PROBLEMS OF THE EARLY PALEOLITHIC CULTURE OF CENTRAL ASIA (ON THE EXAMPLE OF THE SELUNGUR MONUMENT)

To date, more than 20 open and closed sites and finds of the Lower (Early) Paleolithic have been identified and studied in Central Asia. Examples: Burikazgan, Tanirkazgan, Kyzyltov 1, Kuldara, Lakhuti 1, Kulbulak, Kyzylolma, Toshsay, Dzharsai, Selungur, Chashma and other monuments. However, despite the fact that some monuments (Kizilolma, Kolbulak, Selungur, etc.) are well studied, there are various discussions about their cultural and periodic specifics. The stone crafts of these monuments have not been sufficiently studied from a technical and typological point of view, and their standard sheets have not yet been developed. Therefore, no unambiguous conclusions about the cultural and periodic features of the monuments were made. One of these monuments is the Selungur Cave. The article provides a brief overview of the history of the Early Paleolithic, the study of the Selungur Cave, the stone industry, fauna and flora, as well as the paleoanthropological finds of the Early Paleolithic, the only ones in the region (ancient human bones have not survived). found in other sites). In particular, the article briefly discusses critical views on the cultural-periodic interpretation of the Selungur site, as well as some comments on the cultural-periodic features of the monument

Ancient human bones studied and compared by near infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry and chemometrics

Near infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry have been coupled with chemometric exploratory methods in order to investigate ancient (pre-Roman/Roman) human bones from two different necropolises in Central-South Italy (Cavo degli Zucchi and Elea Velia). These findings have been investigated by principal component analysis and they have also been compared with ancient human bones from two Sudanese necropolises (Saggai and Geili). Samples coming from African and European necropolises, mainly differ in two aspects: the burial procedures and their historical period. The ritual applied in the European region involved cremation, while the one applied in the African necropolises did not. Bones from Italian sites (Cavo degli Zucchi and Elea Velia) are Pre-Roman/Roman while the others (from middle Nile) come from the Prehistoric, Meroitic, and Christian Sudanese age. Near infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetric measures have been analysed either individually or by a mid-level data-fusion approach. Principal component analysis of the near infrared spectroscopy data allowed differentiation between burnt and unburnt samples, while from the scores plots extracted from the principal component analysis model based on the entire derived thermograms, it was possible to recognize the different clusters related to the various dating of samples. The data-fusion analysis led to considerations similar to those obtained from the model based on thermogravimetry data. Finally, instead of inspecting the entire thermogravimetry curves, principal component analysis was carried out on carbonates, total collagen and water losses only. In this case, the data-fusion approach has led to extremely interesting results; in fact, this model clearly shows that samples group in separate clusters in agreement with their age and the different burial rituals.

Chemical signals and reconstruction of life strategies from ancient human bones and teeth - problems and perspectives

Chemical signals and reconstruction of life strategies from ancient human bones and teeth - problems and perspectivesChemical analyses of historical and prehistoric bone material provide us with a complex body of knowledge in bioarcheological studies. These can be used for reconstructing diet, migration, climate changes and the weaning process. The analysis of enamel, dentin and bones allows researchers to gather data on life strategies of an individual by retrospectively tracing his ontogenetic phases. This is made possible through knowledge of the mineralization periods of permanent and deciduous teeth while simultaneously taking account of differences between enamel, dentin and bone remodelling rates, dependent on the age of the individual. Yet, the large interpretative potential of isotope analyses of bone material is severely limited by diagenesis. The accurate recording of diagenetic changes in historical human bone material is a current main trend in bioarcheological research. Today, a highly specialised set of research tools is used for verifying whether bones unearthed at archeological sites are suitable for isotope tests. Isotope determinations are pivotal in this research as reconstructions of paleodiets or migrations of our ancestors can be based only on material that has been maintained intact in sufficient proportions post mortem.