Пізньопалеолітичний Комплекс Семенівки-3 Та Особливості Весняно-Літніх Поселень Межирічської Культури В Середньому Подніпров'Ї / Upper Palaeolithic Site Of Semenovka 3 And Particularities Of The Spring-Summer Settlements Of Mezhyrich Culture

• Main Authors: Nuzhnyi Dmytro, Stupak Dmytro, Pavlo, Shydlovskyi
• Format: Text
• Language: Ukrainian
• Published: Zenodo 2000
• Subjects: Upper Palaeolithic; mammoth hunters; epigravettian; adaptation; Flint; Tundra
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1188442; https://zenodo.org/record/1188442

Preliminary data from the new Semenivka III Upper Paleolithic site (near Kiev city) are discussed with respect to the problem of details of warm season adaptation and settlement patterns of Epigravettian mammoth hunters. In contrast to the main sites of the Mezhirich culture with substantial dwelling constructions from mammoth bones (Mezhirich, Dobranichivka, Ginci), sites lacking dwellings are distinguished by tophographical position and especially by larger diversity in both structure of the habitation area and faunal remains (Fastiv, Semenivka 1 and 2). In addition, the structures of their lithic assemblages are very different when some prime group of tools are periodically totally absent. In contrast with completely excavated Semenivka 1 and 2 sites, part of a sub-oval dwelling construction from mammoth bones was discovered on the third site (fig.2) as well as isdated faunal remains of other mammals (wolf, reindeer and bison). These are accompanied by the emergence of tools for skin processing such as scrapers and flint wals (fig.3,34,35; 5,55,56) which were totally absent in the above- mentioned sites. However 73 backed microliths (elements of composite projectile weapons) dominate the tool assemblage and burins are also well represented (fig.3;5). In eddition, 25 pendants from marine shells of the same species as at the Semenivka 2 site were also found (fig.3,1-6; 5,1-12). The authors' hypothesis about flexible model adaptation and a more active economical strategy of the Epigravettian population of the Middle Dnieper basin only during the warm season other than in the cold season are supported by new data from the Semenivka 3 site. The existence of various settlement patterns and their supplier limits for tundra-steppe population of Periglacial zone of Eastern Europe in spring-summer time as well as an important role of true mammoth hunting by small group of hunters are also confirmed.