Incised stone artefact in the context of Middle Holocene burials at Cappalombo 1, South Sulawesi, Indonesia | Artefak batu bergores dalam konteks penguburan Holosen Tengah di Situs Cappalombo 1, Sulawesi Selatan, Indonesia

Since the recent discovery of Late Pleistocene rock art in Island Southeast Asia was announced, evidence for symbolic behaviour in the region has become a focus of international archaeological interest. South Sulawesi is one region that hold much evidence for this important human activity. In addition to the cave paintings, several engraved stone artefacts have also been recovered in the same area, nearly all of which date back to the Late Pleistocene. However, while cave use by ‘hunter-gatherer’ societies continued into the Holocene period, archaeological evidence for symbolic expression during this Toalean period is extremely rare. Here, we report for the first time on engraved stone artefacts from the Middle Holocene period, associated with six human burials. Of ten incised artefacts recovered, eight are stone flakes and two are stone plaquettes, all made of hematite material. Our study suggests that unlike comparative Pleistocene engraved stones, the incisions on the Cappalombo artefacts are more likely the result of use-wear that occurs from producing red pigment powder than portable artworks. As no Toalean-age cave art has yet been identified, it is suspected that pigment powder was applied to the corpses as part of a burial practice or perhaps smeared on the body of the person/s performing the ceremony itself as part of a symbolic ritualistic activity. Sejak penemuan gambar cadas Pleistosen Akhir terbaru diumumkan di Pulau Asia Tenggara, bukti perilaku simbolis di wilayah tersebut telah menjadi fokus kajian arkeologis internasional. Sulawesi Selatan adalah salah satu wilayah yang menyimpan banyak bukti aktivitas manusia yang penting ini. Selain lukisan gua, beberapa artefak batu berukir juga telah ditemukan di daerah yang sama, hampir semuanya berasal dari Pleistosen Akhir. Namun, ketika penggunaan gua oleh masyarakat 'pemburu-pengumpul' berlanjut hingga periode Holosen, bukti arkeologis untuk ekspresi simbolis selama periode Toalean ini sangat langka. Di sini, kami melaporkan untuk pertama kalinya tentang artefak batu berukir dari periode Holosen Tengah, yang terkait dengan enam penguburan manusia. Dari sepuluh artefak gores yang ditemukan, delapan berupa serpihan batu dan dua berupa plakat batu, semuanya terbuat dari bahan hematit. Studi kami menunjukkan bahwa tidak seperti batu terukir Pleistosen, sayatan pada artefak Cappalombo lebih mungkin hasil dari penggunaan yang terjadi dari memproduksi bubuk pigmen merah daripada karya seni portabel. Karena seni gua periode Toalean belum dapat diidentifikasi, diduga bubuk pigmen dioleskan pada mayat sebagai bagian dari praktik penguburan atau mungkin dioleskan pada tubuh orang yang melakukan upacara itu sendiri sebagai bagian dari aktifitas ritual simbolis.

DYNAMICS OF THE COASTAL ZONE IN HOLOCEN ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE NORTH-WESTERN PART OF THE KOLA PENINSULA

A lot of work has been devoted to the study of the coastal zone of the southern coast of the Barents Sea. However, they are mainly devoted to the period of deglaciation of the territory and the subsequent marine transgressions. The Holocene period was less interesting for researchers, because it was believed that the coast was stabilizing by this time and almost no significant changes were taking place. In recent years, interest in the dynamics of the coastal zone of the last millennia is mainly associated with the problem of climate change and the melting of Arctic ice in the modern period. In this regard, the study of new sequences of the coastal zone of the Barents Sea is especially relevant. Recently, new studies of the Holocene history of the coastline of the northwestern coast of the Kola Peninsula have appeared, which change some prevailing ideas about the dynamics of the coastline in the Holocene period. The presented review is caused by the need to summarize new results and existing ideas.

Applicability and Variability of Chemical Weathering Indicators and Their Monsoon-Controlled Mechanisms in the Bay of Bengal

To help understanding the potential relationship between chemical weathering and Indian summer monsoon (ISM) since the last glacial period a gravity core (BoB-56) was retrieved from the central Bay of Bengal (BoB). The data of chemical weathering indexes (CIA, WIP, and αAlNa) used in this study showed general synchronicity with the regional monsoon precipitation and temperature record on precessional scale, indicating existence of control from the ISM on weathering. Corresponding to alteration of warm/cold period during the last deglaciation, obvious simultaneously alteration of higher/lower values of the chemical weathering and terrestrial input proxies’ record support our hypothesis that the ISM driving chemical weathering on the millennial scale. However, a contradiction occurred during the Holocene period, when the ISM precipitation and temperature rose to a higher level, while the alternative indexes unanimously reflected a weaker chemical weathering conditions. In this study, we discussed the applicability of chemical weathering indexes in the BoB during the Holocene period. Besides the possible weakened monsoon during 6–3 ka, recorded by the stalagmite δ18O and Sea Surface Temperature (SST) reconstruction results in the northeastern Indian Ocean, other factors were responsible for this phenomenon, including the grain size effect and distinction between the mountain high land and floodplain low land. The chemical weathering records, during the last glaciation, indicated the presence of control from the ISM on weathering at precessional and millennial scales. While, during the Holocene, they failed to reflect the actual chemical weathering dynamics of the source area. Indeed, a mixture of physical erosion and chemical weathering seems to be representative of the chemical weathering dynamics in the area. Our findings emphasized on the tight connections between the chemical weathering evolution and global-regional climate conditions around the BoB, implying possible ISM-controlled mechanisms during different time scales.

