The non-utilitarian objects from the initial Upper Paleolithic Ushbulak site in eastern Kazakhstan
The Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition shows numerous indications for a manifestation of abstract thinking and symbolic behavior. In northern Central Asia this process is illustrated by the appearance and distribution of personal ornaments (pendants, beads, patterned items), as well as by evide...
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Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques
2021-09-01
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| author | Lidiya V. Zotkina Anton A. Anoykin Vladimir M. Kharevich Galina D. Pavlenok |
| author_facet | Lidiya V. Zotkina Anton A. Anoykin Vladimir M. Kharevich Galina D. Pavlenok |
| author_sort | Lidiya V. Zotkina |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition shows numerous indications for a manifestation of abstract thinking and symbolic behavior. In northern Central Asia this process is illustrated by the appearance and distribution of personal ornaments (pendants, beads, patterned items), as well as by evidence for the use of natural pigments and ritual activities. However, not only articles with distinctive functional features, but also finds of unknown purpose have been identified, such as small tablets and pebbles showing evidence of polish and/or irregular cut marks, as well as the fragmentary pigment remnants, and manuports. This publication discusses the results of use-wear analysis carried out for two such objects recovered from occupation layer 6 at the Ushbulak site, dating back to 45–40 ka BP (the Shilikty Valley in Eastern Kazakhstan), namely a tabular piece of talc, with a worked surface, and a small jasperoid pebble. Both artifacts show signs of being intensely treated, but their functional purpose is still unclear; these objects may be interpreted as non-utilitarian articles. Similar typologically indistinct artifacts were recovered from many IUP sites in the region (Denisova Cave, Kara-Bom, Podzvonkaya, Khotyk, Tolbor-4, 2). Their presence indicates that such a phenomenon should be regarded as a characteristic manifestation for the non-utilitarian human activity in the development of the Upper Palaeolithic tradition. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-394cf0c9f41245ddad3756dac45f8b38 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2612-2782 |
| language | deu |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Union Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et Protohistoriques |
| record_format | Article |
| series | UISPP Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-394cf0c9f41245ddad3756dac45f8b382025-08-20T02:32:29ZdeuUnion Internationale des Sciences Préhistoriques et ProtohistoriquesUISPP Journal2612-27822021-09-013212413310.62526/5FQA6YThe non-utilitarian objects from the initial Upper Paleolithic Ushbulak site in eastern KazakhstanLidiya V. Zotkina0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1912-3882Anton A. Anoykin1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2383-2259Vladimir M. Kharevich2https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2632-6888Galina D. Pavlenok3Russian Academy of SciencesRussian Academy of SciencesRussian Academy of SciencesRussian Academy of SciencesThe Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition shows numerous indications for a manifestation of abstract thinking and symbolic behavior. In northern Central Asia this process is illustrated by the appearance and distribution of personal ornaments (pendants, beads, patterned items), as well as by evidence for the use of natural pigments and ritual activities. However, not only articles with distinctive functional features, but also finds of unknown purpose have been identified, such as small tablets and pebbles showing evidence of polish and/or irregular cut marks, as well as the fragmentary pigment remnants, and manuports. This publication discusses the results of use-wear analysis carried out for two such objects recovered from occupation layer 6 at the Ushbulak site, dating back to 45–40 ka BP (the Shilikty Valley in Eastern Kazakhstan), namely a tabular piece of talc, with a worked surface, and a small jasperoid pebble. Both artifacts show signs of being intensely treated, but their functional purpose is still unclear; these objects may be interpreted as non-utilitarian articles. Similar typologically indistinct artifacts were recovered from many IUP sites in the region (Denisova Cave, Kara-Bom, Podzvonkaya, Khotyk, Tolbor-4, 2). Their presence indicates that such a phenomenon should be regarded as a characteristic manifestation for the non-utilitarian human activity in the development of the Upper Palaeolithic tradition.eastern kazkhstaninitial upper paleolithicsymbolic behaviorushbulak siteuse-wear analysisnon-utilitarian objects |
| spellingShingle | Lidiya V. Zotkina Anton A. Anoykin Vladimir M. Kharevich Galina D. Pavlenok The non-utilitarian objects from the initial Upper Paleolithic Ushbulak site in eastern Kazakhstan UISPP Journal eastern kazkhstan initial upper paleolithic symbolic behavior ushbulak site use-wear analysis non-utilitarian objects |
| title | The non-utilitarian objects from the initial Upper Paleolithic Ushbulak site in eastern Kazakhstan |
| title_full | The non-utilitarian objects from the initial Upper Paleolithic Ushbulak site in eastern Kazakhstan |
| title_fullStr | The non-utilitarian objects from the initial Upper Paleolithic Ushbulak site in eastern Kazakhstan |
| title_full_unstemmed | The non-utilitarian objects from the initial Upper Paleolithic Ushbulak site in eastern Kazakhstan |
| title_short | The non-utilitarian objects from the initial Upper Paleolithic Ushbulak site in eastern Kazakhstan |
| title_sort | non utilitarian objects from the initial upper paleolithic ushbulak site in eastern kazakhstan |
| topic | eastern kazkhstan initial upper paleolithic symbolic behavior ushbulak site use-wear analysis non-utilitarian objects |
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