclei themselves using the parallel splitting method (12 copies). This fact can indicate both the intensive utilization of planar nuclei in the complex and the planigraphic features of the exposed area. Only in the complex of layer 1, which contains the largest number of carenoid nuclei, two cleavages of lateral adjustments of these nuclei were found.

When analyzing the industry, it is necessary to take into account the imperfection of the excavation methodology adopted at the time of work at the parking lot: it did not involve complete washing or screening of the removed soil. Perhaps that is why a significant part of small artifacts - flakes, small flakes, plates and microplates-was not recorded. But even with this in mind, we can conclude that the evolutionary development of small-plate production based on the plate tradition with a gradual decrease in the share of the convergent method of obtaining blanks.

The most numerous category in the lower layer chipping industry (4 - 2) is made up of plates. Such cleavages of different cultural layers of the site are undoubtedly similar in technical and typological characteristics, but they have features that we interpret as the result of development within the same complex. Thus, according to the metric parameters of the plates, the tendency to miniaturization of chips from the lower to the upper layers is observed to increase (Tables 4-6). If

See Table 4. Whole plates of Different Lengths in the Shugnow Parking Lot Industries

Layers

10-30 mm

31-50 mm

51-70 mm

71-90 mm

More than 90 mm

Total, copies.

Quantity

16,7

50,0

33,3

3 - 2

4,3

34,3

39,3

17,9

4,3

140

6,3

57,1

17,5

15,9

3,2

18,8

43,8

25,0

12,5

See Table 5. Plate blanks of different widths in the Shugnow Parking Lot Industries

Layers

1-6 mm

7-9 mm

10-12 mm

13-20 mm

21-30 mm

More than 30 mm

Total, copies.

Quantity

7,4

29,6

51,9

11,1

3 - 2

2,2

9,7

156

17,3

400

44,4

189

21,0

5,3

900

5,8

157

20,6

178

23,3

297

38,9

8,8

2,6

763

3,7

14,8

48,1

11,1

22,2

Table b. Plate blanks of different thicknesses in the Shugnow Parking Lot Industries

Layers

1-3 mm

4-5 mm

6-8 mm

9 - 11

More than 11 mm

Total, copies.

Quantity

2,5

22,2

43,2

22,2

9,9

3 - 2

268

29,8

290

32,2

246

27,3

7,3

3,3

900

359

47,1

244

32,0

118

15,5

3,3

2,2

763

40,7

29,6

14,8

7,4

page 14
in layer 4, most of the whole plates are medium-sized samples (5 - 7 cm long), while in the overlying cultural division 3 - 2, medium plates are presented in the same way as small ones, and in layers 1 and 0, small blanks (up to 5 cm long) dominate. This is also noted for the width indicator. If layer 4 is dominated by plates with a width of 20 to 30 mm, then in the collection of layers 3 - 2 - with a width of 12 to 28 mm, in layer 1 - from 13 to 25 mm, and in layer 0 - from 15 to 20 mm. The thickness indicator shows approximately the same picture: in sets of layers 4-2, most of the plates have a thickness of 3 to 10 mm, in layer 1 - from 3 to 8 mm, and in layer 0 - from 3 to 6 mm. From bottom to top of the section, the number of plates made on flint raw materials also increased: in layer 4-5.3%, in layers 3-2 -10.4, in layer 1 - 35.4, and in layer 0 - 33.3%. Comparison of metric parameters of plates made on flint and effusive rocks allowed us to establish that products made of flint had smaller dimensions. For example, the width of the predominant part of flint plates in the industry is 20 mm, and most plates from effusive rocks - 30 mm. There is no doubt that there is a correlation between the increase in the number of small flint plates and the metric parameters of artefacts of this category. However, plates made on effusive rocks also reflect the desire to produce small products. Thus, it can be concluded that the reduction of plate sizes was influenced by raw material and technological factors. Most likely, the shift of technological emphasis to the predominant use of prismatic nuclei for the production of plates and plates was crucial for the miniaturization process.

In all cultural layers of the monument, the predominance of plates with a straight profile is traced, but up the section there is a decrease in their specific weight due to an increase in the proportion of plates with an indirect profile (Table 7). Perhaps this indicator also reflects a greater degree of utilization of nuclei in the upper layers, as a result of which the plates acquired a greater profile curvature.

In the lower layers of the monument, triangular and trapezoidal plates are represented in approximately equal proportions, starting from layer 1, triangular plates dominate in the set, and in layer 0 they make up the vast majority (Table 8). The study showed that one guide rib was most often used to remove large elongated workpieces. As a result, the size of lamellar chips was reduced, in the upper layers of which triangular plates in cross-section, as a rule, have a smaller width indicator than trapezoidal plates in cross-section.

