Early Neolithic Culture Research Articles

Hemudu – Chinese early Neolithic culture

The subject of this research is the Chinese Neolithic Hemudu culture (河姆渡文化), it will be 50 years since its discovery in 2023. Its age is estimated at 6500-7000 years. Based on the analysis of archaeological reports, materials of the Hemudu Museum and research of Chinese and Russian scientists, the authors put the light on the geographical location of the ancient settlement of Hemudu, the history of its discovery, its main typological features, which led to identifying it as a independent culture of the Neolithic period of Eastern China. Hemudu had a great influence on the cultural genesis of Chinese civilization. More than 40 prehistoric settlements are attributed to the Hemudu culture. In this article, the authors gave a brief description of one of them – the ruins of Xiangjiashan (鲞架山遗址). The main conclusions of the study are as follows: the discovery and identification of the Hemudu culture was a major breakthrough in Chinese Neolithic archeology. It proved that the Yangtze basin was also the birthplace of ancient Chinese culture and rewrote the history of the development of Chinese civilization. In terms of its typological features, the Neolithic settlement of Xiangjiashan is similar to Hemudu, which indicates their genetic connection. The remains of the early Xiangjiashan period filled the gap in the history of the Hemudu settlement, making it more logical and understandable for researchers. All finds made not only in the settlement of Hemudu, but also in Xiangjiashan are extremely important for understanding the development of Chinese culture.

From the Delta to the Delta: Natural Conditions and Settlers on the Main Nile in the Fifth Millennium BC. Part III

Neolithic in the Nile Valley in the 5th millennium BC was spread from the Sudanese Gezira to Central Egypt in the form of year-round settlements and seasonal camps of hunter-gatherers mastering the cattle breeding. Some researchers argued that it was a kind of cultural community, but this rather contradicts the known archaeological facts, which also do not confirm the theory of mass migration of the Neolithic tribes of the Sahara to the Nile in that era because of climate drying. Generally, “a convincing Neolithisation model” for this macroregion is still an actual problem of the Egyptian-Sudanese archeology. In the north, in Upper Egypt with the main concentration closer to Asiut, there are sites of the early Neolithic cultures of Tasa and Badari (the former is also considered as the initial stage of the latter) which preferred plateaus, wadis and edges of the adjacent “deserts” to the river floodplain; nevertheless, some scholars claimed the “Tasians” already to have been farmers growing cereals, although the available archaeological data allow us to speak at best about the beginnings of agriculture in the sparsely populated Tasian-Badarian Egypt. In the south, close to the confluence of the White and Blue Nile from the Gezira to the Sixth cataract, the culture of Khartoum Neolithic dominated, replacing Early Khartoum (Khartoum Mesolithic), from which it differed economically by the transition to cattle breeding; any traces of agriculture in its area, as well as in the early sites of the Saharan-Sudanese Neolithic, are absent. Khartoum Neolithic apparently experienced some drying of its containing landscape in the second half of the 5th millennium BC, and this could hardly be favored by the warm and moist climate at the peak of the Atlantic thermal optimum of the Holocene; most likely, there was a change in the hydrology and hydrography of the river network in the area of concentration of this culture, associated with the stabilization of the “meandering” estuary channel of the Blue Nile in its current position.

Bone and stone industries of the Middle Trans-Urals: continuity and innovation in the transition from the Mesolithic to the Neolithic

The paper presents an analysis of bone and stone industries of the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic of the Middle Trans-Urals. Researchers of the Neolithic usually consider that stone and bone inventories played an auxiliary role. But these features are basic for the Mesolithic where ceramic is absent. A comparison of industries of the Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithic, identification of their semblance and difference is the main indicator of the role of local Late Mesolithic traditions in the formation of Early Neolithic cultures. This research has showed a continuity of bone and stone industries of the Middle Trans-Urals from the Early Mesolithic to Early Neolithic. Main functional groups of bone artefacts, many tool types and methods of their manufacture existed during this whole time period. Transformation of bone industry during the Mesolithic Early Neolithic manifested in emergence of new categories and types of artefacts at every stage of its development. Stone industries of the Middle and Late Mesolithic display great similarity. The continuity in the Mesolithic Early Neolithic stone and bone industries of the Middle Trans-Urals indicates a formation of the Early Neolithic of this territory on the local substrate.

