Mesolithic

There has been a tendency to ignore disturbed prehistoric flint scatters in Britain. Consequently, there is a loss of potential information. Even with disturbance, some awareness of the spatial ordering of scatters can be determined, although with a much poorer resolution. It is more challenging, however, to identify phases of occupation at these sites. The intention of this paper is to create methods that assist in identifying phases of occupation by determining the relationship between the degree of burning on flint and its spatial relationship to the heat source. This will be achieved through the analysis of experimental and archaeological evidence. The differential effects of heated flint can be attributed to the material's position under a fire. This can be used as a proxy for now disturbed, stratigraphic relationships. By using the approach set out in this paper, it may be possible to reconstruct past orders of occupation phases and activity dynamics before the fires were lit.

In the south of Middle Siberia there are several dozens of locations that contain the materials of Early Holocene age. The concentration of the studying objects is fixed in South and North Angara, on the Upper Lena, in Western and Northern Baikal, in Kansk-Rybinsk Basin. We analyzed the materials and available information of the 61 sites. The most common types of deposits of the Early Holocene complexes in the region are subaerial overburden, the most informative – layered subaerial and subaqueous-subaerial sediments with a series of pronounced humus horizons. We scheduled tentatively the cultural and technological trends of variability in time. Chronological framework of the Early Holocene in the south of Central Siberia can be set in the range ~10 300–7300 BP (14C) or ~11 700–8200 cal BP. The question of the detailed design of climatic variations remains is open. For solving the urgent problems in the context of the study of Holocene cultures south of Middle Siberia we need to make an interdisciplinary correlation of data within the general studies.

This article discusses the lithic industries of Mesolithic horizons from Tutkaul site (Tajikistan), which is one of the key-site in the western part of Central Asia. Conducted techno-typological and attributive analyzes allowed to provide detailed characteristics of those Mesolithic complexes and to propose the hypothesis that the origin of the local Mesolithic was associated with the evolutionary development of the Upper Paleolithic Kulbulak culture with imposed cultural infiltration from the territories of the Middle and Near East.