In all layers of the monument, the plates have mostly smooth residual impact sites, while starting from the layer 3 - 2 complex, the number of plates with point and linear impact sites gradually increases (Tab. 9), which indicates the spread of edge cleavage. Platforms of products from the lower layer were corrected by brute-forcing the cornice, and from the overlying layers-using the reverse reduction technique; starting from layer 1, the plates with signs of reduction and with traces of brute-forcing the cornice are quantitatively equal.

Among the products with dorsal surface faceting in sets of all layers, the most widely represented items are those with a parallel unidirectional shape.

Table 7. Plates of different profiles in the Shugnou parking lot industries

Profile

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Straight

82,7

457

71,7

250

63,9

59,1

Curved

10,7

113

17,7

23,5

18,2

Swirled

6,7

10,5

12,5

22,7

Total

100,0

637

100,0

391

100,0

Table 8. Plates of different shapes in cross-section in the Shugnow Parking Lot Industries

Form

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Triangular shape

49,3

330

52,0

200

52,5

77,3

Trapezoidal shape

44,0

266

41,9

160

42,0

18,2

Polygonal map

6,7

6,1

5,5

4,5

Total

100,0

635

100,0

381

100,0

page 15
Table 9. Plates with residual impact pads of different types in the Shugnow parking lot industries

Residual impact pad

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Smooth

80,0

282

75,6

169

71,6

88,9

Dihedral straight line

2,5

3,8

0,4

5,6

Linear

2,5

2,1

13,1

5,6

Point information

13,9

12,3

Faceted Straight line

15,0

3,8

0,8

Natural

0,8

1,7

Total

100,0

373

100,0

236

100,0

Table 10. Dorsal Surface Plates of Various Types in the Shugnow Parking Lot Industries

Cut

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Parallel operation

73,3

502

78,8

323

83,8

76,4

Oncoming traffic

6,6

5,0

3,8

Converged

14,6

12,4

9,0

17,6

Biconvergent

1,3

1,7

0,7

Orthogonal

1,3

0,4

Semi-natural

2,6

0,6

1,5

5,8

Smooth

0,9

0,7

Total

100,0

637

100,0

385

100,0

cut. There are a large number of convergent-cut artifacts, and their share decreases from layer to layer. In layer 0, compared to the previous layer, there was a significant increase in the proportion of artifacts with convergent faceting, which does not correspond to the specific weight of certain types of nuclei (Table 10).

Obtaining large lamellar chips from the Shugnow site as a whole was not associated with the stage of core decortication. This is evidenced by the presence of a cortical surface on the planes of the products. So, in the collection of layer 4, the proportion of plates with crust is only 5.3%, on half of the chips, the crust extends to less than 50% of the dorsal surface area, in the materials of the layers 3 - 2 - 4,5 and less than 50%, respectively. In the layer 1 complex, 7.6% of chips with a crust were found, of which half were secondary. In layer 0, cortical plates make up 9%, or 2 copies.

The collections of layers 4 and 0 contain the minimum number of small-plate chips (6 and 5 copies). accordingly), so their comparison is based on a collection of layers 3-1 (layers 3 - 2 - 264 copies, layer 1 - 379 copies). The whole plates in the set of layer 1 are shorter in length than in other layers (see Table 4). At the same time, the width and thickness of the blanks in the complexes are approximately the same (see Tables 5, 6). This is due not only to the spread of the carenoid technique, but also to the widespread use of flint as a raw material: in layer 1, the proportion of such plates reaches 40%. Flint plates are slightly smaller in thickness than those made from effusive raw materials, mainly up to 5 mm. In the layer 1 complex, the specific gravity of plates with an indirect profile is noticeably higher (Table 11), which is undoubtedly due to the spread of carenoid cleavage. In layers 3 - 2, blanks are presented, mainly triangular in cross-section, in the complex of layer 1, triangular and trapezoidal plates in profile are quantitatively equal (Table 12). This indicates that the master used not one, but two ribs as a guide to produce small plate blanks, as a result, he had a large number of standardized blanks with parallel longitudinal edges. It should be noted that the width of plates with trapezoidal profiles is somewhat larger than that of plates with triangular cross-sections. In layers 3-2, the number of smooth impact pads on the plates corresponds to the number of point pads, while in the set of layer 1

page 16
Table 11. Plates of different profiles in the Shugnow Parking Lot industries

Profile

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Straight

16,7

161

61,2

167

44,1

80,0

Curved

50,0

20,2

132

34,8

0,0

Swirled

33,3

18,6

21,1

20,0

Total

100,0

263

100,0

379

100,0

Table 12. Plates of different shapes in cross-section in the Shugnow Parking Lot industries