Neolithic materials from the settlement and burial ground of Vasilievsky Kordon 27 on the Upper Don (research in 2020-2021)

The purpose of the paper is to publish ceramic and stone collections of artifacts from the Neolithic era from the multilayer settlement and burial ground Vasilievsky Kordon 27. The settlement is located on the right bank of the Voronezh River (Don Basin) within the Dobrovsky District of the Lipetsk Region. Excavations of 323 m have been explored in the settlement. Previously, a large amount of Eneolithic ceramics was discovered: the Srednestogovskaya and Volosovskaya cultures, and Ksizov-type utensils. For the first time in 2020, an economic object with only Early Neolithic materials was discovered at the site. We have received a collection of Early Neolithic pottery, which, undoubtedly, has similarities in various ways with the dishes of the Elshanskaya, Karamyshevskaya and Srednedonskaya early Neolithic cultures. Preliminarily, we are inclined to attribute this collection to the earliest stage in the formation of the Srednedonskaya culture in the first half of the 6th millennium BC. Most of the stone collection of the monument can be attributed to the Neolithic period: chopping tools, a fragment of an arrowheads, a stone shuttle. The final cultural and chronological attribution of the stone inventory is difficult in view of the fact that the excavations of 20202021 were laid on the outskirts of a multi-layered monument, which suffers most from the annual fire plowing.

New Data on the Storage Pits of the Baraba Culture of the Early Neolithic Era (Ob-Irtysh Forest-Steppe)

Purpose. The Tartas-1 complex of burials, ritual places and settlement takes a special place. Due to the excavation method of full opening of the site area, today the followings are explored and fully studied: an area of more than 36,000 m2 , 802 burials and related structures in the form of ditches, 1745 pits of various orientations, ritual complexes of various eras and cultures, including an early Neolithic settlement. The settlement is represented by two household structures (dwellings) and a complex of storage pits for fish, dated to the 7th millennium BC and attributed to the Baraba culture of the early Neolithic. The purpose of this article is to present the characteristics and dating of the new fish pit studied in the 2021 field season in the context of the known data. Results. The fish pits excavation method, mainly based on the enclosing soil-fill study, is proposed. The stratigraphy characteristic and the parameters of the pit are presented. A feature of the absence of any animal skeleton (dog, hare, fox, wolverine, etc.) placed in the pit as a sacrificial offering is noted. The date of (MAMS 53633) BP 7714 ± 29 Cal BCE 1 σ (Intcal 20) 6588–6502 2σ (Intcal 20) 6636–6469, obtained from an animal horn tool (tur?) found in the pit at the depth of 2.36 m below bedrock, is presented. The analysis was carried out at the Curt-Engelhom-Centre for Archaeometry (Germany). Calibration of the date by 1σ and 2σ demonstrates a complete correlation with the already available dates from the pit samples. The period of the Baraba culture's existence – the 7th millennium BC – is confirmed. Conclusion. The manifestation of economic practice among the bearers of the early Neolithic Baraba culture is a demonstration of innovation. It consists of the improvements on the appropriating economy with the increasing role of water resources, and the transition to a less mobile way of life, found among the ancient Siberian population at the end of the 8th – 6 th millennium BC. Pit no. 1741 also existed in this time period.

Neolithic materials from the settlement of Staevo 10 in the Upper Don basin

The purpose of the paper is to publish ceramic and stone collections of artifacts from the Neolithic era, obtained along with the materials of the early Middle Ages at the settlement of Staevo 10. The settlement is located on the Voronezh river within the Michurinsky District of the Tambov Region. It is part of a narrow hillock of a high floodplain on the right bank of the Voronezh River 2-2,5 m high from a low floodplain. The surface is turfed, but previously subjected to plowing. The work on the settlement of Staevo 10 continued the study of the surroundings of the trade and craft settlement of the early Middle Ages. The settlement of Staevo 10 is the largest of those known in its vicinity. In the settlement, 436 m of its area was explored by five excavations and 10 exploration pits were additionally laid to determine its boundaries. At all excavations, finds from the Neolithic era were found at the base of the cultural layer. Materials of the Neolithic Karamyshevskaya, Srednedonskaya and Lyalovskaya cultures of the second half of the 6th-5th millennia BC were identified. The stone inventory from the Staevo 10 site does not form stable series due to the small number of the collection. Most of the stone tools of the presented collection should still be attributed to the early Neolithic Karamyshevskaya culture; its ceramic materials are the most dominant at this site.

