The Problems with Neolithization Chronology in The East European Steppe and Forest-Steppe (From the Volga River to the Don River)

A Vybornov,T Vybornov-Sam@Bk.Ru,P Koltsov,A Yudin,M Kulkova

doi:10.14419/ijet.v7i4.38.27799

Abstract

The article deals with the problems of Neolithic chronology in the steppe and forest-steppe regions from the Volga to the Don. The main criterion of the transition to the Neolithic in the region should be considered the appearance of ceramic ware. In the southern region, the onset of the Neolithic was associated with indigenous processes in the period 7700-7200 years ago, with some influence from the Caucasus. In the northern territories, Neolitization occurred in 7500-7200 years ago and was influenced by the cultures of Central Asia. The early Neolithic on the border between the steppe and forest-steppe in the Volga river basin is represented by the Elshanka complexes with earthenware. The chronological ratio of the Neolithic of the southern and northern territories indicates the influence of steppe cultures on the development of the population in the forest-steppe of the Middle Volga region.

Highlights

The question about the age for the beginning of the Neolithic epoch in southern regions of the Russian Plain was repeatedly considered by scholars
The absence of reliable evidence regarding the presence of domesticated animal bones at sites of the Early Neolithic gave us cause to consider the appearance of pottery production as the main criterion for the transition to the Neolithic [20, 2]
The first ones appeared as a result of indigenous development and the second ones appeared due to migration of some part of the population from Transcaspia

Summary

Introduction

The question about the age for the beginning of the Neolithic epoch in southern regions of the Russian Plain was repeatedly considered by scholars. The series of radiocarbon dates on the greater part of sites of each region are received. In the semi-desert northern coast of the Caspian Sea, sites containing the Kairshak type existed at ca. In the northwestern part of the Caspian Sea coast, the earliest sites of the Dzhangar type (Tubuzgu–khuduk site) are dated to the first part of the sixth millennium BC (Figure 2).

Results

Conclusion