Form

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Triangular shape

66,7

180

68,4

201

53,2

40,0

Trapezoidal shape

16,7

29,7

159

42,1

40,0

Polygonal map

16,7

1,9

4,8

20,0

Total

100,0

263

100,0

378

100,0

Table 13. Plates with various types of residual shock pads in the Shugnow Parking Lot Industries

Residual impact pad

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Smooth

50,0

46,8

31,9

50,0

Dihedral straight line

0,9

Linear

4,6

17,4

Point information

50,0

46,8

108

50,7

50,0

Faceted Straight line

0,9

Total

100,0

109

100,0

213

100,0

point and linear impact sites predominate over smooth ones (Table 13), which indicates the prevalence of edge splitting. The impact pads of the plates were corrected by brute-forcing the cornice and reverse reduction; materials from the upper layers show the spread of the reduction technique: if in the complex of layers 3 - 2, the plates with signs of reduction exceeded the plates with traces of brute - forcing the cornice by 2 times, then in layer 1-by 4 times. Traces of faceting on the dorsal surfaces indicate the predominance of unidirectional parallel cleavage; there are quite a lot of plates with convergent faceting (Table 14). The plates are practically not associated with the decortication process due to the extremely small number of chips with the crust. Primary decortication of the nucleoli was carried out by removing flakes, among which the largest proportion of products with a cortical surface is noted. The size of the chip often determined its place in the splitting process: the larger the chips, the more often they have a crust on the surface. Thus, among large (more than 5 cm in the largest dimension) flakes, chips with a cortical surface range from 44 to 20.8% (from bottom to top along the section), among medium - sized ones-from 12.5 to 4.5%. In flakes, smooth shapes predominate among the residual impact sites. Among flakes, there are significantly fewer samples with reduced impact pads than among chips of other categories. Taking this into account, as well as the typology of the impact sites, we can conclude that the impact planes of the nuclei from which the flakes were removed before the next stage of cleavage are less prepared. The analysis revealed the predominance of parallel unidirectional faceting of dorsal surfaces. It should be noted that chips that have a cortical surface area of less than 50% are also recorded mostly parallel unidirectional negatives of previous shots. This suggests a rare reorientation of nuclei in the decortication process.

page 17
Table 14. Dorsal surface plates of various types in the Shugnow Parking Lot Industries

Cut

Layer 4

Layers 3-2

Layer 1

Layer 0

Quantity

Parallel operation

50,0

222

85,4

331

87,6

80,0

Oncoming traffic

33,3

2,3

0,5

Converged

16,7

9,2

11,4

20,0

Biconvergent

0,8

Orthogonal

Semi-natural

0,4

0,3

Smooth

1,9

0,3

Total

100,0

260

100,0

378

100,0

Pointed chips are the most striking, though not numerous, category of parking chips. At the same time, their share decreases from the bottom up along the section - from 6.2% in the complex of layer 4 to 0.8% in the complex of layer 1. In layer 0, the spiky points are not fixed. There is a tendency to reduce the size: if the length of most whole chips in the lower layer was from 51 to 82 mm, then in layer 1 - already from 38 to 58 mm. The same applies to the width and thickness of products, their values decreased in proportion to the length. It should be noted that most of the pointed chips in all cultural layers of the industry were elongated: the length exceeded the width by more than 2 times. In all sets, there are only straight points in the profile. The dominant type of impact pads is smooth, while the dominant dorsal surface cut is convergent. Accordingly, most of the chips in the cross-section were trapezoidal in shape, which indicates the use of two guide ribs in the implementation of the gills. The absence of a crust on the surface of all chips suggests that the products of this category were not associated with the stage of decortication of the nuclei.

The proportional ratio of different types of chips that were selected for the production of tools generally corresponds to the ratio of types of chips without traces of secondary finishing. Layers 4-1 are characterized by the use of mainly lamellar bases for the production of tools. In layers 3-2 and 1, there is an increase in the proportion of tools made on small-plate blanks (6.7 and 25%, respectively). The set of layers 3-2 reflects the choice of spikelets as the basis of tools. In these layers, 13.5% of the tools are made on the spikelets, while the share of spikelets among the chips is only 2%. Collections of overlying layers indicate that the use of spikelets as blanks for tools has ceased, which corresponds to the general tendency of the complexes to reduce the "spikelet" component up the section. The proportion of tools made on flakes in layers 3 - 2 and 1 is 30.3 and 42.5%, respectively. In layer 0, the specific weight of tools on flakes already reaches 66.6%, which is consistent with the data on primary cleavage in the cultural division industry. These differences can be explained by the peculiarities of choosing the bases for certain types of tools from different layers of the parking lot. So, the scrapers presented in the layer 3 - 2 complex were made on plates and flakes in equal parts, and in the overlying cultural divisions - mainly on shortened blanks. In the parking industry, it should be noted that there is a general focus on choosing higher - quality raw materials-flint. The proportion of tools made from it is higher than the proportion of chips without finishing made on flint nuclei. This trend increases from the bottom up in the section: if in the collection of layer 4 the share of tools on flint was 33%, then in the collection of the upper cultural division 83.3%.