The monograph presents the results of archaeological excavations and surveys of sites, located on the northeastern outskirts of the village of Ratniv (Volyn region, Ukraine).
At the multi-layered settlement Ratniv-II, the research that began in 2014 (being prepared for publication) was continued. The approximate size of the settlement from west to east is about 520 m, and from north to south 240 m. On an area of 124 m2, 21 features were surveyed: the Early
Bronze Age (# 59 and 67), Early Iron Age (# 4, 41, 53, 55, 56, 57, 58, 61, 62, 63), Old Rus (#52, 64, 66, 69), the third quarter of the XXth century. (# 51, 54). The cultural and chronological affiliation has not been established for features #60, 65, 68. In the north-eastern part of the
settlement there is a test pit in which the Old Rus object was discovered, and the lifting material collected on the plowed surface testifies that the
settlement has existed since the Neolithic times (Linear Pottery Culture).
In the northern part of the village Ratniv a triple burial of the Mierzhanowice culture of the Early Bronze Age, destroyed by a local resident was inspected. The results of the anthropological
analyzes are presented in Appendix 2. As a result of the surveys, the following settlements and sites were located: Bakai-I (Mesolithic, Neolithic, Copper Age, Bronze Age, Late Roman period); Bakai-II (Mesolithic, Neolithic, Copper Age, Bronze Age, Late Roman
period; first half of the XXth century), Didovychi-I (Mesolithic, Neolithic, Early Bronze Age), Didovychi-II (Mesolithic, Copper Age, Bronze
Age, the first half of the XXth century), Didovychi-III (Mesolithic, Neolithic, Copper Age, Early Bronze Age, Late Roman period, Old Rus),
Didovychi-IV (Mesolithic, Neolithic, Copper Age, Late Bronze Age, XVII-XVIII centuries), Didovychi-V (Mesolithic, Copper Age, Early Iron Age).
On the south-eastern outskirts of the village Baiv (to the north-east from Ratniv) two multilayered settlements were localized – Baiv-Vysochyna with artifacts of Neolithic, Copper Age, Early Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, and Old Rus and Baiv-II (Neolithic, Copper Age, Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, Late Roman period and Old Rus).
On the island of Victoriany to the north-west of Ratniv a multilayered settlement with artifacts in chronological boundaries from the Neolithic
to the XIV-XV-XVIII centuries was found as a result of excavation of test pits. Two test pits were excavated on the island of Kolyadka, in which features of the Mezhanovytsia culture of the Early Bronze Age were found. During surveys on the island, artifacts were found, which have been divided into the following chronological periods: Neolithic, Copper Age, Bronze Age, Early Iron Age, Late Roman period, and Old Rus.
Near the village Ozdiv (to the north-east of Ratniv) surveys were conducted, as a result of which two settlements were located. In the
settlement of Ozdiv-I, which is located in the northern part of the village, materials of Old Rus origin, as well as the end of the XIX-first half of
the XX centuries are present. Artifacts of the Bronze and Early Iron Age were found in the settlement of Ozdiv-II, which is located in the
north-eastern part of this village.
Appendix 1. Ye. Yanish (Research Associate at the Institute of Zoology of the NAS of Ukraine named after I.I. Schmalhausen), an analysis of the
faunal complex obtained as a result of excavations of the multi-layered settlement Ratniv-II and exploration in the vicinity of the village of Ratniv.
Appendix 2. Senior Researcher at the Institute of Archeology of the NAS of Ukraine O. Kozak conducted a detailed anthropological analysis of the bones from a destroyed triple burial found in the northern part of the village of Ratniv.
Appendix 3. A publication devoted to the definition of the Ratnivska Meso-Neolithic archeological culture, the bearers of which played
a significant role in compiling the Linear Pottery Culture in Western Ukraine.
Appendix 4. The publication of the radiocarbon dates of the paleobotanical samples taken from the bottom of features #59 became
possible with the help of a Senior Researcher at the Bioarchaeology Research Centre of Vilnius University, PhD Giedre Motuzaite-
Matuzeviciute. The samples of carbonized grains and nutshells are dated to the second half of the III-first half of the IV centuries AD. The obtained dates characterize the late stage of the development of the Chernyakhiv or Velbar cultures and raise questions about the correctness of the conclusions about the age of the paleobotanical materials made without radiocarbon analysis.
Translated by Sean Mark Miller, MA.

Samenvatting
Naast de vele fossiele vondsten van dierenbotten op de Nederlandse stranden, of bij de grondstofverwerkende industrie duiken er regelmatig ook archeologische vondsten op. Dit betreft zowel artefacten, als menselijk botmateriaal. Deze vondsten zijn afkomstig uit de huidige Noordzee en dateren uit het Pleistoceen, toen de Noordzee droog lag, en uit het Holoceen, toen deze in enkele duizenden jaren weer volliep. Met name grootschalige infrastructurele projecten zoals Maasvlakte 2 en de Zandmotor hebben ervoor gezorgd dat de aantallen vondsten flink toenemen. Aangezien meer en meer amateur-paleontologen en geïnteresseerden in fossiele fauna nu ook deze archeologische vondsten tijdens hun zoektochten tegenkomen, proberen wij hier als archeologen een beknopt overzicht te presenteren van de achtergronden van de Steentijdarcheologie uit de Noordzee: de huidige stand van zaken, het spectrum aan vondsten en onze hoop voor de toekomst.

Summary
Next to the numerous fossil finds of animal bones found on the Dutch beaches and in the spoil heaps of the aggregates industry, archaeological finds also regularly surface. These include both artefacts as well as human bones. These finds all derive from the current North Sea and date either to the Pleistocene, when this was a large, dry region, or to the Holocene which, within several thousands of years, saw the submergence of this vast area. In particular, large-scale infrastructural projects such as Maasvlakte 2 and the Zandmotor have added profoundly to the number of finds. Since more and more amateur palaeontologists and enthusiasts looking for fossil faunal remains also encounter these archaeological finds during their ‘expeditions’, we as archaeologists thought it fit to provide a brief overview of the background to the Stone Age archaeology from the North Sea: the current state of affairs, the spectrum of finds and our hopes for the future.

