The late Gravettian of Borshevo 5 in the context of the Kostenki-Borshevo sites (Don basin, Russia)

Abstract

The multilayered site Borshevo 5 is one of the recently excavated Upper Paleolithic settlements in the Kostenki-Borshevo location (Russia). Borshevo 5 has been investigated over a total area of 130 m2 since 2002. Five habitation levels of the Upper Paleolithic were established. The uppermost first cultural layer was associated with the Gravettian 14C dated 22–20 ka BP uncal.It was discovered in the excavation area 2009–2010 that the first cultural layer upslope was split in two separate cultural horizons divided by a sterile loam. Horizons 1a and 1b were associated with two different paleosols. Both of the horizons yielded almost typologically identical stone assemblages.The stone industry was based on the exploitation of mainly Cretaceous and some Carboniferous flints as well as quartzite, sandstone, and slate raw materials. According to the typology of tools, 1a and 1b assemblages of Borshevo 5 have analogies in the neighboring Gravettian sites Kostenki 9 and Kostenki 4. A clear feature of the assemblages is the occurrence of slate and dolomite artifacts treated by polishing. It seems that this kind of culture had no relations with the typical Eastern Gravettian Kostenki-Avdejevo culture. According to the features in knapping (wedge cores and small blades size), as well as tool composition (Gravette and Vachon points), Borshevo 5 should be called late Gravettian or early Epigravettian. The cultural roots of these communities may originate from the Central European context such as Milovice (upper layer), with similar 14C dates and stone industries.