The main method of secondary processing of Shugnow parking complexes is retouching. Tools were usually designed with the help of dorsal permanent medium-and strongly modifying semi-circular and steep scaly and sub-parallel retouching, which in most cases extends to the entire working area of the tool. Materials from the upper cultural layers of the monument indicate an increasing role of sub-parallel and parallel finishing. The share of ventral retouching is insignificant, but almost all products designed with its help belong to formal, carefully processed types - scrapers, scrapers, tronkir-nannye chips. Individual types of tools reflect your preferences in choosing a design area. For example, for plates with traces of retouching (or with a blunted edge), the left longitudinal edge was most often processed.

page 18
Evidence of the genetic unity of the industry of all cultural strata of the site is the presence in the sets of identical types of tools, including specific forms-chisel-shaped retouched pointed, ventral scrapers. It is necessary to note a significant peculiarity of the complex of layer 0. The cultural layer itself was discovered last and excavated on a smaller area than the other stratigraphic units. The small size of its collection and the absence of bright specific artifacts in it prevent broad correlations, but the distinctive features recorded in this industry most likely indicate a significant chronological gap between the complexes of layers 0 and 1.

Functional analysis of the industry of cultural strata.

In order to create a detailed picture of the functional specifics of the complexes of cultural subdivisions of the parking lot, a study was conducted that included an analysis of the structure of the tool kit and the effectiveness of activities for the production of tools and the splitting of nuclei according to the methodology presented in the work of E. P. Rybin and K. A. Kolobova [2004]. To study the structure of the tool kit, the items were divided into two groups - formal and informal. Artifacts that have undergone minimal changes in their design or use, do not have specific morphological features, and do not form a stable series are defined as informal. Formal items include items that have undergone significant changes in the design (or use) and have the characteristic features of tool preparation or accommodation. To assign a product to a particular group, its typological definition does not play a major role.In this study, we used an approach that takes into account the specifics of secondary processing. An analysis of the intensity of such processing was carried out: the degree of modification of the workpiece surface by retouching, the length of retouching, as well as the uniformity or heterogeneity of the secondary processing of a particular tool were determined. Because of their small number, the tool set of layer 4 was excluded from the analysis. It was determined that formal tools predominate over informal ones in terms of specific weight. Moreover, the share of formal tools increases from the bottom up along the section-from 55.5% in the set of layers 3-2 to 83.3% in the collection of layer 0. The tools were mainly treated with highly and moderately modified retouching: from 75% in the complexes of layers 3-2 to 100% in the industry of layer 0.The high rates for layer 0 are explained by the predominance of scrapers of various modifications in the composition of tools. A significant proportion of tools have more than one secondary processing element: from 24.2% in layers 3-2 to 36.1% in layer 1. In general, about a quarter of the blanks in the monument industry were used for several purposes. These data probably indicate a fairly intensive use of raw stone and its transportation from a source located near the site, but outside its territory.

The following criteria were taken into account when evaluating the effectiveness of the production of tools and nuclear cleavage: the ratio of the number of tools to one core; the ratio of the number of tools to the number of non-retouched chips and nuclei; the ratio of the number of nuclei to tools and non-retouched chips [Ibid., 2004]. We take into account that the imperfection of the field research methodology adopted at the time of excavation, as well as the differences between the exposed areas (for layer 0), undoubtedly affect the results of the analysis. In addition, the artificial mixing of artifacts of layers 3 and 2, which are not equal in number, reflects the situation that is more typical for the layer 2 complex due to the greater number of its artifacts. Certain differences in the activity patterns of ancient humans at different stages of settlement of the site were traced. It should be noted that the planigraphic analysis did not reveal long-term structures in any of the exposed cultural layers. However, numerous bonfires were recorded, which were distributed to varying degrees on the territory of the monument (Ranov, 1973).

In the layer 4 set, there are more than three nuclei per tool, and 15.5 chips per core, the share of tools is 1.8% of the typologically significant part of the complex, and production waste is 14.9%. In the collection of layers 3-2, one nucleus accounts for 1.5 tools and 34 chips, with 4.2% of tools and 35.1% of production waste. For layer 1, there are 1.46 tools per nucleus, 21 chips per core at 3.05% of tools and 41.2% of waste. In the layer 0 complex, which includes 25.8% of industrial waste and 7.04% of tools, one nucleus accounts for 0.75 tools and nine chips.

