Geometric images in the art of the Upper Paleolithic of Eastern Europe: chronological and regional features

The paper explores abstract and geometric images of non-figurative (symbolic) portable art in eastern Europe. This type of visual art emerged in the early period of the Upper Paleolithic at the same time with figurative art. Development of non-figurative art in the Russian plain has been traced throughout the Paleolithic Age. It was widespread during the middle stage (25,000-21,000 years ago) and the late stage (20,000-12,000 years ago) of the Upper Paleolithic. Geometric art existed side by side with the tradition of realistic images during the Gravettian period replacing it completely after the last Valdai glacial maximum. The paper systemizes data on this type of art in the center of the Russian plain, and reviews its regional and chronological features. Using the data on the technical and morphological analysis, the author proposes two criteria for differentiating geometric portable art of the Gravettian period and the Epigravettian period. The Epigravettian sites are characterized by absence of realistic elements and presence of images all over the surface of a sophisticated geometrical shape as well as preliminary pattern outlining and use of one or several base lines. The Gravettian images are characterized by presence of figurative elements and placement of decorative elements on items of sophisticated shape in different time periods that do not correspond to the same technological cycle or without preliminary outlining of the overall pattern.