Materials of the Early Neolithic Culture of Site Dobroe 9 at the Upper Don

In the vicinity of Site Dobroe on the right bank of the Voronezh River it was discovered an accumulation of the Neolithic monuments, on the three of which the Early Neolithic pottery of the Srednedonskaya culture of the VI millennium BC was received. At the Site Dobroe 9, a homogeneous lithological layer was revealed, containing only the materials of this culture: pottery, bones, stone products. At the moment, 99 sq.m. of the site were researched by the excavations. The date of the pottery collection of the site was established as the last quarter of the VI millennium BC. In author’s opinion the given ceramics has the transitional character from the early Srednedonskaya culture phase, featuring ceramics decorated mainly with triangular pins, to the late phase of this culture, where the comb imprint decoration becomes widespread. The use of geochemical methods allowed the authors to reconstruct the features of the paleoclimate. During the existence of the representatives of the Srednedonskaya Neolithic culture, cool climatic conditions are replaced by warming and humidity increases. There was an increase in anthropogenic activity. This lithologically homogeneous cultural layer is dated-6150±100 BP (5317-4839 calBC) SPb-2840. This stone industry is represented by the flake technique. In total 207 stone artifacts were discovered, and 65 from them were tools. Such a small number probably indicates a high level of the industries that replace them: bone-carving and woodworking. The analysis of the faunal collection suggests the dominant role of the hunting in the ancient population.

The Routes of Neolithisation: The Middle Struma Valley from a Regional Perspective

AbstractThe frontier position of the Balkan Peninsula, next to Anatolia and the Aegean, emphasises its key importance for the study of the Neolithisation processes taking place in Europe during the seventh–sixth millennia BC. A look at the distribution of most Early Neolithic sites along the submeridional alluvial plains of its central mountainous part often leaves the impression that the valleys of the Vardar, Struma, Mesta and Maritsa rivers functioned as natural corridors, allowing for the rapid advance of the farming way of life towards the interior regions of Europe. However, comparative analysis of the distribution patterns of specific diagnostic components of Early Neolithic cultures, such as white painted pottery, anthropomorphic figurines and miniature “cult tables”, from the Early Neolithic settlements in the Middle Struma Valley, southwestern Bulgaria, namely Kovachevo, Ilindentsi, Brezhani, Drenkovo and Balgarchevo I shows a rather unexpected direction and dynamic of cultural/social contact during this crucial period.

Яма-хранилище для квашения рыбы Барабинской неолитической культуры на памятнике Тартас-1

The article presents the results obtained by the Western Siberian Team of the Northern Asian Integrated Expedition in 2021 during the field works at the Tartas-1 site in Novosibirsk Region. Another object of the Early Neolithic was discovered on the edge of the second terrace above the floodplain at the Tartas-1 site. Complexes of similar pits and individual pits were investigated earlier, in 2015-2016. Settlement structures and system of utility pits were located compactly along the eastern edge of the burial ground terrace and were fully studied. Flat-bottomed pottery with distinctive ornamentation, and bone and stone artifacts have made it possible to raise the question on identifying a new Baraba Neolithic culture in the region. A series of similar pits have been found in the Baraba forest-steppe before. During the study, over twenty radiocarbon dates were obtained, which has made it possible to attribute the sites of this culture to the Early Neolithic, dating it within the seventh millennium BC. In the season of 2021, a pit with typical features of the Early Neolithic objects was explored. Its depth was over 2 m; diameter was 2 m; filling was variegated with underlying black layers (remnants offish preservation) and their subsidence. The filling of the pit contained a number of bone and stone items which corresponded to the items found at the site before. Interlayers filled with fish scales and small unidentifiable fragments of animal bones have been found. This appears to have been a clearly stable economic practice among the carriers of the Baraba Early Neolithic culture, which was associated with procurement and preservation of fish supplies for future use. Such objects are extremely rare and of great scholarly interest.