These data suggest that changes in the percentage ratios are probably associated with different duration of settlement of the parking lot during different periods of its operation. Thus, one of the smallest complexes in layer 4 is characterized by the least active activity in the production of tools (three informal tools), an average rate of the intensity of the utilization of nuclei and a significant number of chips in the industry with a small share of industrial waste. These indicators are

page 19
indicate a one-time and short-term visit to the parking area for the purpose of primary splitting operations. In other words, the complex belongs to a workshop parking lot. Collections of layers 3-2 and 1 probably reflect the period of longer/more intensive use of the parking area. These complexes differ from the underlying one by a large number of weapons, a larger share of industrial waste, and a more complete disposal of storage facilities. In addition, judging by the composition of the tool collection, the activity of the population of the site was probably focused on hunting and processing prey. This interpretation coincides with the conclusions made earlier by V. A. Ranov on the basis of a preliminary analysis of the monument's collection [1973]. The complex of layer 0 differs somewhat from the rest of the underlying layers: it is extremely small in number, and therefore reflects an episode with low-intensity habitation of the territory. The layer 0 collection illustrates the most energetic tool production activity in the parking lot and the least active nuclear disposal with a small amount of production waste. Taking into account the typological orientation of the tool kit, it can be concluded that the excavations revealed a site where hunting products were mainly processed, and activities related to the disposal of nuclei and the manufacture of tools were auxiliary in nature.

Discussion

A technical and typological analysis of stone artefacts with elements of an attributive approach makes it possible to attribute the industries of all cultural divisions of the Shugnou site to one Upper Paleolithic cultural tradition. Differences in the quantitative content of various cultural layers with artifacts create certain difficulties for direct correlations, but this does not prevent us from tracing the general direction of changes in primary splitting technologies and methods of secondary stone processing.

The closest analogs of the Shugnou site industry in the region are the lithic complexes of layers 2.1 and 2.2 of the Kulbulak site and the industries of all the cultural layers of the Dodekat-2 monument (Kolobova, Krivoshapkin, Derevyanko et al., 2011; Kolobova, Flyas, Islamov et al., 2009); both sites are located in the Tashkent region. Of the Republic of Uzbekistan (see Figure 1).

The Kulbulak site, discovered in the valley of the Akhangaron River, was intensively studied in the 60s-80s of the XX century. [Kasymov, 1990]. Based on the analysis of data from excavations conducted at the site at that time, as well as archaeological materials obtained from the upper layers of the site during field research already in this century (Derevyanko, Kolobova, Flyas et al., 2007), we can conclude that many technical and typological features of the Kulbulak and Shugnou industries are similar. The primary cleavage of the Upper Paleolithic layers of the Kulbulak site was focused on the production of small plates and plates, flakes from prismatic and end nuclei, as well as microplates from carenoid nuclei. Moreover, if in the industry of layer 2.2 karenoid nuclei are not numerous (as in the industry of layers 3-2 of the Shugnow site), then in the complex of layer 2.1 they form a noticeable component of the set of nuclei. It should be noted that the karenoid technologies of the Kulbulak and Shugnou sites are completely identical: blanks of the same shape were selected for obtaining cores, and similar technical techniques were used for preparing the core and implementing chips (similar technical chips were found) [Kolobova, Krivoshapkin, Flas et al., 2011]. Among the prismatic nuclei in the industries of both sites, the presence of two-site nuclei is noteworthy, where splitting was carried out from each site in different sectors of the front (Kolobova, Flyas, Islamov et al., 2009). Plates and microplates with signs of retouching, chisel-shaped tools and end scrapers, including microforms, dominate among the tool kit of the Kulbulak site. The industries of both monuments include typologically identical types of tools. So, retouched plates are represented in the industries of layers 3-2 and 1 of the Shugnow parking lot. Similar products, some of which can be defined as plates with a blunted edge, are also available in the complex of layer 2.1 of the Kulbulak parking lot. It should be noted that in the industries of both sites, one triangular microlith is recorded; they are made in exactly the same technical manner. The presence of specific types of ventral scrapers in the complexes of each parking lot is also noteworthy. However, Dufour plates were found only at the Kulbulak site (layer 2.1).

