The Stone Item with Pigmentation Traces from the Gagarino Site

The paper introduces into scientific discourse a new item exhibiting traces of intentional pigmentation from the Upper Paleolithic Gagarino site identified in the course of examining the faunal collection from the L. M. Tarasova’s excavations. A diminutive item was made of limestone or chalk and decorated with rhythmical lines made with ochre. The paper discusses morphological traits of the find, its ornament and discovery context. A special attention is paid to the issue of raw material deposits and use of mineral pigment by the site occupants. So far, no comparable items have been found in assemblages of the Eastern Gravettian sites. It is presumed that the item can be attributed to a group of symbolic artifacts of decorative and applied art.