TY - JOUR

T1 - The Kushevat Site and the Paleogeographic Context of the Initial Peopling of Northern Urals

AU - Zolnikov, I. D.

AU - Anoikin, A. A.

AU - Kurbanov, R. N.

AU - Filatov, E. A.

AU - Zotkina, L. V.

AU - Vybornov, A. V.

AU - Postnov, A. V.

AU - Parkhomchuk, E. V.

AU - Filatova, M. O.

N1 - The study was supported by the Russian Science Foundation (Project No. 22-17-00140).

PY - 2023

Y1 - 2023

N2 - On the basis of new materials excavated in 2019–2021 from the Upper Paleolithic site of Kushevat, this study addresses the problem of initial human occupation of the Subpolar Urals. Geological and geomorphological findings are presented along with new chronological and paleogeographical data. Archaeological and faunal materials are described, and results of the traceological analysis of reindeer antlers with cut and chop marks are presented. The findings suggest that Kushevat was a pioneer settlement of the northern Ob region. The obtained luminescence and radiocarbon ages suggest that the peopling of the Lower Ob region occurred prior to 30 ka BP. Climatic conditions during the first half of the Upper Paleolithic (55–25 ka BP) were favorable for humans in the subpolar zone. Geological and geomorphological situation at the Upper Paleolithic sites of northwestern Urals (the Pechora and Kama basins) can be used as a paleogeographic analogue of the conditions in the Lower Ob region during the Pleistocene. The principal Upper Paleolithic sites in the region are associated with accumulations of megafaunal remains in the mouths of ancient gullies. Archaeological sites apparently consisted of two areas differing in location, economic specialization, and toolkit. Areas of the first type include residential zones on leveled areas of the second river terraces adjacent to the ravines. Those of the second type are estuarine zones of modern valleys of streams and rivers, where huge accumulations of megafaunal remains are preserved at the bottoms of ancient ravines.

AB - On the basis of new materials excavated in 2019–2021 from the Upper Paleolithic site of Kushevat, this study addresses the problem of initial human occupation of the Subpolar Urals. Geological and geomorphological findings are presented along with new chronological and paleogeographical data. Archaeological and faunal materials are described, and results of the traceological analysis of reindeer antlers with cut and chop marks are presented. The findings suggest that Kushevat was a pioneer settlement of the northern Ob region. The obtained luminescence and radiocarbon ages suggest that the peopling of the Lower Ob region occurred prior to 30 ka BP. Climatic conditions during the first half of the Upper Paleolithic (55–25 ka BP) were favorable for humans in the subpolar zone. Geological and geomorphological situation at the Upper Paleolithic sites of northwestern Urals (the Pechora and Kama basins) can be used as a paleogeographic analogue of the conditions in the Lower Ob region during the Pleistocene. The principal Upper Paleolithic sites in the region are associated with accumulations of megafaunal remains in the mouths of ancient gullies. Archaeological sites apparently consisted of two areas differing in location, economic specialization, and toolkit. Areas of the first type include residential zones on leveled areas of the second river terraces adjacent to the ravines. Those of the second type are estuarine zones of modern valleys of streams and rivers, where huge accumulations of megafaunal remains are preserved at the bottoms of ancient ravines.

KW - Northern Urals

KW - Terminal Late Pleistocene

KW - Upper Paleolithic

KW - paleogeography

KW - paleontology

KW - traceology

KW - СЕВЕРНОЕ ПРИУРАЛЬЕ

KW - ВЕРХНИЙ ПАЛЕОЛИТ

KW - ПОЗДНИЙ НЕОПЛЕЙСТОЦЕН

KW - ПАЛЕОНТОЛОГИЯ

KW - ПАЛЕОГЕОГРАФИЯ

KW - ТРАСОЛОГИЯ

UR - https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85168362230&origin=inward&txGid=a5c23bacab7783b32b317d48bf1f254b

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/b461e850-7426-3a53-8c5c-1bef4d3ad86d/

U2 - 10.17746/1563-0110.2023.51.2.027-037

DO - 10.17746/1563-0110.2023.51.2.027-037

M3 - Article

VL - 51

SP - 27

EP - 37

JO - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

JF - Archaeology, Ethnology and Anthropology of Eurasia

SN - 1563-0110

IS - 2

M1 - 3

ER -