The similarity between the complexes of both sites makes it possible to attribute them to the same variant of cultural development. Moreover, the artifacts from layer 4 of the Shugnou site, judging by the technical and typological parameters, may belong to an earlier stage of development than the products of complex 2.2 of the Kulbulak site. The industry of layers 3 - 2 of the Shugnow site may be synchronous with the complex of layer 2.2 of Kulbulak, and the industry of layer 1 may coincide in age with the complex of layer 2.1 or slightly younger than it.

The main difference between the industries of the two sites is the abundance of the sharp component: in the complexes of the lower layers of the Shugnow site, it was higher-

page 20
in the complex of layer 2.2 of the Kulbulak site, there are only a few sharp points (including tools) together with the cores intended for their production; in layer 2.1, no sharp points were found, but a fairly high proportion of plates and plates with convergent cut is noted (Kolobova, Flyas, Islamov et al., 2009). This difference between the site industries can be explained by the difference both in chronology: the lower layers of Shugnou are older than kulyur-bearing deposits of Kulbulak (they reflect a later stage of industry development, at which the sharp component is already significantly reduced), and in the functional orientation of the sites: Shugnou is a hunting site, Kulbulak is a workshop site with additional functions for processing solid materials [Ibid.].

Materials obtained in 2008 during the excavation of the workshop monument at the Kyzyl-Alma-2 raw material outlets located in the immediate vicinity of the Kulbulak site can be attributed to the early stage of the formation of the cultural tradition presented at the Kulbulak and Shugnou sites (see Fig. 1) [Kolobova, Pavlenok, Flyas et al., 2010]. The stone artefacts found in the stratigraphic context significantly disturbed by slope processes have an Early Upper Paleolithic appearance. They reflect the dominance of the technology of cleaving medium-sized plates from subprismatic and planar nuclei and the strategy of obtaining small plates from end and carenoid nuclei, similar to those in the Upper Paleolithic industry of the Kulbulak site. In the small number of weapons set of Kyzyl-Alma-2, end and side scrapers predominate. The industry of this site finds many technical and typological correspondences in the lower (4 - 2) complexes of the Shugnou monument: obtaining lamellar blanks from planar and subprismatic nuclei, the small number of carenoid forms, and the presence of end wedge-shaped nuclei for plates. A difference in the primary cleavage is noted: the point component is present in the Shugnou complexes and is absent in the Kyzyl-Alma-2 set, which is most likely due to the functional specifics of the objects. In the tool sets of monuments, products of both general types (end scrapers, chisel-shaped products, scrapers, retouched plate chips) and specific forms (ventral scrapers) are presented.

Analogies are traced between the Shugnou site complexes and the Dodekai-2 site industries (Tashkent region, Republic of Uzbekistan) (see Figure 1). Five cultural layers belonging to the developed Upper Paleolithic period were identified at the site (with the exception of layer 1, which was damaged due to bio - and anthropogenic impact). The primary cleavage of all insite cultural layers of the site (5 - 2) is generally characterized by the predominance of subprismatic and end cleavage, which is aimed at obtaining mainly small plates, which were used, according to the data of tracological analysis [Kolobova, Krivoshapkin, Derevyanko et al., 2011], as inserts for composite tools. The dominant principle of splitting was prismatic, which evolved from the obvious predominance of the carenoid technology for producing plates with a curved and propeller-shaped profile (lower layer 5) to the predominance of strategies focused on obtaining blanks with a straight profile in the overlying layers. The Dodecano-2 parking industry has a small-plate character. The monument's tool kit demonstrates the development of the microlytic component: from bottom to top along the section The proportion of retouched plates, blunted edge plates, and triangular microliths increases. The industries of the lower cultural layers (5 and 4) of the Dodecanese-2 site are most similar to the Shugnow site complexes. The latter are characterized by a significant role of the carenoid technique in primary cleavage. It should be pointed out that the wide-frontal carenoid nuclei on the transverse orientation chips from layer 1 of the Shugnow site and from layer 5 of the Dodecano-2 site are identical. Attention is drawn to identical two-site carenoid products from the complexes of both parking lots. The technological characteristics of other karenoid products also leave no doubt about the proximity of these complexes. In the industries of both monuments, there are end wedge-shaped cores for plates and cylindrical prismatic monoplatform nuclei. Common features in gun sets are plates with retouching elements, pointed plates with traces of retouching, plates with a blunted edge, and triangular microliths. All complexes have fixed scrapers, including ventral ones, and chisel-shaped products. It should be noted that layer 4 of the Dodecano-2 parking lot is most likely a later stage of industry development (in Shugnou, it is reflected in layers 4-1). This is supported by a more developed and numerous micro-equipment and a tendency to reduce the number of carenoid nuclei. For layer 4 of the Dodecanese-2 site, there is a series of absolute dates that determine its age in the range of 21-23 thousand years (uncalibrated age) [Kolobova, Krivoshapkin, Derevyanko et al., 2011].

