Radiocarbon chronology of the paleolithic modern humans in Eastern Europe, Siberia and East Asia

Abstract

The article presents an analytical review of the direct radiocarbon dating of fossils of the modern anatomical humans (Homo sapiens sapiens; H. s. s.) found on the Paleolithic sites of Eastern Europe, Siberia and East Asia, with a brief overview of other regions in Eurasia. While one of the most ancient finds in Eurasia, which has a direct radiocarbon date is the Ust’-Ishim in Western Siberia (age — about 45,000 years); in Eastern Europe, the earliest H. s. s. are Kostenki 14 and Kostenki 1 (age — about 37,400–35,500 years). For a number of finds (such as Kostenki 18 and humans fossils from the Sungir site), there are serious problems that need to be solved with the help of new data. This is particularly clear for the Sungir where 21 radiocarbon dates based on different collagen fractions (bulk collagen; ultrafiltered collagen, and hydroxyproline), have been obtained and dates of the samples taken from the same skeleton often do not match with each other. Methodological issues of radiocarbon dating the bones, and the possibility of an independent assessment of the results obtained, are also considered. When preservation of collagen is good, which can be controlled through a number of parameters, dating of bulk collagen fraction seems to be reliable. Claims that only specific amino acids (such as hydroxyproline) give the only accurate radiocarbon dates for bones have not been strictly proven.