Ранние комплексы поселения Айлинка VIII

The article discusses the results of a reconnaissance study of the Aylinka VIII site, located on the right-bank terrace of the Shish River, the right tributary of the Irtysh River, in the territory of the village of Aylinka. During the work, materials from several cultural and chronological periods were revealed. The earliest complex is represented by fragments from thick-walled, flat-bottomed profiled dishes, ornamented mainly with shallow rounded indentations forming multidirectional straight lines. The section of the corolla is beveled inwards and slightly bent. The profile of the bottom part is concave, with a protrusion along the edge of the bottom, ornamented with indentations. Such ceramics have parallels in the materials of the sites from the Baraba forest-steppe, which were attributed by V.V. Bobrov to the Boborykino culture, and later by V.I. Molodin to the Baraba Early Neolithic culture (the 7th millennium BC). Another ceramic complex from the site is represented by fragments of vessels of the Ekaterininskaya culture, ornamented mainly by horizontal rows of oblique combed and smooth stamps and pits. The last of the early ceramics complexes contains flat-bottomed dishes of the Early Bronze Age, ornamented with a comb stamp. During the excavations, a collection of stone products was also obtained, which was represented mainly by the products made of quartzite (plates, scrapers), and a microplate made of jasper. The multilayered nature of the site and the priority choice of the studied habitat by the population during the Neolithic-Early Bronze Age were established. Probable pits of dwellings associated with early horizons of habitation have been identified. The Early Neolithic ceramic complex presented in the publication not only closes the gap between the Mesolithic and the Late Neolithic in the Middle Irtysh region, but also expands the area of distribution of the sites with flat-bottomed Neolithic ceramics in the southwestern Siberia. Its correlation with any archaeological culture is currently within the framework of the discussion that has unfolded in the recent years about the cultural affiliation of the complexes with flat-bottomed profiled Neolithic ceramics in the territory.

The excavation of Zone III of the Xiaonanshan site in Raohe County, Heilongjiang Province in 2015

Abstract In 2015, the Heilongjiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology excavated at Xiaonanshan site on the bank of Ussuri River in southeast Raohe County, Heilongjiang Province. The excavation was conducted in three zones, with nine Neolithic burials recovered in Zone III. Most burials were in northeast-southwest orientation and consisted of two parts: a cairn above ground, and a grave below the cairn. Pottery wares, lithic tools, and jades were unearthed from these burials. The cultural remains represented by these eight early phase burials are the first of their kind discovered in China and represent a new archaeological culture: the Xiaonanshan culture. The 14C data of this culture provided dates of 7,890±30 BP and 8,150±30 BP, preceding Xinkailiu culture. This excavation has filled a blank on early Neolithic cultures in eastern Heilongjiang and provided new materials for the studies on the origination and diffusion of the jade culture in East Asia.

Dwellings of the Elshan Early Neolithic culture

Dwelling is the most important source, revealing the details of social structure, economy, technical traditions and is of key importance for understanding society. Only a limited number of dwelling complexes which can be reliably interpreted as early Neolithic and classified as the Elshan culture have been identified. Moreover, the cultural and chronological attribution of some interpreted as early Neolithic dwellings, in our opinion, is not sufficiently reasoned. In this paper data on all Elshan residential buildings is combined and a brief interpretation is given, as well as some of the previously mentioned provisions are disclosed in more detail. To the early Neolithic in the forest-steppe Volga region, with a high degree of probability, only dwellings identified on the sites of Vyunovo ozero I, Imerka VII and Utyuzh I, with certain reservations, the dwelling of the Lugovoe III site, with the same reservations, the residential structure investigated at the Lebyazhinka IV site, can be classified with a high probability. Most likely, it belongs to the developed and late Neolithic of the region. In general, the dwellings of the Elshan culture were light frame structures, slightly deepened into the mainland, such as a hut, without a visible system in the location of pillar holes. Probably, but not doubtfully, the area of residential buildings of the Elshan culture increased from early to late stages of its development. In connection with the specific life support model of the Elshan population, which implied a systematic change of place of residence, they functioned for a short time. Judging by the available data, the use of a limited number of dishes (13 vessels) is associated with a period of Elshan population residence in one place, and, therefore, settlements with relatively large collections of ceramics were most likely visited many times by the Neolithic population.

A Zoomorphic Antler Staff from an Early Neolithic Burial at Pushkinsky, the Orenburg Region

I describe a rare artifact—a staff with a zoomorphic finial, carved from the curved part of an elk antler. It was found in 1982 on a bank of the Tok River, in the western Orenburg region. The artifact was in a seated burial, discovered by chance. The archaeological context is described, and a cultural and chronological attribution is proposed. It is concluded that the burial is associated with the Early Neolithic Elshanka culture. Similar staffs were found mostly in Mesolithic and Neolithic burials in the forest zone of Eastern Europe. Radiocarbon analyses suggest that seated burials with zoomorphic antler staffs date to the interval from the 6th to the early 3rd millennium BC. The peculiar feature of the Pushkinsky specimen is that it likely depicts a horse rather than an elk, probably because the economy in the steppe and forest-steppe focused on horse hunting. Such artifacts were apparently ritual, and the practice could have originated in the steppe and forest-steppe from whence it spread to the forest zone.