Shugnou industries have correspondences (primarily in karenoid technologies) and in the materials of the well-known Samarkand site (see Figure 1). Back in the late 80s of the XX century, V. A. Ranov pointed out the similarity of high-shaped scrapers (nucleoid scrapers) that were available in the inventory of both objects [1988].

page 21
They are also comparable due to the presence of pyramidal nuclei for the production of records in the collections. The chronology of the Samarkand site is still debated, and various experts ' definitions for the complexes of this monument vary from 15 to more than 40 thousand years AGO (Korobkova and Dzhurakulov, 2000).

The Shugnou industries are technologically close to the complexes of stone products from the culture-containing layers of the Ch. Valikhanov site located on the territory of Southern Kazakhstan (see Figure 1). Here, along with an expressive series of high-shaped scrapers, such specific products as ventral end scrapers were found. The upper layer of the Ch. Valikhanov site has a date of 24800 ± 1100 BP (Taimagambetov, 1990; Taimagambetov and Kolerzhev, 2009).

Layer 3 of the Maibulak site in Southeastern Kazakhstan is older (see Fig. 1), its date is 34970 ± 665 BP. Layer 2 of this object is dated by the AMS method to 28-30 thousand BP, and layer 1-24330±190 thousand BP. The authors of the excavations indicate "high-shaped scrapers" (karenoid forms) among the few sets of stone artifacts of all three selected cultural layers [Taimagambetov and Kolerzhev, 2009].

The Kara-Qamar cave site industry in Northern Afghanistan is similar to Shugnow materials in a wider geographical range (see Figure 1). Numerous karenoid scrapers were found in its layer 3, which in some technical and typological parameters are similar to the karenoid products of the Shugnow site. This layer of the site is dated to within 30 Ka BP (Davis, 2004; Vinogradov, 2004; Ranov and Karimova, 2005).

On the territory of Zagros, the complexes of the Baradost culture have the greatest similarity with the Upper Paleolithic industries of Shugnou. We are talking primarily about the Baradost complexes of the Shanidar, Varvashi and Yafteh sites. These complexes are related to the Shugnow sets by a developed carenoid technique for producing curved and twisted plates, partly Argenet points, but the Baradost industries are distinguished by numerous diverse incisors and dufour plates, which together with Argenet points (elvad) form the basis of the microlytic set of Baradost complexes [Olszewski, 1999; Olszewski and Dibble, 1994; Otte et al., 2007]. Based on the data from the Yaftech site, a new series of dates was obtained - from 35 to 31 thousand years AGO, taking into account which the researchers proposed to consider this industry as an intermediate one between the Achmari and Baradost cultures [Otte, Shidrang, Zwyns, Flas, 2011]. Through the Baradost culture, which is the easternmost manifestation of the Levantine Aurignacian culture (Olszewski, 1999; Olszewski and Dibble, 1994), Shugnow sets can be considered as close to the industries of the Aurignacian traditions of the Middle East.

In terms of technical and typological characteristics, the industries of the upper layers of the Shugnou site are similar to the complexes of the Harkush site located in the spurs of the Hissar ridge. Field studies have identified two cultural layers, which, according to pedologists working at the site, may be 12-11 thousand years old (Filimonova, 1991). The authors of the excavations considered the stone industries of both layers as a single whole, taking into account the high degree of similarity. T. G. Filimonova and V. A. Ranov compared the Harkush industry with the complexes of layers 2 and 1 of the Shugnou site; moreover, V. A. Ranov noted that the Harkush material looks rougher [Filimonova, 2007; Ranov,2007]. Karimova, 2005]. In addition, the presence of blunted-edged plates in layer 1 of Shugnou, as well as a triangular non-equilateral microlith, makes it possible to compare the industry of this cultural division with the Zarzian culture complexes in Zagros (Varvashi, Shanidar, Zarzi, and Palegvara sites) (Olshewski, 1993; Wahida, 1999).

It is possible that such a wide cultural and chronological diversity of monuments (from the beginning of the Upper Paleolithic to its final stages), considered as similar, is based on a single cultural tradition that developed in the region (in a wide geographical framework) in the Upper Paleolithic. V. A. Ranov directly linked the complex of layer 0 of the Shugnou site with the industry of the Pamir site of Oshkhon , the main monument of the Mesolithic Markansu culture, and dated both sites to 8 thousand years BC (Ranov and Karimova, 2005).

