scholarly journals Chronology of the Obi-Rakhmat Grotto (Uzbekistan): First Results on the Dating and Problems of the Paleolithic Key Site in Central Asia

Radiocarbon ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 52 (2) ◽  
pp. 549-554 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrei I Krivoshapkin ◽  
Yaroslav V Kuzmin ◽  
A J Timothy Jull
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Uranium Content ◽  
Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Lithic Assemblages ◽  
Spin Resonance ◽  
Early Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Archaeological Materials ◽  
First Results ◽  
Cultural Layers ◽  
Early Upper

The Obi-Rakhmat Grotto is one of the key Paleolithic sites in Central Asia. Archaeological excavations have revealed 22 strata containing archaeological materials. Lithic assemblages from all cultural layers display features similar to both late Middle Paleolithic blade industries and early Upper Paleolithic complexes in Southwest Asia and the Siberian Altai Mountains; this suggests a gradual Middle-to-Upper Paleolithic transition occurred in western Central Asia. Hominid remains found at Obi-Rakhmat (layer 16) show a mixture of archaic and modern traits. Different chronometric methods (radiocarbon, optically stimulated luminescence [OSL], U-series, and electron spin resonance [ESR]) were applied to the site's deposits. It appears that 14C dates are more reliable in terms of correspondence to the general framework of the Paleolithic of Central Asia and neighboring regions, and after critical analysis and the deletion of outliers, the upper part of the site's cultural sequence can be dated between 36,000–41,400 BP (layer 7) and ∼48,800 BP (layer 14.1). The U-series dating results are less secure due to the high uranium content and the presence of detritus, which contaminates dated sediments (travertine). The OSL dating gave uniform ages for all cultural succession (∼8 m of deposits), and confirms a very rapid sedimentation rate. Results of ESR dating depend greatly on the choice of uptake model. Dates calculated for the early uptake to some extent correspond to 14C data. The linear uptake chosen by Skinner et al. (2007) makes sediments very old (about 55,000–90,000 yr ago), which contradicts 14C dates and does not correspond well to the regional archaeological context.

Late Neanderthals at Jarama VI (central Iberia)?

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-234 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Kehl ◽  
Christoph Burow ◽  
Alexandra Hilgers ◽  
Marta Navazo ◽  
Andreas Pastoors ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mineralogical Composition ◽  
Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Middle Paleolithic ◽  
Lithic Assemblages ◽  
Three Samples ◽  
Early Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Ca 50 ◽  
Stone Industry ◽  
Late Survival ◽  
Early Upper

Previous geochronological and archaeological studies on the rock shelter Jarama VI suggested a late survival of Neanderthals in central Iberia and the presence of lithic assemblages of Early Upper Paleolithic affinity. New data on granulometry, mineralogical composition, geochemical fingerprints and micromorphology of the sequence corroborate the previous notion that the archaeological units JVI.2.1 to JVI.2.3 are slackwater deposits of superfloods, which did not experience significant post-depositional changes, whereas the artifact-rich units JVI.3 and JVI.1 mainly received sediment inputs by sheetwash and cave spall. New AMS radiocarbon measurements on three samples of cut-marked bone using the ultrafiltration technique yielded ages close to, or beyond, the limit of radiocarbon dating at ca. 50 14C ka BP, and hence suggest much higher antiquity than assumed previously. Furthermore, elevated temperature post-IR IRSL luminescence measurements on K feldspars yielded burial ages for subunits JVI.2.2 and JVI.2.3 between 50 and 60 ka. Finally, our reappraisal of the stone industry strongly suggests that the whole sequence is of Mousterian affinity. In conclusion, Jarama VI most probably does not document a late survival of Neanderthals nor an Early Upper Paleolithic occupation in central Iberia, but rather indicates an occupation breakdown after the Middle Paleolithic.

scholarly journals New electron spin resonance (ESR) ages from Geißenklösterle Cave: A chronological study of the Middle and early Upper Paleolithic layers