Latest structure and geodynamics of Western Caucasus (based on decoding of satellite images)

Геодинамический анализ является важнейшим компонентом регио- нальных геологических исследований. Использование дистанционных методов при геологическом кар- тировании закрытых территорий существенно повышает информативность геологической карты и эф- фективность прогнозно-поисковых работ. Цель работы. В работе рассматривается взаимосвязь рельефа с неотектоническими движениями. Обращается внимание на основные морфологические элементы тер- ритории на разных уровнях генерализации цифровой модели рельефа. Методы исследования. Произ- ведено дешифрирование цифровой модели рельефа, выделены линеаменты различных порядков (зоны селективной эрозии) как реакция экзогенных процессов на новейшие тектонические деформации. Дана геодинамическая интерпретация выявленных структур. Проведены палеогеографические реконструкции положения русел основных рек в плиоцен-голоценовый период. Результаты исследования. Установлено правосдвиговое смещение мозаики тектонических блоков на разных уровнях генерализации, нашедшее отражение в современных деформациях рельефа. Об этом свидетельствуют геометрические характери- стики дешифрируемых элементов, кулисообразное расположение периодических серий линеаментов, косое расположение линеаментов относительно линии главного разлома, ориентированных в соответ- ствии с эллипсом деформации, наложение структур друг на друга. Сдвиг по разлому в доплиоценовом фундаменте находит свое отражение в сложном поле напряжений перекрывающего чехла. Деформации соответствуют сколам Риделя, что подтверждается экспериментами, выполненными другими исследова- телями. Активизация тектонических движений привела к образованию тектонических клиньев, создавших естественные дамбы на пути движения водных потоков, что привело к существенной перестройке геомор- фологии и палеогеографии территории. Выявлена миграция русел основных рек в западном направлении в плейстоцен-голоценовый период, их врезание в подстилающие отложения с образованием висячих до- лин. Relevance. Geodynamic analysis is an essential component of regional geological research. The use of remote methods for geological mapping of closed territories significantly increases the information content of the geological map and the effectiveness of forecast and search operations. Aim. The paper considers the relationship of terrain with neotectonic movements. Attention is drawn to the main morphological elements of the territory at different levels of generalization of the digital terrain model. Method of research. The digital terrain model was deciphered and lineaments of various orders (zones of selective erosion) were identified) as a reaction of exogenous processes to the latest tectonic deformations. Geodynamic interpretation of the identified structures is given. Paleogeographic reconstructions of the position of the main riverbeds in the Pliocene- Holocene period were carried out. Results. The right-hand shift of the tectonic block mosaic at different levels of generalization is found, which is reflected in modern relief deformations. This is evidenced by the geometric characteristics of the elements to be decoded, the rocker-like arrangement of periodic series of lineaments, the oblique arrangement of lineaments relative to the main fault line, oriented in accordance with the deformation ellipse, and the superposition of structures on each other. The fault shift in the pre-Pliocene basement is reflected in the complex stress field of the overlapping cover. The deformations correspond to Riedel chips, which is confirmed by experiments performed by other researchers. The activation of tectonic movements led to the formation of tectonic wedges that created natural dams in the path of water flows, which led to a significant restructuring of the geomorphology and paleogeography of the territory. The migration of the main riverbeds in the Western direction during the Pleistocene-Holocene period, their embedding in the underlying sediments with the formation of hanging valleys, was revealed.

Kobuleti site

In the 1970–1980s the fieldwork in the Kobuleti Village revealed more than 30.000 artefacts associated with the Early Neolithic period. However, recent fieldwork in Kobuleti, carried out by the authors, demonstrated that the cultural layers of the site belong to the Early Holocene period. The stone industry of the site has indicated the use of blank removal. The conic and bullet shaped cores were used in order to get bladelets and microblades. The complex of flint and obsidian tools consists of numerous retouched blades, bladelets and microblades, burins, and chisels. There are series of bladelets and microblades with abrupt retouch. Generally speaking, the typology of the complex indicates that the site was used as a temporary hunting camp.

South-East Black Sea coast in Early Holocene period (according to interdisciplinary archaeological investigations in Kobuleti site)

The paper presents the results of interdisciplinary research carried out at the Kobuleti Early Holocene site. Typological and use-wear analyses of stone artifacts helped to define the main branch of the economy of humans at the site. Palynological studies were conducted to reconstruct the paleoenvironment. The investigated plant spores proved that the climate in the Early Holocene was warm. Definition of an absolute date by means of the radiocarbon method (14C) represents an innovation conducted in the study of the Stone Age in Ajara.