Stone percussion-abrasive instruments from the Ust-Kanskaya cave, layer 5 (Altai Mountains)

This study analyzed stone percussion and abrasive tools discovered in the context of lithological layer 5 in the Paleolithic Ust-Kanskaya cave in the Altai Mountains using the data from experimental wear analysis and three-dimensional modeling techniques. After analysis of archaeological collection from the site, eight stone tools made from whole and fragmented pebbles of sedimentary, volcanogenic-sedimentary, and volcanogenic raw materials were identified. These tools were used by the Paleolithic inhabitants of the site for knapping stone as hummers (n=5) and retouchers (n=3). Differences between the sets of macrotraces on the tools, sizes of tools in terms of length, width, and thickness as well as their volume, mass, and density were identified. Hammers were made of pebbles of porphyritic effusives and tuffs. Retouchers were manufactured from coarse-grained sandstones. This confirms selective choice of raw materials for knapping and retouching among the ancient inhabitants of Ust-Kanskaya cave. Correlation analysis has revealed similarities and differences in the behavior of the ancient humans from Ust-Kanskaya cave and neighboring archaeological sites. The common feature was procuring blanks for stone percussion tools from local sources. Mostly pebbles of coarse-grained sandstones were used for retouching stone blanks. The difference was in the choice of raw materials for stone knapping. Pebbles of porphyry effusives and tuffs were used at the Ust-Kanskaya site, while raw materials of sandstone, siltstone-sandstone, and granite were preferred at other archaeological sites. Stone percussion and abrasive tools constitute a representative source for analyzing economic and everyday life at the site, and behavioral processes among the ancient inhabitants of archaeological sites.