2019 ◽  
Vol 133 ◽  
pp. 133-145 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maïlys Richard ◽  
Christophe Falguères ◽  
Hélène Valladas ◽  
Bassam Ghaleb ◽  
Edwige Pons-Branchu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electron Spin Resonance ◽  
Electron Spin ◽  
Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Spin Resonance ◽  
Early Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Early Upper

scholarly journals Microblade Percussion in the Upper Paleolithic of Mongolia: on the Problem of Origin and Distribution Within Central Asia and the Far East

2021 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 240-259
Author(s):  
Tabarev A. ◽  
◽  
Gladyshev S. ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Central Asia ◽  
Russian Far East ◽  
Far East ◽  
Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Site Location ◽  
Gis Modeling ◽  
Early Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Northern Mongolia ◽  
Location Patterns ◽  
Early Upper

The focus of this investigation is on the technology of micro-percussion in the Upper Paleolithic of Mongolia. Micro-percussion is defined as the entire assemblage of lithic artifacts associated with the production of microblades. The complexes analyzed here include microcores and microblades, but not tools made of them. Until recently, microblade percussion has never been considered a distinct trend emergent in the lithic technology of the Early Upper Paleolithic of Mongolia. In this paper, based upon lithic materials from northern Mongolia and the Gobi Altai, we prove the existence of microblade percussion at the early stages of the Upper Paleolithic (37–26 000 BP) and persisting until the very beginning of the Holocene (11–10 500 BP). In other words, this is crosscutting technology for the region. We conclude that in the Early Upper Paleolithic complexes of northern Mongolia, preferential reduction initially emphasized narrow-front and, later, wedgeshaped microcore production. Analysis of materials from the Final Paleolithic and the Early Holocene horizons at the Tolbor-15 site, along with representative surface collections and GIS modeling of site location patterns along tributaries of the Selenga River, allow us to formulate a series of hypotheses regarding the origin of the wedge-shaped flaking technique in northern Mongolia and the dynamics and directionality of its diffusion. The microblade technique observable in the Final Paleolithic of northern Mongolia exhibits more similarities with lithic complexes known archaeologically to the south (Inner Mongolia) and east (Russian Far East, Korean Peninsula, and Japanese Archipelago), not with the Russian Trans-Baikal region. Keywords: Mongolia, Central Asia, Far East, Upper Paleolithic, microblade percussion

scholarly journals Direct dating of Neanderthal remains from the site of Vindija Cave and implications for the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition

2017 ◽  
Vol 114 (40) ◽  
pp. 10606-10611 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thibaut Devièse ◽  
Ivor Karavanić ◽  
Daniel Comeskey ◽  
Cara Kubiak ◽  
Petra Korlević ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
High Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Bone Collagen ◽  
Applied Zooarchaeology ◽  
Animal Bone ◽  
Early Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Anatomically Modern Humans ◽  
Early Upper

Previous dating of the Vi-207 and Vi-208 Neanderthal remains from Vindija Cave (Croatia) led to the suggestion that Neanderthals survived there as recently as 28,000–29,000 B.P. Subsequent dating yielded older dates, interpreted as ages of at least ∼32,500 B.P. We have redated these same specimens using an approach based on the extraction of the amino acid hydroxyproline, using preparative high-performance liquid chromatography (Prep-HPLC). This method is more efficient in eliminating modern contamination in the bone collagen. The revised dates are older than 40,000 B.P., suggesting the Vindija Neanderthals did not live more recently than others across Europe, and probably predate the arrival of anatomically modern humans in Eastern Europe. We applied zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) to find additional hominin remains. We identified one bone that is Neanderthal, based on its mitochondrial DNA, and dated it directly to 46,200 ± 1,500 B.P. We also attempted to date six early Upper Paleolithic bone points from stratigraphic units G1, Fd/d+G1 and Fd/d, Fd. One bone artifact gave a date of 29,500 ± 400 B.P., while the remainder yielded no collagen. We additionally dated animal bone samples from units G1 and G1–G3. These dates suggest a co-occurrence of early Upper Paleolithic osseous artifacts, particularly split-based points, alongside the remains of Neanderthals is a result of postdepositional mixing, rather than an association between the two groups, although more work is required to show this definitively.

