The History of Pigment’s Studies of the Paleolytic (materials, methods, concepts)

The paper presents an overview and assessment degree of various aspects of research and the use of dyes from archaeological complexes of the Middle and Upper Paleolithic in Africa, Europe, and North Asia. The key aspects of research have been identified: resource sources of raw materials, paint manufacturing technology, their use, and probable purpose. The regional features of the research are highlighted. Pigments from the collections of Africa’s sites are being studied comprehensively, with the consideration of the tool complex of the Middle Paleolithic sites. The studies of European Paleolithic pigments are primarily considered from the point of view of evidence of their use in symbolic activity, in the framework of a discussion about the emergence of symbolic behavior. Modern research on the territory of Eastern Europe and North Asia is focused on the study of the stability of pigments as an element of culture, pigment manufacturing technology based on the study of the structure and chemical composition of paints. Keywords: history of study, pigments, Middle Paleolithic, Upper Paleolithic, ochre, sign behavior Acknowledgements: This work was financially supported by the Russian Science Foundation (No. 18–78–10079 “Development of Technologies and an Information System for Documenting and Scientific Exchange of Archaeological Data”).

PAINTED ARTIFACTS FROM USHKI V (KAMCHATKA PENINSULA)

Новый этап изучения материалов стоянки Ушки V (п-ов Камчатка) в рамках проблемы идентификации форм знакового поведения выявил специфику археологических материалов, связанных с палеоискусством в территориальном и хронологическом контексте. В связи с этим, детальный микроскопический анализ комплексов артефактов представляется актуальным. Комплекс является наиболее древним в составе памятника и датируется около 13-12 тыс. кал. л. н. При исследовании использованы методы формально-морфологического и технологического анализов; выборка предметов исследована с помощью трасологии. В случаях обнаружения краски на предметах определялся состав пигмента методом SEM-EDX. На основании этнографических материалов и спектрального состава красок высказано предположение о характере добавок, имеющих органическое происхождение. Совокупность серийных изделий, свидетельства их искусственного окрашивания, присутствие резчиков как возможных инструментов для нанесения татуировок составляют знаковые системы однотипных следов, знаков, обладающих внутренними связями. Такие системы служат для осуществления индивидуальных и коллективных коммуникативных и трансляционных процессов, свидетельствуют о сложной структуре ископаемой культуры финального плейстоцена на Камчатке. It is quite relevant to launch a new stage in examination of the artifacts retrieved from the Ushki V site (Kamchatka Peninsula) as part of the exercise to describe forms of sign behavior identified by distinctive features of archaeological materials associated with paleoart in the spatial and chronological contexts and a possibility to perform in-depth microscopic analysis of artifact assemblages. The assemblage in question is the earliest at the site, it dates to 13,000-12,000 years ago. The study applied methods of formal-morphological and technological analyses; sampling was drawn with the help of tracewear analysis. When pigment was identified on the artifacts, its composition was determined by the SEM-EDX method. Ethnographic materials and the spectral composition of pigments suggested the nature of additives that were of organic origin. A set of series artifacts, evidence of their artificial dyeing, presence of chisels as likely tools for making tattoos are elements of the sign systems of one-type traces and signs that are interconnected. Such systems serve to support individual and collective communication and information dissemination processes, being an evidence of a sophisticated organizational structure of this archaeological culture in the final stage of Pleistocene in Kamchatka.

Translation Semiotics: The Disciplinary Essence

Translation semiotics studies the transformation of signs in translation, which generally involves semiosis, sign behavior, sign relations, semiotic hierarchy, intersemiosis, semiotic function, and semiotic conservation. This paper attempts to explore, from these seven dimensions, the disciplinary essence of TS and foresees the development of this burgeoning discipline as a branch of semiotics.

Morris’ Lost Pragmatics

The pragmatics envisaged by its founding father Charles Morris addresses issues of behavioral semiotics, of which multimodality and sign behavior are two building blocks. Decades of development in linguistic pragmatics has witnessed a continuous narrowing in scope. The narrowing reaps the benefit of sharp focus and in-depth research into some narrow topics. At the same time, it has resulted in some crucial areas, such as Umwelt, left barren. The paper first briefly reviews Morris’ envisaged pragmatics, which is argued to be essentially multimodal semiotic pragmatics in nature. Then it argues for embarking on Morris’ original program through reviewing researches, explicitly Morrisian or otherwise, that have already been converging toward this direction.

Application of the Method of Second Order Sign Behavior To the Study of Non-Spatial Delayed Response in Rhesus Monkeys

The behavior of seven rhesus monkeys on a test of non-spatial delayed response based on the method of second order sign behavior is reported. Four stimuli were used: two first order stimuli presented individually (two sounds or two lights) and two second order stimuli presented simultaneously (two objects). Subjects first learned to associate one of the objects to each of the two first order stimuli. An interval between the termination of the first signal and the moment of choice was then introduced; hence the subjects' short-term memory could be estimated. All subjects succeeded in this task; the limits of the memory span ranged from 20 to 45 seconds.