The collection of Buret’ site is one of the most important archaeological complexes of the Upper Paleolithic of Siberia. The decorative elements on the mobile art found at the site marks the “classical stage” of the Upper Paleolithic. Field research was carried out in 1936-1940, under the general leadership of A.P. Okladnikov. In the 2000s, due to new research methods and data obtained on the stratigraphy and archeology of cultural remains, the comprehension of the object changed. This article examines the issues of morphology, manufacturing technology and decoration of ivory sculptures in the collection of the V.P. Sukachev Irkutsk Regional Art Museum, excavated in 1940. During the research it was established that in the materials of Buret’, as in the “classic” Mal’ta’s Paleolithic collection, there were various technological methods for making anthropomorphic and zoomorphic figures, using a stable set of tools and technological standards. The technology for producing portable art objects on the territory of the Buret’ site is in many ways similar to that used at the Mal’ta site. The research revealed the main patterns of production for each of the identified morphological types of items at both sites. For each of the types of mobile art objects studied, the basic technology of their production was adapted and acquired characteristic features, manifested in the specifics of using the main tools. Systematization of the data obtained during the analysis of the material made it possible to exclude the version of a random, chaotic selection of the tools used. It should be noted that among the relatively low-quality production of most objects of Buret’s portable art, one example of ornithomorphic sculpture stands out, distinguished by the skill and care of its production, based on the use of more advanced technology and careful processing of ivory tusk. We assume that the production of portable art at the Buret’ site was serial in nature and did not have the features of individual craftsman creativity. The use of universal tools of production indicates the priority of mass production over individual motives.
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