scholarly journals Radiocaron Dates and Archaeology of the Late Pleistocene in the Japanese Islands

Radiocarbon ◽  
2002 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 477-494 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akira Ono ◽  
Hiroyuki Sato ◽  
Takashi Tsutsumi ◽  
Yuichiro Kudo
Keyword(s):  
Late Pleistocene ◽  
New World ◽  
Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Archaeological Sites ◽  
Early Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Strongly Connected ◽  
Radiocarbon Chronology ◽  
Japanese Islands ◽  
Late Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Early Upper

We discuss the radiocarbon chronology of Late Pleistocene archaeology in the Japanese islands. In sum, 429 samples from more than 100 archaeological sites were compiled and then divided into three periods and four stages. The Early Upper Paleolithic, characterized by Trapezoid industries, lasted during approximately 34-26 ka. The Late Upper Paleolithic period includes both the backed-blade stage and point-tool stage, the latter appearing chronologically later than the former. This stage covers ~25–15 ka. The Final Upper Paleolithic and Incipient Jomon are distinguished by the appearance of microblade industries and the emergence of pottery at the end of this period. This period covers approximately 14-12 ka. The microblade tradition, in the broadest sense, is strongly connected to the background of peopling of the New World. New data on the transitional stage from the Middle to the Upper Paleolithic are also discussed in regards to three archaeological sites. Issues on the application of the 14C calibration to the whole Japanese Upper Paleolithic are critically evaluated.

scholarly journals The absolute chronology of Boker Tachtit (Israel) and implications for the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition in the Levant

2021 ◽  
Vol 118 (25) ◽  
pp. e2014657118
Author(s):  
Elisabetta Boaretto ◽  
Marion Hernandez ◽  
Mae Goder-Goldberger ◽  
Vera Aldeias ◽  
Lior Regev ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Material Culture ◽  
Late Phase ◽  
Optically Stimulated Luminescence ◽  
Upper Paleolithic ◽  
Middle Paleolithic ◽  
Lithic Assemblage ◽  
Early Upper Paleolithic ◽  
The Absolute ◽  
Dramatic Shift ◽  
Early Upper

The Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) is a crucial lithic assemblage type in the archaeology of southwest Asia because it marks a dramatic shift in hominin populations accompanied by technological changes in material culture. This phase is conventionally divided into two chronocultural phases based on the Boker Tachtit site, central Negev, Israel. While lithic technologies at Boker Tachtit are well defined, showing continuity from one phase to another, the absolute chronology is poorly resolved because the radiocarbon method used had a large uncertainty. Nevertheless, Boker Tachtit is considered to be the origin of the succeeding Early Upper Paleolithic Ahmarian tradition that dates in the Negev to ∼42,000 y ago (42 ka). Here, we provide 14C and optically stimulated luminescence dates obtained from a recent excavation of Boker Tachtit. The new dates show that the early phase at Boker Tachtit, the Emirian, dates to 50 through 49 ka, while the late phase dates to 47.3 ka and ends by 44.3 ka. These results show that the IUP started in the Levant during the final stages of the Late Middle Paleolithic some 50,000 y ago. The later IUP phase in the Negev chronologically overlaps with the Early Upper Paleolithic Ahmarian of the Mediterranean woodland region between 47 and 44 ka. We conclude that Boker Tachtit is the earliest manifestation of the IUP in Eurasia. The study shows that distinguishing the chronology of the IUP from the Late Middle Paleolithic, as well as from the Early Upper Paleolithic, is much more complex than previously thought.

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