For the Shugnou site, a conventional date of 10700 ± 500 BP (GIN-590) was obtained from a coal sample from an eroded fire pit in layer 1, which was initially considered to be rejuvenated (Ranov, 1973; Ranov, Nikonov, and Pakhomov, 1976; Ranov and Karimova, 2005). Nevertheless, based on this date, a chronological sequence of cultural layers of the monument was proposed: layer 0 was defined as Mesolithic, layer 2 was assigned to the interval of 20-25 thousand years AGO, and layers 3, 4 - to 30-35 thousand years ago (Ranov, 1973).

Currently, there is a correlation between the Shugnou complexes and the Upper Paleolithic industries of the Central Asian region, which apparently belong to a single cultural tradition. With this in mind layer 1 of the Shugnow parking lot

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As for the chronological assessment of layers 2 - 4. it may be worth agreeing with the earlier assumption that it belongs to 25 - 35 thousand years AGO, respectively, and the industry of layer 0 should be older than previously assumed (8 thousand years before the end of the Second World War). ad).

V. A. Ranov always associated the genesis of the Shugnou industry with the development of local lamellar industries with a sharp component, which belong to the end of the Middle - the transition stage from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic. First of all, we are talking about the Huji (Tajikistan) and Obi-Rakhmat (Uzbekistan) parking complexes. Modern research has established a high degree of technical and typological similarity of the sets of artifacts of these monuments. The industries of both Obi-Rakhmata and Khudzhi are focused on obtaining lamellar and sharp blanks from planar and subprismatic nuclei; they include a significant proportion of lamellar blanks removed from end cores; small-plate production plays a large role, in which the cleavage of incisor nuclei, wedge-shaped end cores, tronkirovanno-faceted products and subprismatic nuclei for plates was carried out retouching of records has also been shown. However, if we take into account the dates for the upper layers of the Obi-Rakhmat [Derevyanko et al.( 2001) and Khudzhi (Ranov and Amosova, 1984), it becomes obvious that direct parallels between the Obi-Rakhmat and Khudzhi complexes, on the one hand, and the Shugnou complex, on the other, should be drawn with caution.

Conclusion

The results of technical-typological and attributive analysis of materials from the Shugnou site allow us to link the industries of all layers with one Upper Paleolithic cultural tradition, within which small-plate production using karenoid technologies gradually developed. The closest analogs in the region for the Shugnou site industry are the Upper Paleolithic complexes of the Kulbulak site and the industries of all the cultural layers of the Dodecanese-2 monument. Based on their similarity, these complexes of these sites can be attributed to one variant of cultural and technological development, which is proposed to be called Kulbulak [Kolobova, Krivoshapkin, Derevyanko et al., 2011].

The genesis of this variant may be related to the gradual development of regional Final-Middle Paleolithic and transitional plate structures represented in the Khudzhi and Obi-Rakhmat site complexes. Materials from the Kyzyl-Alma-2 site probably belong to the early stage of the Upper Paleolithic tradition. The next stage of development is represented by the complex of layer 4 of the Shugnow site, in which the point component is preserved. The industry of layers 3 - 2 of the Shugnow site may be synchronous with the complex of layer 2.2 of Kulbulak, and the industry of layer 1 may coincide in time with the complex of layer 2.1 of Kulbulak or belong to a later period. Further evolution of the cultural and technological variant of culture allocated for the region can be traced in the industries of the Dodecanese-2 parking lot.

The Shugnou complex is also close (primarily in the use of karenoid technologies for producing plates) to the industries of other Central Asian and Middle Eastern Upper Paleolithic sites (Samarkand site (Uzbekistan), Maibulak and Ch. Valikhanov site (Kazakhstan), Kara-Ka-mar (Afghanistan), Baradost industries of Zagros (Iraq, Iran)).

The industries of the upper layers of the Shugnou site are similar in technical and typological characteristics not only to the materials of the above-listed monuments of the initial and Middle Upper Paleolithic periods, but also to the final Paleolithic complexes of the Harkush site (Tajikistan), and the presence of specific categories of micro-equipment in the Upper Paleolithic industries of the region also gives grounds to compare the late stage of the Kulbulak cultural and technological variant with the complexes of the Zarzian culture in the Registry office. Thus, it is possible that the further development of the selected culture served as one (if not the main) source of formation of the regional Mesolithic.

Acknowledgements

The team of authors expresses their gratitude to the management and staff of the Institute of History, Archeology and Ethnography. Ahmadi Donisha of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan for the opportunity to work with the collections, as well as personally to T. U. Khujageldiev for his assistance in processing the materials. The authors are grateful to A.V. Abdulmanova and N. V. Vavilina, artists of the Institute of Electrotechnical Engineering of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, who prepared the illustrations.

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The article was submitted to the editorial Board on 07.11.11, in the final version-on 21.11.11.

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