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Humanitarian sciences in Siberia

2016 year, number

THE RESULTS OF USE-WEAR ANALYSIS OF STONE ARTIFACTS FROM THE NEOLITHIC SETTLEMENT NEAR LAKE OSINOVOE IN THE AMUR OBLAST

S.V. Kovalenko1, P.V. Volkov1,2
1Institute of Archeology and Ethnography of SB RAS, 17, Ak. Lavrentieva str., 630090, Novosibirsk, Russia
2Novosibirsk State University, 2, Pirogova str., 630090, Novosibirsk, Russia
Keywords: Западное Приамурье, осиноозерская археологическая культура, стратиграфия, отжимная ретушь, трасология, орудийный набор, Western Amur Region, Osinoozerskaya culture, stratigraphy, pressure flaking, traceology, tool set

Abstract

In 1961 A.P. Okladnikov discovered an outstanding archeological site on the shores of Lake Osinovoe in the Amur region. In 1962 and 1965 stationary studies were carried out. They resulted in several excavated dwellings which gave abundant data for characterizing the Neolithic culture. The result of the research was the allocation of late Neolithic Osinoozerskaya culture. Its tribes lived in this area in 3,000-2,000 BC and were a settled population, mainly engaged in hunting and fishing. In relation to the discovery of millet grains in the hearth dimple of one of the dwellings it was concluded that the inhabitants practiced crop farming. Despite the fact that over the last decade archeologists have studied several new sites, greatly expanding the range of sources for the analysis of Osinoozerskaya culture, it remains the least studied among the Neolithic cultures of the region. The problems associated with such controversial issues as its genetic link with the earlier Novopetrovskaya culture (in spite of the time gap of 4,000 years) and the emergence of agriculture, remain unsolved and require further reflection. In 2012, in order to gather new data on the culture, studies were continued on the periphery of the Neolithic settlement. There were pole-holes identified at the lower stratum of the occupation layer - they could have been designed for a light shed. The output is a collection of artifacts (pottery and stone), several of them were defined by use-wear analysis as a tool set including household items of daily use with frequent trimming and alteration, peculiar to dwellings and sites with a variety of human activities. Overall the excavated site is a mono-cultural one, which refers to the period of Osinoozerskaya culture and was used by the inhabitants for economic activity.