The terminal Upper Paleolithic industry from the eastern gallery of Denisova cave

Purpose: Denisova Cave, located in the northwestern Altai, is currently one of the most promising sites for the study of culture and the environment of Paleolithic human in Northern Eurasia. The last ten years the archaeological research carried out in the Eastern Gallery of the cave. During this time a considerable amount of the data have been obtained, that needs to generalize now. On the largest excavation area was investigated layer 9, which completes the Pleistocene thickness in the Eastern Gallery. The deposition of layer 9 formed in the cold and dry climate conditions of the Sartan (W3) Glacial Period (Oxygen Isotope Stage 2), that corresponds to the Terminal Upper Paleolithic in the archaeological periodization. The main purpose of this article is a comprehensive analysis and synthesis of the archaeological materials from layer 9 in the Eastern Gallery and determines their place in synchronous complexes from other parts of the Denisova Cave. Results: Analyzed more than two thousand lithic artifacts from layer 9. Petrographic analysis showed that the Denisova Cave lithic artifacts were produced on local raw material. The majority of artifacts were made of sedimentary (siltstone, sandstone) and volcanic (effusive) rocks from the Anui river alluvium. Primary technology in the layer 9 industry is characterized mainly radial and parallel planar cores for flakes producing. Laminar blanks produced in the process of utilization of edge-faceted and prismatic cores. As blanks for the cores used cobbles or much less flakes. More than half of the industry is flakes. The majority of flakes are small and large size, mostly short proportions. Relatively large is proportion of the blades. Microblades are rare. Analysis of platform and dorsal surface of the flakes and blades showed their compliance with the concomitant cores. The percentage of debitage in industry is relatively small. This category is dominated by debris. A set of tools is diverse and including a series of typological distinct scrapers, knives, points, burins, retouched blades and other tools. Feature of the industry is the combination of tool types characteristic of both the Upper and Middle Paleolithic, with a predominance of the latter. Percentage of scrapers, retouched and Levallois points is 46,3 % of the set of typologically clear tools. Fairly large percentage is denticulate and notched shape tools - 11,9 %. The set of the Upper Paleolithic tools including end scrapers, burins, chisel-like tools, retouched blades and backed microblade is 14.9 %. Closest to the technical and typological point of view to the Terminal Upper Paleolithic industry from the Eastern Gallery are materials from the Southern Gallery. On the background of synchronous complexes from the Main Chamber and the entryway zone of the cave, materials from the galleries look more archaic. Conclusion: Numerous sites of the Sartan age in the territory of the Altai show mixing of the Middle and Upper Paleolithic categories and types of lithic artifacts to a greater or lesser extent, depending on regional specifics. In the north-western part of the Altai industry such type (like from caves Denisova, Iskra, Kaminnaya, open-air sites UstKarakol-1, Anui-2) indicate continuity and gradual development of earlier technocomplex that existed on the territory in the range of 28 000-23 000 years ago.