Features of the Raw Material Base of the Paleolithic Industries of South-Eastern Dagestan

Abstract

The article presents the results of petrographic studies of collections of artifacts, Acheulean and Middle Paleolithic complexes located on the territory of the Darvagchay geoarchaeological region. Throughout the Stone Age, raw stone was a very important resource for the existence of ancient man. The lack of high-quality flint raw materials was the main factor for the conclusion that this territory was rarely visited by ancient people. Archaeological research over the past decade has shown the opposite trend. During the work, more than ten Paleolithic sites were discovered and studied. Analysis of raw material sources showed that there are several main types of rocks in the area of the sites. The petrographic composition of the collections indicates that the overwhelming majority of artifacts are made of flint, limestone and sandstone are isolated items. The flint raw materials used at the sites are distinguished by many internal defects, first of all, by fracturing. The raw material factor played a very important role here. All large, carefully designed macro-tools are made of sandstone and limestone. Mostly poorly designed small items are made of flint. Thus, the size, methods and intensity of stone tools processing demonstrates a direct dependence on the type of raw material.