Barcode seriation and concepts of Gauge Theory. The 14C-Chronology of Starčevo, LBK, and early Vinča

A new method for automated construction of 14C-based archaeological chronologies, called Barcode Seriation (BS), is introduced. The application of BS is demonstrated for medium-sized (N~50 sites) datasets of the early Neolithic cultures Starčevo/Körös/Criş, LBK-I, and Vinča A. The BS-method is easy to apply, but nevertheless allows construction of 14C-chronologies at comparatively high dating precision. The key to BS is a new timing discriminator (TD), designed for leading/trailing edge shape-analysis of summed probability distributions of 14C-ages (SPDs). In functional terms, the TD works as an Analog-to-Digital Converter. The SPD signal digitisation, in turn, supports large-scale 14C-database analysis on different levels of data confinement (e.g. by sites, periods, periods, cultures, phases) as well as on large geographic scales (regional-continental). Due to the compactness of the chosen graphic-output topology, the combined BS/TD-technology supports ordination and plotting of very large 14C-datasets, but leaving room in graphic representation for the chronology to be shown in context with other records e.g. from palaeoenvironmental, archaeobiological, and palaeaoclimatological studies. The feasibility of routine application of the new method is demonstrated by case-comparisons at high dating-resolution for the sites of Pityerdomb (Hungary), Vráble (Slowakia), Versend-Gilencsa (Hungary), Vinča-Belo-Brdo (Serbia), and at two LBK-sites (‘Lüsse’ and ‘Unteres Feld’) both located in the Ammer Valley near Tübingen (Germany). The new methodology is complemented with studies towards the application of Gauge Theory in support of archaeological 14C-analysis.

Произведение первобытного искусства из погребения у поселка Пушкинского в Оренбургской области

I describe a rare artifact—a staff with a zoomorphic finial, carved from the curved part of an elk antler. It was found in 1982 on a bank of the Tok River, in the western Orenburg region. The artifact was in a seated burial, discovered by chance. The archaeological context is described, and a cultural and chronological attribution is proposed. It is concluded that the burial is associated with the Early Neolithic Elshanka culture. Similar staffs were found mostly in Mesolithic and Neolithic burials in the forest zone of Eastern Europe. Radiocarbon analyses suggest that seated burials with zoomorphic antler staffs date to the interval from the 6th to the early 3rd millennium BC. The peculiar feature of the Pushkinsky specimen is that it likely depicts a horse rather than an elk, probably because the economy in the steppe and forest-steppe focused on horse hunting. Such artifacts were apparently ritual, and the practice could have originated in the steppe and forest-steppe from whence it spread to the forest zone.

The pottery of the final phase of sperrings culture

The paper is devoted to the poorly studied final period of the existence of Early Neolithic Sperrings culture. There are few settlements of this period - Voynavolok XX, Sandermoha II, Pindushi and Sulgu Va, they are presented in mixed complexes with proscenium stone tools and the absence of radiocarbon dates. No transitional complexes between the developed and final stages of the sperrings culture have been identified. The ceramics of the final stage has a number of differences from the classic sperrings. This lack of ornamentation imprints fish vertebra and the retreating lines. At the same time there are imprints of the corded stamps and oval (rhomboid) pits, round-conical pits marked on the main pattern - characteristic features of the advanced stage of the sperrings culture. The main ornament is horizontal zones inclined right and left with a short-cut or corded stamps, comb stamp or oval (rhomboid) pits that form a vertical zigzag lines coated on top of horizontal belts of round-conical pits, sometimes arranged in a staggered manner. Such a change of pottery decoration hasnt been noted by experts studying early Neolithic ceramics of Karelia due to a small number of vessels and their presence in mixed complexes. Therefore, the development of the sperrings culture is likely to have been continued in some areas of South Karelia, but it is poorly recorded due to the refusal of the ancient population to use a fish vertebra as ornamentation as well as the transition to comb stamps.