With the beginning of agriculture, the history of humankind experienced a quantum leap: sedentism and regular harvests led to population growth and more complex forms of political organisation. However, this transition did not proceed as abruptly as is often thought. Rather, this complex process in Central Europe took place over many centuries, between 6500 and 3500 BC. This milestone in the history of civilization is vividly explained in this richly illustrated volume with a focus on the German-speaking part of Europe. Well-known experts present the latest research results using meaningful and exciting examples (Cover text by the publisher).

Mit dem Beginn der Landwirtschaft erlebte die Geschichte der Menschheit einen Quantensprung: Sesshaftigkeit und regelmäßige Ernten zogen ein Bevölkerungswachstum nach sich und es kam zu komplexeren gesellschaftlichen Strukturen. Allerdings verlief dieser Übergang nicht so abrupt wie immer wieder dargestellt. Vielmehr vollzog sich jener vielschichtige Prozess in Mitteleuropa über viele Jahrhunderte zwischen ca. 6500 und 3500 v.Chr. Dieser Meilenstein in der Zivilisationsgeschichte wird in dem reich bebilderten Band mit Fokus auf dem deutschsprachigen Raum anschaulich erläutert. Renommierte Fachleute präsentieren die neuesten Forschungsergebnisse anhand von aussagekräftigen und spannenden Beispielen (Umschlagtext des Verlages).

In deze rapportage worden de resultaten besproken van een inventarisatie van 24 privécollecties met in totaal 1203 (vuur)stenen artefacten waarvan het merendeel afkomstig is uit de megasuppletie (2011) van de Zandmotor voor de kust bij Ter Heijde. De artefacten zijn afkomstig uit offshore wingebied Q16F,H. Op basis van typologische en technologische kenmerken van de artefacten, deels in combinatie met de post-depositionele oppervlakteveranderingen en grondstofgebruik, kon de assemblage in een aantal perioden worden onderverdeeld. De oudste artefacten rekenen we tot de ‘Rhenen Industrie’ en behoren tot het Acheuléen, met een geschatte ouderdom tussen ca. 250.000 en 170.000 jaar (MIS 7-vroeg MIS 6), d.w.z. voor de landijsbedekking van het Saalien. De artefacten uit deze periode hebben één of meer fasen van verspoeling ondergaan. Een aanzienlijk deel van de artefacten schrijven we toe aan het latere Midden-Paleolithicum met een ruime datering in de eerste helft of het middendeel van de laatste ijstijd (MIS 5d-3: ca. 115.000-40.000 jaar geleden). Een aantal laat-middenpaleolithische werktuigen vertoont affiniteit met specifieke fasen van het Moustérien Complex, zoals het Moustérien de tradition acheuléenne (MTA) en het Moustérien type Quina. Een klein aantal artefacten hoort mogelijk thuis in het vroege Jong-Paleolithicum (MIS 3 en 2); het Laat- Aurignacien en het Vroeg-Gravettien komen in aanmerking. Slechts één artefact hoort waarschijnlijk thuis in de laatpaleolithische Federmesser-traditie. Artefacten uit het Vroeg- en/of Midden-Mesolithicum zijn op de Zandmotor (afkomstig uit wingebied Q16F,H) niet uitgesproken aanwezig, wel iets verder zuidelijk langs het Noordzeestrand, richting Hoek van Holland. De meeste en tegelijk de jongste prehistorische artefacten schrijven we toe aan het Laat-Mesolithicum (Vroeg-Atlanticum), zo rond 6400/6300 v.Chr. Opvallend zijn enkele tientallen bijlen en afslagen die met de productie hiervan samenhangen. Samen met enkele trapezia vormen de bijlen een karakteristiek element van het Noord-Nederlandse Laat-Mesolithicum (voorheen samengevat onder de noemer ‘De Leien-Wartena Complex’).