Materials of the early Neolithic of the Yarlukovskaya Protoka site (point 222) on the Upper Don

This paper analyzes materials located in the floodplain of the Matyra River (left tributary of the Voronezh River) of the Yarlukovskaya Protoka (point 222) in the Gryazinsky District of the Lipetsk Region. It was investigated in 1963, 1964, 1967 and 1968 by Vsevolod Levenok. The materials of three early Neolithic cultures of VI Millennium BC were revealed here. The materials of the Yelshanskaya culture are represented by corollas and bottoms of 12 vessels. Almost all dishes, except one bottom and several walls, have no ornament, with the exception of one or two rows of conical pit. All ceramics are well smoothed. Ceramics were made from silty clay. The location of materials in the cultural layer confirms the earlier occurrence of the Yelshanskaya culture ceramics. The ceramics of the Karamyshevo culture is represented by fragments from three vessels. The dishes are predominantly decorated with small oval pricks composed in horizontal and vertical rows. Ceramics were made from silty clay. Ceramics of the Srednedonskaya culture are represented by corollas and rounded bottoms of 15 vessels. It is decorated with triangular prick or small comb prints. Ceramics were made from silty clay. At Yarlukovskaya Protoka site 304 stone artifacts were discovered, mainly of flint. This industry could be described as flake-blade technique. The monument is a mixed complex - stratigraphic and planigraphic readable observations of stone inventory location could not be done.

First Obsidian in the Northern French Alps during the Early Neolithic

ABSTRACTAn exceptional discovery was made in 2013 in the northern French Alps, at the Grande Rivoire site in Sassenage (Isère department): an obsidian bladelet from Sardinia was found in a cultural horizon dated to about 5360–5210 cal b.c. The abundant arrowheads found with it are characteristic of the Early Neolithic in the South of France (Cardial/Epicardial). Yet there was no pottery or domestic fauna, and only discrete markers of farming. The typological, technological and micro-wear analysis of this bladelet, as well as the determination of the origin of the raw material, open new avenues of reflection for the neolithization of the northern Alps, in particular concerning the role played by the Early Neolithic cultures of northern Italy.

Early Neolithic stone industry of the Upper Don

Features of the flood plain settlements of the river Don watershed and its tributaries is the fact that almost all of them are multi-layered. Until recently it was not possible to talk about the Early Neolithic stone industry of the Upper Don. All conclusions about Early Neolithic material culture in this territory were done by A.T. Sinyuk, based on the Middle-Don site. He described tool industry as blade technique. The paper mentions the most important sites and gives a review of Early Neolithic stone industry of the Upper Don. Nowadays there are materials of the 4 Early Neolithic cultures on the Upper Don territory: Middle-Don (72 sites), Karamyshevo (26 sites), Upper-Volga (4 sites) and Elshanskaya (4 sites) cultures. The earliest materials in the research area date VI mill. cal BC. The data on the stone industries of the Elshanskaya and Upper-Volga cultures in the Upper Don are absent. There are stone collections, which could be connected only with the Middle-Don and Karamyshevo Early Neolithic cultures. This industry could be described as flake technique.

Bone and antler implements of the Early Neolithic Dnepr-Dvina interfluve settlements: technological and functional features, context

In this paper we consider the results of the use-wear analysis of the bone and antler implements received as a result of excavation of the Early Neolithic settlements on the territory of Dnepr-Dvina interfluve. This kind of research is conducted for this category of archaeological material for the first time. For the analysis we have selected 27 bone, antler and teeth items occurring from two settlements of the Serteysky microregion Serteya X and Rudnya Serteyskaya. The good preservation of items has allowed us to study macro- and microtraces connected with technology of processing of raw materials and receiving products, ways of usage of finished utilitarian and not utilitarian character items. The following categories of implements have been marked out: knives, awls, pendants, spear-heads, arrowheads, barbed points, preforms, fragments of items with processing traces. The obtained information is correlated to other materials of settlements ceramics, stone artifacts, economic and cultural characteristic of settlements in general. Ceramic traditions in upper courses of the Western Dvina belong to 7 millennium BC. The earliest ceramic traditions are combined in Serteyskaya archaeological culture. Later, in materials of the Early Neolithic sites influence of Early Neolithic cultures of East Baltics is traced. As a result, on the territory of Podvinya the Rudnyanskaya Early Neolithic culture is formed.